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View Full Version : Ph down .2, salt grav. is up, .005, and calcium is at over 800ppm!! HELP!


ZURCSREEF
05/04/2006, 01:54 PM
A few days ago I did a water change and removed over 50% of my rock. Before I did this my parameters were "perfect", I had 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates, gravity was 1.024, no ammonia, no nitrite, calcium was 450, pH was 8.3 etc. Now after the water change and rock removal, my pH is 8.1, my salt grav. is at 1.029, my calcium is at over 800ppm and I don't know what to do about it, my SPS are bleaching out and dying (green/purple rim monticap colony, blood red mini monticap colony, and my pink tip acropora)... All my other corals are looking fine, all are opening and have there same colors, I just had my copperband die today and don't know if it was from this or what. What can I do to get my salinity back to normal and stable, aswell as my pH and my calcium back down to 450, I have a calcium reactor, but it is not installed, I have been supplementing twice aweek with Seachem's Reef Complete, Reef Calcium and Reef Plus.

All suggestions, comments are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
-Mike C. aka ZURCSREEF

Travis L. Stevens
05/04/2006, 02:02 PM
What is your Alkalinity at? What are you using to check your Specific Gravity? Hydrometer? Refractometer? Most likely you are overdosing on your Calcium with all those additives and it has thrown your Alkalinity out of whack. My suggestion is to test your Alkalinity and Calcium and then read this article to see what happened, why, and how to correct the problem.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

ZURCSREEF
05/04/2006, 02:25 PM
I could not find my alk test kit. I used a hydrometer to check my specific gravity. I have been dosing these additives like this since I started my tank with no problems, i got this dosing method from garf.org.

I will get another alk test kit and do what you have suggestion nonetheless, thanks for your suggestion.

-Mike C. aka ZURCSREEF
P.S. would like to hear from more people please...

Travis L. Stevens
05/04/2006, 03:04 PM
Also, double check your salinity with a refractometer to make sure that you are getting an accurate reading.

Amphiprion
05/04/2006, 03:11 PM
I would double check everything against reliable kits/standards. IF they are as bad as you say, a larger percentage water change will help immensely.

ZURCSREEF
05/04/2006, 03:30 PM
I currently use hagen test kits, but I am going to go purchase salifert today, I am goign to see if I can find a refractometer locally or else I am going to just order one online. Should I do only RO water for the water change since the salinity is so high? Or do I do a saltwater water change? LMK

-Mike C. aka zurcsreef

thanks

Travis L. Stevens
05/04/2006, 03:45 PM
It depends on what your salinity is at. If it actually is 1.029. i would just do water changes with a low SG water. Something like 1.020-1.022.

ZURCSREEF
05/04/2006, 04:37 PM
it is definately at 1.029, I have tested it quite a few times aswell as my other tanks which are normal at 1.024. But I need to get my calcium down aswell as my pH up, what would be the safest way to do this without putting corals/inverts/fish/etc. in shock?

-Mike C. aka ZURCSREEF

donski
05/04/2006, 10:20 PM
A refractometer is a MUST have item. I cannot believe I went so long without one considering the price around $50 and the amount of $ we spend on other equipment and livestock.

jer77
05/04/2006, 10:35 PM
The link Travis has given is the best information for solving your problem. Read it! Its something you NEED to know. Since your problem sounds pretty extreme, and without knowing your alkalinity, I would do a water change. Have you been adding a buffer like sodium bicarbonate to balance the calcium that you are adding? If not add some.

ZURCSREEF
05/04/2006, 10:52 PM
I dose Reef Complete, Reef Plus and Reef Calcium from Seachem twice a week (the dosing method used by garf.org) and never had this problem. I think it was when I removed most of my rock and did about a 25 gallon water change. I am definately going to read the link and purchase a another alkalinity test kit tomorrow after I get out of work as I could not find my other one.

-Mike C. aka ZURCSREEF