Help with balancing alk and mag

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by Bob F, Nov 13, 2014.

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  1. Bob F

    Bob F Bristle Worm

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    ok I have been struggling to keep alk up but thought I was getting there with kalkwasser and some additions of 2 part. before this calcium and mag always stable at 400 to 440 and 1320. But at my last water change notice sand caking so thiught oh no better test everything again and noticed mag dropped below 1200. Now trying to get mag up slowly up and was working but when I decided to add more 2 part mag dropped again to 1200. What the heck. Should I do nothing else but first get mag up before adding part 2 or kalk?
     
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    What products are you using?
    What is the Alk value?
    What salt mix?
     
  4. Bob F

    Bob F Bristle Worm

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    Reef crystals, seachem kalk, Red Sea part b but recently switched to BRS part 2. Alk value hit all time low couple months ago to 5.6dkh and slowly build to 8.5 then as soon as it started going above that is when I noticed mag drop and sand caking
     
  5. Bob F

    Bob F Bristle Worm

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    Also a very odd thing that I did not mention but u may be crazy. The coralline algae on my back glass started falling off or eaten but did see coralline finally growing on rock. I am probably just crazy
     
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

    http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/#14

    http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

    Not unusual to see coralline flake off, or disappear with unstable chemistry.

    I would pick a product such as the BRS and stick with it and give up kalk for now. Do a couple more water changes (unscheduled) and get your magnesium up to at least 1250. Double check the mag results, if accurate adjust with perhaps Kent Tech Mag or keep using the two part and a couple extra water changes and the mag should come up, once it does the Ca and Alk stablize as long as you're keeping up with utilization. How large is the tank? Is using two part practical?

    I used RC and BRS and actually had an issue with higher values of magnesium. Red Sea Pro supposedly mixes at a higher mag level so you might consider a salt mix change if this turns into a chronic problem. Look at Randy's two part recipe as well.

    The links provided above are heavy, they take a couple of readings as needed. If you wade through them a couple times it gets easier each time.
     
  7. Bob F

    Bob F Bristle Worm

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    Thanks I was speculating the kalk was throwing it off because I always just used the 2 part but wanted to try kalk for the balance. my tank is 70 gal with 30 sump. I will do as you suggested leaving the change in salt mix to last Thanks again