Balance alk and Calc.

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by new2salt2, Mar 29, 2004.

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  1. new2salt2

    new2salt2 Fire Shrimp

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    ok.. well i have not dosed anything yet. i just put in top off water ()no salt) LOL. trying to keep SG at 1.022 range. it seems that, although my PH is ok, it is going up.. will this affect the Alk? also reason Alk is high to answer the question.. i (a while ago) dosed it hard and fast to see if it would bring down my calc. well it didnt do anything but turn some LR green. so i stoped that. yea trates comming down, but my large Hermit just molted and i cant find all his old shells . will this deteriate and raise nitrates? like a dead fish would? i slowed down the feedings and now i see my fish nipping at the coral at times.. man this is real frustrating hobby, but i know it will pay off in the end.

    i will have readings posted in afternoon .
     
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  3. Phil5613

    Phil5613 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    What do you have in the tank to consume the calcium that you are testing for is it just the lr? The ammonia you are showing how old is the tank and when did you start your water changes? what made you dose for calcium and alk in the first place? what did you have in the tank that needed it? What is your feeding schedule? You talk about your trate level alot but not you trite why? trite would follow the ammonia conversion and if you are showing amm and trate your trite should be there also if not check your test kit. any time you dose you should have a reason for it and 1 or 2 polyps wouldn't make me dose calcium for a while if ever. what are you feeding the tank (flake,frozen,pellet, live and liquids?). Ph is ok and my opinion is over 8 is great I don't freak out over a couple points unless I am doing something specific that needs that much control.
     
  4. new2salt2

    new2salt2 Fire Shrimp

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    wow dude you opened a can of worms on me .  lol.. i actually posted about a while back and could not get calc levels down.  turns out i was topping off too often with mixed water that raised my ca level before i knew what i was doing i bought some polyps and started adding a calc supplement and boom problems began.  i dont mention trite becasue they have always been at 0 on my test.  not much in my tank i just messed things up following my LFS advice.  we all know what that can be like.  there are a few corals using the cal as well as coraline alge.  i am just waiting now for it to drop within range.  it is going down now i hope.. should know more by tomorrow. with all  my recent water changes and top off i think my tank missed a cycle.  its working out now.. and next i am getting a sump for this mutha.

    Nautilus has been a HUGE help in this. has been putting upwitha bunch of whining on my part and his patience has shown me how much people care about helping others on this board.
     
  5. Phil5613

    Phil5613 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    High 5 to Dave the Patiant man! I am still confused a bit though the Amm->Trite->trate thing I cant recall seeimg both Amm and Trate without some Trite and if you have never shown Trite I would be concerned with the test kit or if the tank ever ran a good cycle. As far as the calcium issue I would believe the supplement did ya in not so much the salt watery top offs but either way having them come down is good. I am still curious what corals you have that are consuming the calcium. I have a really sneaky suspicion in the excitement of the new tank you did something we all have done and moved forward too soon. How long was the tank running before first water change? My advice would be to leave the tank alone and do only top off for a few days to a week and see how everything settles. That means no water changes no supplementing and no feeding. When you get into a situation where there are multiple things not working right...stop.. let everything catch up and then troubleshoot. You are dealing with 2 separate issues at least and that is the nitrification cycle and mis-dosing the tank. I am guessing some over feeding too.
     
  6. Land_Fish

    Land_Fish Guest

    Phil.. lol please read the whole thread plus the other current one in chemistry.
    He has posted several times all the info you are wanting.
    He is just keeping me updated on his tank so I don't worry about it.
    I also believe his missed a cycle and we are waiting for the cal and alk to come down and they will come down but it may take some time.

    Nitrates can come from freshly mixed salt which when he was doing 2 to 3 water changes a week plus over feeding like we all do but never admit it could be the issue. Thats why we are sitting back and testing everyday now. I do believe his test kit is correct.

    Only time will tell.
    Keep us posted please
    Thanks
    Dave
     
  7. Boomer

    Boomer Feather Duster

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    It is quite common to see Ammonia and Nitrate with no showing of Nitrite, especially when doing water changes as he has been doing. Fresh mixes of almost all salts have about .25 mg / l NH3-N. Once in the system the conversion is so quick you many not se any nitrite. Furthermore, there is no worry about nitrite anyway, as for all practical purposes it is non-toxic in seawater. It is a myth that it is, as the chloride ion and to some extent the calcium & magnesium ion act as protective ions to inhibit the uptake on nitrite. Since this is a competition between ions who do think is going to win the battle, if the nitrite was 10 mg / l NO2-N and the Cl- ion is at 19,000 mg / l and Ca++ ion is over 400mg / l and Mg at 1400 mg / l. Lastly, you can often get incorrect readings with nitrite and nitrate kits when both are in the water, as there is often an inference factor
     
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  9. Phil5613

    Phil5613 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Boomer as always thanks for the clarification you are a very techie guy that makes thing clear with out making people feel dumb.
     
  10. Land_Fish

    Land_Fish Guest

    Hey thanks Boomer.
    Did you read the hole post from the beginning here. if not could you please and give us your advice.

    Thanks
    Dave
     
  11. new2salt2

    new2salt2 Fire Shrimp

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    well tested today with levels same as yesterday. becasue the decline seems to be slow i will now begin testing water every other day and post them here.
     
  12. Boomer

    Boomer Feather Duster

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    could you please and give us your advice


    Leave the flippin' tank alone and let it run its course. Half of the nitrate problem is all these water changes, as you keep shifting the nitrification cycle. STOP adding additves to raise the Alk and calcium. Get the SG up to about 1.025

    Your nitrate is at 15 nitrate, 15 what, NO3-N or NO3. Look at the kit. We almost always go by NO3-N. Which ever, yes, you are a lttle high. Increase circulation, reduce feeding and get some better skimming ( do you have a skimmer). Have you measured phosphate levels ?

    And read this;

    http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

    then read this;

    http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

    And for selecting what to do on Alk and Ca

    http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm