Balance alk and Calc.

They say submerged bio balls in the sump help with a nitrate issue.
I used a rubbermaid 14 gallon tube for a refugium so I don't see why you could not use one for a sump. just need an overflow and a way to get it to the sump. Put a filter sock on the end of the drain pipe and a pump to send the water back to the tank and wala you are ready.

 

test results
SG 1.022
PH 8.3 not sure, but color looks like it might be going up.
alk 5 down .6
calc about 580. have trouble getting the exact time turns to blue. maybe down a bit

amonia .25
trate 20

this was 2 hours after water top off.

i got some drawings froma guy to help me with sump. he designed it and told me the pump to buy. just gotta find a good price for the acrylic dividers.

it seems to be going down, but ever soooo slowly.

 

What live stock do you have in the tank?
I am sorry I forgot.
You have tested the top off water before you added it?

 

have 3 damsles and 2 clowns.  yes tested top off with 0 trate, trite and amonia.  Ph 8.0 and less than about 50 calc PPM

also tested to day with
trate at 5 now down
amonia at .25
trite 0
ph 8.4 seems to be going up.. kinda gettin worried..
SG 1.022
Ca 575
alk 5

 

I forget, when you say your alk is 5, are you saying 5 KH? or 5 meq/L.

 

using the Lamotte test getting a reading of 250 then dividing it by 50 . i think that is the MEQ/L. reading. but that is how i got that number.

just caught one of my damsels nipping at my poor polyps that are not opening now.. lol.. cant win for nothing!!!

 

It's very strange to me that both your alk and calcium readings are very high.

 

IMO you should stop dosing anything and wait till the ammonia and than the nitrite goes down this can take some time I would say wait 1 month and don't do big water changes I would say 5% - 10% a week max.


I think your tank is defenetly in the middle of cycle. I dont know whats the reason maybe you added some livestock lately. What I'm trying to say is "SLOW DOWN"

 

[quote author=Matt Rogers link=board=Water;num=1080608869;start=30#36 date=04/05/04 at 13:32:51]It's very strange to me that both your alk and calcium readings are very high.  [/quote]

Matt he was doing water changes every 3 to 4 days.
We decides not to add anything for awhile.

 

[quote author=new2salt2 link=board=Water;num=1080608869;start=30#33 date=04/05/04 at 08:25:29]have 3 damsles and 2 clowns.  yes tested top off with 0 trate, trite and amonia.  Ph 8.0 and less than about 50 calc PPM

also tested to day with
trate at 5 now down
amonia at .25
trite 0
ph 8.4 seems to be going up.. kinda gettin worried..
SG 1.022
Ca 575
alk 5

[/quote]

8.4 pH is perfect.
Your Nitrates are going down now so we are looking way better then we were last week.

Still not NOT do any water changes with mixed up saltwater. If you do a water change just make sure it has no salt mix in it. Plain RO/DI would be best. small amounts like 1 gallon a day.

5 x 2.8 = 14 DKH so this is high still but not real dangerous yet. Once we get cal and alk down some your corals will open.

Keep us posted.