PDA

View Full Version : how in the heck can this be???


DevilBoy
03/28/2012, 09:08 AM
Can some one explain to me how this can happen? Keep in mind i do not dose and additives at all!!!

Ca - 620 ppm
Mg - 1600
Alk - 8.7 dKH
pH - 8.15 as of this minute is what my controller reads

I used 3 different kits with the results within 5 - 10 ppm of each other.

How can this be?? Could this be the reason i can not keep corals alive?

Is this the reason why i have been having a haze in my water?

I use reef crystals.

I just dont understand.

:debi:

Percula9
03/28/2012, 09:26 AM
The reef crystals obviously has high levels of calcium and magnesium. I would do some water changes with a different salt like regular instant ocean. The haze in the water could be some calcium precipitation. What is your water source?

DevilBoy
03/28/2012, 09:40 AM
my source water is ro/di reading 0 tds.

salinity 35 ppt

could this affect corals?

wonderz
03/28/2012, 10:04 AM
I use reef crystals too and my number is never that high without dosing. How often and how much WC do you do?

DevilBoy
03/28/2012, 10:34 AM
I do a 20g water change on every monday night. All other parameters are acceptable

Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 5 ppm

I need to check my water change water next time. See what thats reading

Randy Holmes-Farley
03/28/2012, 02:32 PM
How are you measuring salinity?

DevilBoy
03/28/2012, 04:26 PM
Refractometer

disc1
03/28/2012, 04:31 PM
How'd ya calibrate it? When was the last time?

bertoni
03/28/2012, 07:08 PM
I'd check some freshly-mixed saltwater, as a sort of sanity test, and I agree that checking the refractometer calibration might be useful.

The calcium and magnesium levels should be safe, although they are high. People run with very high level for various reasons, without problems. The alkalinity and pH are both great.

DevilBoy
03/28/2012, 11:03 PM
I calibrate the refractometer before every use, using pinpoint marine 35ppt calibration solution.

bertoni
03/28/2012, 11:51 PM
Okay, that should be fine for calibration. Hopefully, you didn't get a bad batch. Maybe the salt mix is having a bad calcium day. :)

DevilBoy
04/02/2012, 11:59 PM
i checked my new mix up water before my water change tonight. this is the readings i got

20g ro/di water mixed to 35 ppt with reef crystals

Ca - 650 ppm
Mg - 1600 ppm
Alk - 11 dKH

looks like i have a bad batch of salt

bertoni
04/03/2012, 08:41 PM
That's very strange. I might get a second opinion on the refractometer. There have been bad batches of the calibration solution. :(

DevilBoy
04/03/2012, 10:17 PM
Thats funny you say that. Because i was thinking it may be the refractometer also. Everytime i go to check my salinity i cal my refractometer and every time i have to adjust it to read 35ppt. Clean the refractometer and check it again, then it may be too high and i will have to adjust it back down. So i went ahead and ordered a digital refractometer. That could be the reason i can not keep corals. my salinity may be way too high. But my fish, and shrimp are doing great. Corals and snails, yes even snails i have been having trouble keeping.

bertoni
04/03/2012, 10:40 PM
Sounds like a good plan! This article might help in the mean time:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

DevilBoy
04/05/2012, 01:55 AM
Got my digital refractometer today. And my gut feeling was right. Checked my tank and got 44 ppt. No wonder my corals died along with my snails.

Randy Holmes-Farley
04/05/2012, 04:38 AM
Devilboy, did you calibrate it?

DevilBoy
04/05/2012, 08:49 AM
yes sir i did. With ro/di water per instructions. Then i dropped some pinpoint marine calibration fluid on it and it read 35 ppt.

DevilBoy
04/05/2012, 08:52 AM
here is the reading

ek9vboi
04/05/2012, 10:25 AM
Yikes. I have two refractometers, guess I'll be using both to check my salinity. I have a few swing arms to check from as well. Better safe then sorry I say.

bertoni
04/05/2012, 02:36 PM
Well, that's surprising! I'm not sure what to say.

DevilBoy
04/05/2012, 03:14 PM
And I checked the meter with my pinpoint solution and it read at 35ppt. So it has to be the old refracto. How would I lower the Salinity? Did this cause my snails and corals to die?

bongarone
04/05/2012, 07:26 PM
Lower salinity slowly by doing small water changes every few days and replacing it completely with RODI water.

How many gallons of water were you producing with each bucket of salt? 44ppt is insanely high.

If a bucket meant to produce ~160 gallons produces 100, you know something's wrong...

bertoni
04/05/2012, 09:39 PM
Assuming there's 50g of water in the system, I might remove a half a gallon a day and replace it with RO/DI, and see how quickly the SG drops. I don't know a good target rate, because I've never heard of a tank that high. I might try removing up to a couple of gallons a day if I had time to spread the changes out.