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View Full Version : Am on the right track? Did I take a wrong turn?


ksalt
10/10/2009, 05:48 PM
I have been dosing 2 part for a year and a half on my 550g mixed reef prop system. For the better part of a year I was dosing 5oz of Dow Flake, 2.5oz of Baked Baking Soda and 6oz of Epson Salts daily; (which I found a bit odd because you are to dose the Ca and Alk. in equal parts??)This kept my levels steady at 420 Ca, 8 dKH and 1500 K. As of late, I have had lower than expected dKH and my dosing has increased to 6oz of Ca supplement, 6oz of the Alkalinity supplement and 10-11oz of Epson salts daily (*note ~ I'm now adding equal parts for Ca and Alk.). I do an average of 10% water changes weekly. BUT now! I have been getting a high pH reading every couple days (8.8) which has never been an issue in the past... So my questions are Why do I use so much Epson salts? Why am I getting the sudden pH spikes? Is the other, Recipe 2 the one way I should be supplementing my Ca and Alk.? Thank you in advance :)

HighlandReefer
10/10/2009, 06:09 PM
A lot can be due to the salt mix you are using and if you recently changed.

Many salt mixes are high in calcium and you will find that you will not need to supplement calcium as much because of this. Instant Ocean was low in calcium and now is more like seawater levels. This could cause this problem.

Some salt mixes are low in magnesium, like Instant Ocean was. You would need to supplement mag. using the old formula of IO.

Perhaps you are using IO, and that would explain the changes you are experiencing. ;)

ksalt
10/10/2009, 06:28 PM
Good call on the I O salt :). I use and have for a long time the I O commercial grade 200g box salt. It measures up w/ 440 Ca, 10 dKH, 1375 K, 8.2 pH @ 1.025 (room temp.). Which in my thinking should aid? in my supplementing for Alkalinity?

HighlandReefer
10/10/2009, 06:35 PM
The alk. will not make a whole lot of difference then using the old formula.

The calcium and mag. will make a big difference.

If you want to maintain a higher level of mag. and/or calcium then is found in IO, then it will be better to supplement these to your salt mix at water change time.

FWIW, it would be better to use a 10:1 magnesium chloride to magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) mix to boost your mag. levels. This will keep your water in balance.

HighlandReefer
10/10/2009, 06:36 PM
Regarding your pH spikes, when was the last time you calibrated your pH meter?

ksalt
10/10/2009, 06:55 PM
I use the API test kits primarily. I have another water column I test and it's pH goes up average .2 morning to night (kind of a standard I measure against when I think I have a false reading or confusion with a reading).

I don't wish levels higher than the salt mix I'm using; more questioning Do I have any issues with my present innovations? is this (?) the cause for higher than normal pH? How can I correct it? My system this far has been so stable it's scary lol.

Cheers

ksalt
10/11/2009, 01:35 PM
BUMP

I would like to hear others opinions if they have any :)

Cheers