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Strange Readings 0.o

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paintballe48

Calcium somewhere around 420-440 ppm
Magnesium a bit low at 1200.
And my alkalinity is super high around 12-13dkh. (Performed test twice to double check)

Now my questions is how do i reduce my alkalinity without reducing my calcium and magnesium levels. I plan to do a 20 gallon water change tomorow to help reduce it a little bit at least. I have a 3 part dosing kit right now for magnesium calc and alkalinity. Also i have an mtc procal thats waiting to be hooked up depending on when i get a ph monitor and can figure out how to tune it properly (help on that would also be good). Anyone feel free to chime in tank infos listed below. Thanks all! =D

(tank info- 125 gallon mixed reef 4 big sps colonys about 10 smaller colonys and a few frags, frogspawn (10 heads or so) hammer corals (10 heads or so) some zoo's, two anemones, mushrooms, huge colony of gsp. My bioload isnt to heavy like 14 mid sized to smaller fish. 3x250watt 15k MH's 2x6' VHO atinics) oh and the tanks been up and running for around 1.5 years now
 
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Jcurry@wesketch

The simplest way to get your water parameters back in check is 30% water changes.

Check out these articles by Randy Holmes Farley they should help you understand the Ca, Alk & Mg relationship better.

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm
 
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paintballe48

Hey all im mid water change im and going to do some before and after readings on my Ca, Mg, and Kh.

Magnesium= 1200ppm
Alkalinity= 12dkh
Calcium= 420ppm

commense 20 gallon change! =D dont have enough R/o water atm to do a bigger change. Expect updates in about an hour
 
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paintballe48

Coralife Salt...

Water change didnt really help anything at all...

Calcium 460ppm
Alk 11.8dkh
Magnesium= 1250 ppm

Anyone who would like to chime in please do I'm a little concerned for the corals. I have a magnesium buffer whice im adding and testing now. But I still do not know what to do about the alkalinity. I use R/o water with the coralife salt.
 
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mgonz

what are you doing to gauge salinity? are you by chance using a hydrometer? 11.8 dkh isnt the worst thing in the world. some people opt to keep it that high not exceeding the 12 mark. as far as your mag and cal they arent to far off one another. mag should usually be kept at three times the amount of your cal. so it would be slight under but not bad at all either. are you dosing any alk buffers or purple up or anything like this?
 
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paintballe48

Whats worrying me is im starting to see a little bit of die off on the top of the acros which seriousally worries me. I do use Salifert test kits with the calcium test kit being api. Yes unfortunitally i still am useing a hydrometer. I really need to get a refractometer but im a little low on cash right now. The hydrometer is reading 1.022. I do have an alk buffer but i have not been using it. MY other buffer is a calcium and magnesium together. I added some of that tonight. I dont use any purple up or anything like that. Also the tank is well established 1.5 years or so. Might do another 20gallon change in the morning.
 
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Jcurry@wesketch

Your levels aren't that far off if your test kits are accurate. I'm a little suprised that you have high Alk @ 11.8 and high Ca @ 460. With an Alk reading that high I would expect your Ca to be under 400ppm.
1.022 is a little low for SPS, you should target 1.026 which is the salinity of NSW.
What temp is your tank? High temps and low salinity could be enough to start stressing your coral.
 
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mgonz

you can do a 50 gal water change but if the salt you are using is mixing at those levels then you are never gonna get the levels to come down via water changes. also before adjusting salinity keep in mind, a hydrometer isn't accurate at all. I would not bring salinity to 1.026 without checking your hydrometer against a refractometer. if you live up north and would like I would be more than happy to do it for you. most hydrometers are off by three points easy. that would already put your salinity at 1.025 which is perfectly ok as well. do you feed your corals? do you have any fish that might be picking by chance? are the areas that are loosing colors actually getting enough light? are you possibly having ph swings? there are alot of things that might cause stress to a coral. what are your nitrates and phosphates at?
 
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paintballe48

my phosphates are at like 0.2 and my nitrates have always been almost undetechable. I dont have any more nitrate test kits left so I cant really give u an exact number right now. I live in north nj hawthorne 07506 right near paterson and all those areas. If you really are interested in coming and taking a look with a hydrometer That would be awsome. Yes i feed rotifers to the tank (frozen) and also use some coral feeding frenzy from time to time. Also I dose amino acids. PH i dont have a test kit for. Was putting it off telling myself to buy a ph probe and controller for my new calc reactor (not hooked up) Plenty plenty of light on the corals. brand new 250 watt 15k bulbs and all the corals have direct and very good access to light. As for fish picking no way my fish avoid my corals pretty much entirely minus the fact my flame hawk can perch on one for about 20 seconds sometimes. But let me know if you would like to swing by and check the salinity. ;D
 
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mgonz

I will let you know. might be able to tomorrow if not possibly over the weekend. also if you arent using a hanna photometer there is no way to accuratly check for phosphates. if you want you can bring a water sample by my place and I can check all levels here, except for phos. You can also see my setup and we can talk reef here. I live in hillside right off parkway exit 140.. :)
 
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paintballe48

Sounds like a plan my man. Not far away from there mabye 30 mins or less. Ill try and get some pics of my corals so you can see there response to whatever is going on. When would you like to do this?
 
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mgonz

if you want to come by today wed is fine if not this weekend works for me as well. just have to let me know whats good for you I will pm you my number.
 
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