What Can I Do Now?

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by ThirstyDuck, Feb 23, 2009.

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  1. ThirstyDuck

    ThirstyDuck Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2009
    Messages:
    94
    Location:
    Swanton, Ohio
    Temp 78.3
    Sal. 1.025
    PH 8.0
    Nitrite 0
    Nitrate 15
    Ammonia 0.2
    Phosphate 1.0
    Calcium 560
    Alkalinity 4
    dKh 11.2
    CaCO3 (ppm) 200
    Carbonate Hardness 14
    I'm having trouble balancing all of this. Where should I start? What should I do?
     
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  3. infamous

    infamous Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
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    741
    isn't Alkalinity and carbonate hardness the exact same thing, the ability of a solution to resist a pH change with an addition of an acid?
     
  4. ThirstyDuck

    ThirstyDuck Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
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    94
    Location:
    Swanton, Ohio
    I'm still learning all of this. I just used the conversion table that came with my alkalinity test kit. I thought it was different due to the conversion table giving a conversion for the alkalinity. I have a lot to learn, just looking for help.
     
  5. reefer Bob

    reefer Bob Montipora Digitata

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    Location:
    Largo, Fl
    Do you have a skimmer and do reg water changes and clean your sand?
     
  6. ThirstyDuck

    ThirstyDuck Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Location:
    Swanton, Ohio
    I do have a skimmer (seaclone) worked great at first. Now works like s**t, I'm looking for a new one. Yes I have a 90 gallon and do 15 gallon water change every two weeks. No sand, crushed coral I do vac when I do water change.
     
  7. reefer Bob

    reefer Bob Montipora Digitata

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    If you are not skimming good than that might explain why things are off. The waste has to go somewhere and if it doesnt get skimmed, it has to break down and wait to go through the natural process. It's important to fix your skimmer or get a new one.
     
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  9. ThirstyDuck

    ThirstyDuck Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    I'm looking at the Red Sea C-Skim 1200. Now all I need to do is talk the wife into letting me spend the money.
     
  10. GuitarMan89

    GuitarMan89 Giant Squid

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    Location:
    Wilmington, DE
    Alk, dkh and CaCo3 are all the same thing just to let you know, they are just different ways of measuring it. If you still have ammonia, your cycle hasn't finished or your bioload is too great for whatever reason, and/or you don't have enough lr for your bioload.
    What do you have in the tank? How long has it been setup for?
     
  11. phoenixhieghts

    phoenixhieghts Panda Puffer

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    Location:
    Manchester UK
    Out of all those listed - Ammonia being present in the system is the worrying one. You have to leave the tank alone to allow the nityfying bacteria to accumilate
     
  12. PackLeader

    PackLeader Giant Squid

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    How much rock do you have? What is your stock situation? You need to stop on the water changes until that ammonia goes down. You are in the midst of a cycle. Water changes are only going to draw that out longer. Let the tank catch up to itself before worrying about anything else.