20 gallon long issues

[WrasseyReefer]

So will elevated nitrates cause a consumption of Alk, causing an imbalance?

No

 

[WrasseyReefer]

So will elevated nitrates cause a consumption of Alk, causing an imbalance?

Can you test an unused batch of salt water for alk? I’m curious what it’s at before it goes into your tank. Also, what alk test are you using?

 

[Kongar]

Try decreasing feedings to max once per day, you can even feed every other day, and decrease the amount you feed by 30-50%. See if that helps. You only have 3 fish, so you don’t need to feed a lot. We often feed our fish way more than they actually need, because they look hungry or like eating. Everyone enjoys feeding their fish, but it can cause problems if we aren’t careful.

The only source of nitrates will be food and poop, and the poop comes from the food. Only way to decrease nitrate input is to feed less. Only way to increase nitrate removal is to increase filtration.

I feed my 20G with three fish every other, or every third day. Once I realized my fish are fine with that amount of feeding, I then understood I was overfeeding before.

 

[Morpheus77]

Can you test an unused batch of salt water for alk? I’m curious what it’s at before it goes into your tank. Also, what alk test are you using?

Yes I can do that, have a batch I just made last night at home. API for Alk

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Yes I can do that, have a batch I just made last night at home. API for Alk

Ok, cool. Let me know. API isn’t the best. Invest in a hanna alk checker.

 

[MrGisonni]

Post in thread 'Relationship between nitrate and alk' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/relationship-between-nitrate-and-alk.354513/post-4400316

 

[Morpheus77]

Post in thread 'Relationship between nitrate and alk' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/relationship-between-nitrate-and-alk.354513/post-4400316

Interesting, that would explain some things going on in my tank, that makes perfect sense actually, at least now I know the cause of my Alk not getting any higher.

 

[Morpheus77]

Ok, cool. Let me know. API isn’t the best. Invest in a hanna alk checker.

Testing at a 6 dkh, at 24 hrs old, still unused sw at this point. Funny thing is, while cooking earlier, came across a 15 min BRS video talking about calcium and alkalinity in the 8 top selling salts and their readings on those two elements over a period of 3 weeks just sitting at room temp, no aeration. They were all mixed at 1.026, and I screen shot the results of IO reef crystals, the stuff I use, and check this out.

 

[Morpheus77]

Testing at a 6 dkh, at 24 hrs old, still unused sw at this point. Funny thing is, while cooking earlier, came across a 15 min BRS video talking about calcium and alkalinity in the 8 top selling salts and their readings on those two elements over a period of 3 weeks just sitting at room temp, no aeration. They were all mixed at 1.026, and I screen shot the results of IO reef crystals, the stuff I use, and check this out.

So IO reef crystals have a higher alk than I thought, so question is, is the API test accurate, or does the distilled water affect Alk, or a combo of both? Guess I need to bite the bullet and get another brand of test kit, and test this theory.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Testing at a 6 dkh, at 24 hrs old, still unused sw at this point. Funny thing is, while cooking earlier, came across a 15 min BRS video talking about calcium and alkalinity in the 8 top selling salts and their readings on those two elements over a period of 3 weeks just sitting at room temp, no aeration. They were all mixed at 1.026, and I screen shot the results of IO reef crystals, the stuff I use, and check this out.

So either your alk is actually low, because your salt alk is low, or your test kit is incorrect.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Interesting, that would explain some things going on in my tank, that makes perfect sense actually, at least now I know the cause of my Alk not getting any higher.

I don’t think so. Your tank alk is testing at 7? And your salt is at 6? So I think it’s either the salt mix that’s causing low alk (each time you do a water change you’re lowering your alk because your salt alk is lower than your tank), or your test kit is incorrect, and your salt and tank alk are actually higher.

 

[Morpheus77]

I don’t think so. Your alk is testing at 7? And your salt is at 6? So I think it’s either the salt mix that’s causing low alk (each time you do a water change you’re lowering your alk because your salt alk is lower than your tank), or your test kit is incorrect, and your salt and tank alk are actually higher.

It has tested at 7 while dosing AFR, but only a few times. Pick up another test kit soon and go from there. I have TM balling Part B heading this way, guess I need to get another test kit rolling this way as well, before I start in with the Balling B.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Also double check both your tank and salt mix with the new alk test kit. If in fact your salt is the problem, go with a new salt like Red Sea blue bucket. I get around 8.3 alk from that salt mixed, and I target about 8.3 in my tank, so it works well for me.

