15 Alk too high?

[Willb25]

Obviously your ph is good but when u are able to drop your alkalinity it will drop too. You could decrease how much you are agitating the surface water which will drop your alkalinity overnight. I keep mine at around 11 because I have a mixed reef and everything does well

 

[GpixL_]

Correct the chemistry and let the tank cycle

How?

 

[GpixL_]

Obviously your ph is good but when u are able to drop your alkalinity it will drop too. You could decrease how much you are agitating the surface water which will drop your alkalinity overnight. I keep mine at around 11 because I have a mixed reef and everything does well

Oh, both my power heads are pointed towards the surface as to add oxygen and not to disturb sand. Don’t do that?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Yes I wanted to get live rock and such from a guy and he said he will give me bio balls and filter media but gotta buy a coral? So that’s what i’m doing and hoping the turbostart helps to speed it up.

Mayb later but not initially.

 

[GpixL_]

Mayb later but not initially.

meaning?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

meaning?

He would sell u media to help w biological filtration and u would get the coral from him after it’s cycled

 

[GpixL_]

He would sell u media to help w biological filtration and u would get the coral from him after it’s cycled

Thats what I wanted to do and what I am doing with the more expensive coral. What should I do about the alk and cal tho?

 

[GpixL_]

He would sell u media to help w biological filtration and u would get the coral from him after it’s cycled

Like how to lower them?

 

[KrisReef]

couple drops of pool acid will lower the alk. problem is that if the whole batch of salt is mixing that high you are going to need a new batch of salt. It's ok to cycle with high parameters but you need to get different salt that isn't 500 calcium and a billion Alk. Water changes along the way can move the parameters closer to where they need to be.

 

[GpixL_]

couple drops of pool acid will lower the alk. problem is that if the whole batch of salt is mixing that high you are going to need a new batch of salt. It's ok to cycle with high parameters but you need to get different salt that isn't 500 calcium and a billion Alk. Water changes along the way can move the parameters closer to where they need to be.

I cant really just buy new salt. I have a ton of this one. Its technically supposed to do 405 calcium...

 

[GpixL_]

couple drops of pool acid will lower the alk. problem is that if the whole batch of salt is mixing that high you are going to need a new batch of salt. It's ok to cycle with high parameters but you need to get different salt that isn't 500 calcium and a billion Alk. Water changes along the way can move the parameters closer to where they need to be.

And what acid? Do you have a link by chance?

 

[Willb25]

Oh, both my power heads are pointed towards the surface as to add oxygen and not to disturb sand. Don’t do that?

Just have your return line moving the surface water. Once you have your coral in you'll have to adjust the power heads to suit their needs from low, moderate or high based on the type of coral. Also you need to seed your tank, preferably Todd's Pods. I used it when I had only 2 weeks to cycle my 135gal tank for a move. If you are just gonna get the mushroom for now then you might be OK. I found them to be sturdy.

 

[Willb25]

What size tank

 

[GpixL_]

What size tank

55 gallons.

 

[GpixL_]

What size tank

My params are super high so I dont really know how to get those down. Just water changes like someone said?

 

[Willb25]

My params are super high so I dont really know how to get those down. Just water changes like someone said?

For today just reduce the surface agitation and test the parameters tomorrow. I have had my calcium at 500 without dosing and my coral did fine. I just monitored it for a week and it decreased to 420-440 where I needed it.

 

[GpixL_]

For today just reduce the surface agitation and test the parameters tomorrow. I have had my calcium at 500 without dosing and my coral did fine. I just monitored it for a week and it decreased to 420-440 where I needed it.

Ok so I lowered the powerheads so much less surface agitation. Are you saying 500 calcium is ok? And how did you decrease it? Thanks

Btw tmrw should I test only alk?

 

[Willb25]

Your calcium is really high and you need to keep an eye on it but it will decrease over the next couple of days even tho you have anything in there yet, but I do suggest getting the Todd's pods tomorrow. And tomorrow u should test alk, cal and ph. U need to make sure u have a thermometer too and somehow keep your temp btwn 76 to 78. You never want your temp to fluctuate more the 2 degrees. That will really help your tank find its balance over the next two weeks. Also what is your lighting source?

 

[GpixL_]

Your calcium is really high and you need to keep an eye on it but it will decrease over the next couple of days even tho you have anything in there yet, but I do suggest getting the Todd's pods tomorrow. And tomorrow u should test alk, cal and ph. U need to make sure u have a thermometer too and somehow keep your temp btwn 76 to 78. You never want your temp to fluctuate more the 2 degrees. That will really help your tank find its balance over the next two weeks. Also what is your lighting source?

Im getting a temp controller on sunday so thats ok. I have 2 Viparspectra v165s. What is the todd pod?

 

[Willb25]

Todd's pods might just be local here in Vegas, but it's a mixture of phytoplankton, copepods and bacteria to jump start your nitrogen cycling in your tank. The lighting is a more tricky thing that I'm still playing with. I have 3 redsea reef 90led. Set yours to blue 65% and white 35% to start with 11hrs of light.