About To Put A Bullet In My Tank!!!

[clownfish]

Ok, this is really getting irritating....I can't get my Mag, Cal and pH to rise.

I've been adding Seachem's Mag, Advan. Cal and Reef Buffer (pH buffer) with no results whatsoever. I've been adding all of these for the past week and nothing happens...I add Magnesium and it makes no difference at all. I put Calcium, nothing....I add the pH buffer in the afternoon, by the next day, my pH is low yet again.... I have stopped using carbon and I'm only using Purigen (synthetic filter media that doesn't affect elements). Even after quitting the carbon, I've got nothing. The only other option would be to quit skimming, but I'm not sure I want to go that route.

I'm about to put a bullet or two into my tank at this point, that way I'll save the trip to the shooting range this weekend.

I've spent money on additives (trace elements), I even switched to reef crystals...nothing nothing nothing....I truly need some EXPERT advice 'cause I'm about to pop a vein......sigh....thanks guys. Peace!

[missionsix66]

Karma. I'm pissed off at my tank right now to. I'm having somewhat similar problems. What is your kh?

[BaxterS80]

What are your current readings?

[lunatik_69]

Hey guys, first off, calm down and count to ten or twenty. Skimming dont affect Cal, Mag or PH. Ph and Alk are related. If you have one of those levels high, chances are the other is too. Now, Cal and PH/Alk are not related. If you have one element high, the other is low. What helps to keep Cal and Ph/Alk at a balanced level,...... Mag. Now, having said this, I dont understand why your having trouble with these elements. What are your levels?(Ph, Mag, Cal, Alk/Dkh, temp and salt)

[zeus_roush]

what test kits are you using? how old are they? i would not add anything else till you check against new test kits. i would think that atleast one of your levels should have risen from adding supplements

[clownfish]

My test kits are farely new...I just got them last week. My readings are as follow:
Total Alk is at 4.5 meq/L
Calcium is 310 and has been even after numerous days of adding calcium
pH, now this is the strange part, when I add the pH buffer, it works within 5 mins reaching 8.3, but by the next day, is back to 8.0.
Magnesium is just under 1000. Also after numerous days of adding Mag.
Temp is 75
Salt is 1.023 gravity

Now, I'm using Seachem's test kits for Mag, Alk and Calcium. For pH I'm using Red Sea. I do have a Salifert Calcium test kit, but I find hard to read. For example, if I read it one way, the calcium level is 390, if i read it the other way it's 310. For example, after dosin' the liquid, the syringe's piston is at the .25 position, when holding upright, but according to the instructions I have to look at it upside down, so if I do this, it's not at .25, it is at 3.5....Anyway, going off subject a bit here....I'm pissed, back to the subject now lol.

[lunatik_69]

What about your NH3/4, No2 and NO3

[clownfish]

Ammonia is near 0, not enough to be toxic, no free ammonia. Nitrates are 0 and so are Nitrites. Fish are doing great, they eat and swim all day, no labored breathing, nothing stressful.

[lunatik_69]

What about your temp and salt?

[zeus_roush]

what were the levels before you started dosing? how many days for each? i would still venture to say there is a problem with test kits. ph when are you testing?