 

[Morpheus77]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Also double check both your tank and salt mix with the new alk test kit. If in fact your salt is the problem, go with a new salt like Red Sea blue bucket. I get around 8.3 alk from that salt mixed, and I target about 8.3 in my tank, so it works well for me.

Yes I will check both. But if IO reef salt has a higher Alk, like 10.5 is what it's averaging overall, wouldn't be better to stick with that? The red sea salt averaged about 8.1, seems like the IO is a better option, assuming my test kit is bad.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Is there a reason you’re targeting a higher alk? The acceptable range is 7-12 dKH.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Is there a reason you’re targeting a higher alk? The acceptable range is 7-12 dKH.

You could really go with either salt, if either one is within the 7-12 dKH range. It’s totally up to you. Here’s a thread that discusses where to keep alk. It’s preference really. It is recommended by BRS to stay more in the middle of that range in case of testing error that might actually put you lower or higher than what you’re testing at and to give you that wiggle room (i.e. if you test at 9, you could actually be at 8 or 10, if you test at 11, you could actually be at 10 or 12). So going for 7 or 12 might be risky, because you could actually be at less than 7 or greater than 12 from testing error.

Is There A Optimal Alkalinity Level?

Looking for thoughts on if there is an optimal alkalinity level for a mixed reef. BRS states that they believe 9.0 to be an optimal level. For euphyllia, some of my suppliers like 7.5 to 8. In your experience what level seems to work the best in your setup? I have been targeting 9.0 based on...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Morpheus77]

Is there a reason you’re targeting a higher alk? The acceptable range is 7-12 dKH.

I would like to be around 9, seems to be a good round number, just thinking I would like the corals to grow faster, seems the tank should be farther along than what I have experienced in the past. My previous tanks I was between 8.5-9 at all times, and never struggled to keep it there. Corals were growing fast. But back then I had a LFS, and could buy rodi water. They since went out of business, I was also dosing cal, mag, and strontium then as well. I just don't recall what type of salt I was using in those days. Something from the LFS, but don't remember the brand.

 

[Morpheus77]

You could really go with either salt, if either one is within the 7-12 dKH range. It’s totally up to you. Here’s a thread that discusses where to keep alk. It’s preference really. It is recommended by BRS to stay more in the middle of that range in case of testing error that might actually put you lower or higher than what you’re testing at and to give you that wiggle room (i.e. if you test at 9, you could actually be at 8 or 10, if you test at 11, you could actually be at 10 or 12). So going for 7 or 12 might be risky, because you could actually be at less than 7 or greater than 12 from testing error.

Is There A Optimal Alkalinity Level?

Looking for thoughts on if there is an optimal alkalinity level for a mixed reef. BRS states that they believe 9.0 to be an optimal level. For euphyllia, some of my suppliers like 7.5 to 8. In your experience what level seems to work the best in your setup? I have been targeting 9.0 based on...

www.reef2reef.com

Good point.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

I would like to be around 9, seems to be a good round number, just thinking I would like the corals to grow faster, seems the tank should be farther along than what I have experienced in the past. My previous tanks I was between 8.5-9 at all times, and never struggled to keep it there. Corals were growing fast. But back then I had a LFS, and could buy rodi water. They since went out of business, I was also dosing cal, mag, and strontium then as well. I just don't recall what type of salt I was using in those days. Something from the LFS, but don't remember the brand.

9 sounds good. So let’s see what your salt comes back at. If it’s indeed 11 like BRS says, that’s a lot higher than you want. What you could do is find a salt that is as close to 9 as you can get (less than 9) and then you could dose alk into your fresh saltwater for water changes to bump it up to 9.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Good point.

And it doesn’t sound like you’re targeting super high alk, but there is a risk of bleaching and burnt tips on sps if your alk is high and you don’t have sufficient nutrients (nitrates and phosphates), so that can cause problems.

Also, if you end up needing to adjust your alk, do it slowly, so you don’t shock your corals and they have time to adjust. Don’t change it immediately by dosing a ton of alk. You’ll want to change your alk by a maximum of 0.8 dKH/day.