Damn Parameters!!!

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by Stingray, Feb 25, 2014.

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  1. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    Hi all
    I tested my water params a week ago including the big 3 as i do every month, all was fine apart from

    Calcium 380ppm-want to aim for 420 at least
    Alk 6DKH, want it to be 9

    Magnesium is ok at 1400ppm

    Because of this i started dosing kent marine tech cb 2 part,it says add 2 tsps every 40gallons which my tank is so i dosed this 3 days in the morning while lights off,
    couple hours later i tested the water, no change, so the 4th day i dosed double this 4 tsps calcium but still 2 alk, either are budging, i tested with a in date salifert and jbl test kit, both same reading,

    should i use something else or just dose more then this?

    Thanks in advance...
     
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Best to start off at the recommended dosing and move up from there. The amount you dose will depend on your tank's utilization of the big 3. If you have a lot of coralline algae, big clams or stony corals then your tank might very well require more.

    Next I would just dose the ALK portion of the product. Your Ca is fine at that current level, your Alk is not, at least get it above 7.

    With a 50 gallon tank these products may not be an efficient way to maintain the parameters. This again depends on your coral types.

    Try dosing only the ALK component for 3 days, recommended dose, but only after you test first and see if you can get the parameters dialed in.

    You should not try to make the corrections quickly, slow and steady.
     
  4. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    Thanks for the reply,
    I try to bring up 1 a time but each time i do the other goes down, very frustrating
    :confused:
     
  5. Kevin_E

    Kevin_E Giant Squid

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    I would buy backing soda and calcium chloride.

    You can calculate exactly how many ppms you'll raise your tank buy and you can make your own dosing fluid with a known concentration.
     
  6. Mr. Bill

    Mr. Bill Native Floridian

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    Typical scenario with low Mag. I'd double-check the numbers on that.
     
  7. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    Thanks for replys,
    The last 2 days I have used a online calculator it say 24tsp calcium 12 for alk to raise to my desired lvls,
    So I don't add it all at once I done it 3rd at a time 8tsp
    calcium 4 alk,

    Calcium hardly rises and alk 1 at most but then a day or 2 later drops again,
    Magnesium is 1400 tested with Jbl and salifent test kit,
    I'm getting frustrated that what should be a simple straight forward minor increase in the params are turning out to be a right problem.
    I do have coralline algae but not any on the glass for corals
    2 head torch, hammer and candy, 4 small colonies of zoas
    Yellow polyps, and a flower pot.
     
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  9. civiccars2003

    civiccars2003 Great Blue Whale

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    Does your livestock look stressed? My big concern is ALK.

    With all water parameters, I think people stress too much on trying to dial in each parameter and get really frustrated. IMO the key to success is to closely moitor the livestock and corals. If they seem to suffer, then we need to further discuss options (one being water changes). Other than that, I would let it be and keep a good eye on your livestock.
     
  10. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    Because of the sheer amount of additive my tank has been using, kent tech cb is not cheap lol,

    I have decided to use other treatments has recommended, so i bought myself a 1k bag of Calcium Chloride Dihydrate flake & 1k of premium grade free flowing sodium bicarbonate, i know the amounts to use given the calculators on site, and im trying to do recipe 1 of randys recipes,

    Question is should i add a portion of both of these mixtures at the same time just like the kent tech 2 part

    Thanks
    Stingray.
     
  11. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    No.. Definitely don't want to add at the same time.
    If you put a bunch of alk in at the same time as the Calcium it may just precipitate back out. Best to stagger the times.. If I was using a dosing pump I would have one pump activate every other hour but if you're hand dosing just do one in morn and one in eve. Probably alk in morn. But really as long as it staggered with a little time to distribute itself through the system it should be fine.
    Did you by chance get any new test kits? Like bill said it does sound like a typical low mag scenario.
    I like to have two test kits on hand for alk.
    Also I would test alk a little more often. If alk is where it is suppose to be most likely the others are fine.
    I'm sure you know.. don't bring it up too fast. :)
     
  12. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    Thanks for reply,s
    I have tested the alk everyday for the last 2 weeks while treating, with a jbl test kit, always 6-7alk when testing in the evening but 8 after dosing, seems i need to dose alk daily.

    i test mag with a salifert and jbl test kit along with calcium too,

    at present params are
    alk-6
    calcium 390-400
    mag-1350