Balance alk and Calc.

today.

still 500 cal
4 alk
PH8.5 ish
no trate, trite and amonia.

temp at 78.

water is clearing up tho

 

no test today. work tons will try on saturday. was wondering the naut. i see you got a 80gal tank with only a 10 gal sump. think that would be fine for me? or should i go bigger for my sump?

 

I say 10 gallons but that is if it full of water. The max water volume at any time in my sump would be 5 gallons.
For me the sump is just a place to put pumps and skimmers out of the way. So if your sump is big enough to hold all your equipment then that is fine.

Now if you do a sump / refugium the that is a whole different monster.

 

well i got plans to include a refug in my sump of 20gal. but dont want to buy a light to keep it as money is a issue right now

 

You really don't need a real bright light for the refug. I have a construction clap on light with 40 watt flood like... which works best for me and the cost is not that much... I did see an increase in the electrical bill when I used the 60 and 75 watt bulb.

 

well i just paid a $300 electric bill a week ago so right now.. not looking to raise it, but summer is commin so maybe then. n ill prolly build it with one just not use it right now. rather have it now then need it later than not have it at all

 

New to salt-
If your reading of pH is 8.6 this is what Randy said to try...

OK, the pH (if real) is too high. How did you measure it?

Adding vinegar to the limewater may help. About 45 ml per gallon of the limewater.

Try not adding anything else for a while.

This article may help:

Solutions to pH Problems

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

 

Naut.  i tested using 2 diff brands of test kits and still same reading on PH.  i also tested my tap (7.4)water and my filtered water(6).  

Just got my new Salifert test kits.. ill try them and post results of my ca and alk.  also did my 17 gal water change.

ok done.

amonia 0, trate 0, trite 0, ph 8.6
ALK (salifert) 4.5meq/l
calc (salifert)550PPM

the problem is that my top off water has calcium in it too and my tank is not using enough calc nor evaporating enought calc with it . so when i add my top off water i am raising calc then too. only thing i can think of is when the water needs replacing ill have to do a water change and mix it low SG. until i can get more hardy corals. and that will be a job since there are not shops here now that sell them ..

 

Adding vinegar may help. About 45 ml per gallon .

Calcium as said before will participate out of the water. Try a tad of vinegar to drop pH and let tank sit. If you were adding some find of buffer before then this may have caused the ionic imbalance in the system.
I posted some of Randy articles of this forum and you should read most of them when time permits.

 

yea i read the articles and have not added anything sicne we have been discussing solutions. so about a month. is 30CAlPPM high for filtered water and PH of 6?

i will add the vineger and let sit then post results. BTW. Salifert tests much easier to read color change.