Ninjabeaver Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 So a few months ago I decided I would stop chasing numbers and go with the "corals look ok don't need to test"....I noticed I had some tissue loss on my galaxea and trumpet. So I did a quick alk test with my hanna checker and got 59....59x.065=3.3 dkh... Wow very low...time to go into crisis mode and get all my levels back in line and fix my dosing pumps. I don't know my other parameters yet, had to leave house. Anyone have experience in fixing this correctly? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Double check it with a Salifert Alk test. Sometimes after sitting for a while the Hanna reagent can go bad. If it is correct, slowly breaking bring it back up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Stats as of right now: Salinity: 1.026 Alk: 4.1 dkh Ca: 195 Mag: 1180 Very low...going to raise Ca about 50 per day, and 100 per day on the Alk. Once that is inline, i will do a baseline to see what daily consumption is. Should I wait two days to get those numbers and then calculate my daily dosage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Following, just found out my levels were out of whack too.... Ca 600 ALK 6 dkh Explains why my stuff was looking unhappy too... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Following, just found out my levels were out of whack too.... Ca 600 ALK 6 dkh Explains why my stuff was looking unhappy too... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Check that mag too...mine was a little low. Made my first adjustment by using BRS reef calculator and did dosing and retested. ALso on my dosing pump where the air tubing meets the tubing of the pump there were crystals stuck in the plastic connector restricting flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I just ordered a test kit for mag, should be here on Tuesday. Seems like we are doing the same stuff so far so fingers crossed we can both get out corals happy again haha. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySaber Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Same here ......never really had issues until now. One tank tested 6.1dkh the rest at 7.7dkh. Yeah just not sure what's up. Ca.430 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Wait! What salt is this and how are things still alive at those levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySaber Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 no idea how they are still alive but they are. And Im using Kent. which as soon as I run out will be going back to Red Sea Coral Pro. I have started testing 2 times a day to try to dial things back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Same here... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Did u just stop dosing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Well for me it was forgetting to up my dosage after adding a ton of LPS to my tank. They started sucking all the ALK out of my water I think. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Mine is for a few reasons: Possible that my mix of alk and ca were not exact enough when measuring and mixing. Stopped weekly testing. Infrequent water changes higher demand and dosing wasnt updated to match. My theory was that it happened so slowly over time that most coral has been able to adapt somewhat. A few more days and I will be where I need to be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 All LPS and Softies or any sticks? If my levels were that low I would dose small amounts every couple of hours and try to bring the alk up .5-1 every 1-2 hours until hitting 8. I would not try and dump it all in at once, but gradually over the course of a day you should be able to get back to 8, and then proceed accordingly from there. Yes increasing alk that much over a day is not the best thing, but weighing it against where your alk is now, I think it is the better of the options of having the corals sit their for days. I have had to go from 4 to 9 in my Mixed Reef when I had a pump malfunction and did not notice for 2 days (yes, my Alk dropped 5.0 in 2 days). In my case everything was fine. The healthier the corals the more forgiving they are of stuff like this, but, not for very long IME. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySaber Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I do weekly water changes only 2 sticks mostly softies and lps. Yes stopped testing and dosing for sometime figured weekly water changes would be fine since I don't have anything that consumes. Or I thought then noticed algae and red slim going nuts in my tanks. That's what alerted me to an issue. So now testing and doing small doses twice a day plus I sectioned off my tank into 3 equal sections and started cleaning the sand well. Each section I stir for 7 days before I move to the next to get anything that might be an issue. Sand is finally looking clean algae is gone just working on alk and my ph. Everything else tests fine. Well a little high on nitrates but I think it will go down with the cleaning. As for dosing doing it manually. I can't afford at this moment dosing pumps. It seems to be working even if it's a lot of work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 My alk dropped 1 dkh over 24 hours...my brs order needs to hurry up so I can make some more alk mix. maybe I can set up a kalk drip in the mean time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 My alk dropped 1 dkh over 24 hours...my brs order needs to hurry up so I can make some more alk mix. maybe I can set up a kalk drip in the mean timeJust utilize baking soda. It's already dirt cheap, but you can get it at Costco for an even better price. Absolutely no reason to pay higher prices to order the same stuff in a BRS jug. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Just utilize baking soda. It's already dirt cheap, but you can get it at Costco for an even better price. Absolutely no reason to pay higher prices to order the same stuff in a BRS jug. Do I need to bake it? I know I saw a recipe online somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Do I need to bake it? I know I saw a recipe online somewhereIf I recall correctly, that is recommended if you have low pH, but it is not required. It's really simple. Just measure the amount you need, pour it on a cookie sheet, and bake it. The exact time and temp aren't extremely important. Just 350° for at least an hour. Then pour it into a jug and add done RO water. Calcium is even easier. I used to use Prestone Driveway Heat before switching to reactor. DIY is super cheap, simple, and effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 If I recall correctly, that is recommended if you have low pH, but it is not required. It's really simple. Just measure the amount you need, pour it on a cookie sheet, and bake it. The exact time and temp aren't extremely important. Just 350° for at least an hour. Then pour it into a jug and add done RO water. Calcium is even easier. I used to use Prestone Driveway Heat before switching to reactor. DIY is super cheap, simple, and effective. ok..im trying to find the ratio for a gallon. Looking at this right now http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/#5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) I would just Google Randy's recipe. That is the ultimate source for that info. Edit: I just realized that is exactly what you linked in your previous post. Edited June 15, 2016 by Higher Thinking 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 I would just Google Randy's recipe. That is the ultimate source for that info. Edit: I just realized that is exactly what you linked in your previous post. I knew I had seen it before, and I know I even talked about doing it, but never got around to trying it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 I would just Google Randy's recipe. That is the ultimate source for that info. Edit: I just realized that is exactly what you linked in your previous post. What is it supposed to look like when you dose it? The brs stuff does the whitish cloud, this stuff does not...so either I just poisoned the whole tank or successfully made my own 2 part. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 What is it supposed to look like when you dose it? The brs stuff does the whitish cloud, this stuff does not...so either I just poisoned the whole tank or successfully made my own 2 part. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Haha, that is "hopefully" funny. I bet you got it right. I can't remember off hand how the two parts look, but they should dissolve into the tank pretty quickly. Either way, it wouldn't poison the tank, just adjust alkalinity more or less than you thought. Did you make one gallon jugs of alk and calcium? Or just alk? Magnesium is a bit trickier because you need to order magnesium chloride (mag flake). It used to be cheaper, but it seems like prices on that have gone up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Haha, that is "hopefully" funny. I bet you got it right. I can't remember off hand how the two parts look, but they should dissolve into the tank pretty quickly. Either way, it wouldn't poison the tank, just adjust alkalinity more or less than you thought. Did you make one gallon jugs of alk and calcium? Or just alk? Magnesium is a bit trickier because you need to order magnesium chloride (mag flake). It used to be cheaper, but it seems like prices on that have gone up. Just did the alk tonight, driveway heat is a little harder to find...a least looking online at lowes and home depot Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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