alk, mg and ca levels

[sergifed91]

this is a 60 g tank.
1 skimmer hob eshopps
60 lbs of live rock
live sand for substrate
2 wave makers and 2 heaters

little concerned about my levels for alk mg and ca
alk - 420
mg - 1200
ca - 420
po .2
ph - 7.4
nitrites 0
nitrates 10

recommendations? I am using crystal reef by instant ocean.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

420 ppm alk?

Mag is a touch low but nothing crazy. What exactly concerns you?

 

[sergifed91]

420 ppm alk?

Mag is a touch low but nothing crazy. What exactly concerns you?

never had that much of a drop in any of those levels. alk has always been between 8.6 -8.9, mg between 1260-1300, and ca has always been in the 400 -480 ppm. ph I have always been in a steady 8.0 ppm. but this time around testing my water it's been a drastic change. lower than what I expected. I usually do a wc every week when I had a medium load. but all I have is a few corals and 4 fish. and a shrimp and 3 bta's in my DT. I did add 2 new rocks the past week. it might of started a small cycle but I didn't think it would effect my numbers and bring them down like that.
I made a spread sheet of what my levels have been since I started the cycle through today.

CA:
5/31/2018 CA 460
6/9/2018 CA 440
6/12/2018 CA 450
6/17/2018 CA 450
6/24/2018 CA 470
6/30/2018 CA 480
7/9/2018 CA 420
7/13/2018 CA 420
7/16/2018 CA 400
7/17/2018 CA 430
7/25/2018 CA 350
8/5/2018 CA 400
8/11/2018 CA 440
8/20/2018 CA 450
9/13/2018 CA 450
9/24/2018 CA 430
10/26/2018 CA 430
11/12/2018 CA 470
11/15/2018 CA 420
ALK:
5/31/2018 KH/ALK 9.3 DKH
6/9/2018 KH/ALK 7.8
6/12/2018 KH/ALK 10.9
6/17/2018 KH/ALK 10.9
6/24/2018 KH/ALK 13.4
6/30/2018 KH/ALK 12.5
7/9/2018 KH/ALK 11.5
7/13/2018 KH/ALK 12.1
7/16/2018 KH/ALK 11.2
7/18/2018 KH/ALK 11.8
7/25/2018 KH/ALK 10.9
8/5/2018 KH/ALK 12.5
8/11/2018 KH/ALK 11.8
8/20/2018 KH/ALK 10.9
9/13/2018 KH/ALK 10.9
9/24/2018 KH/ALK 9.3
10/26/2018 KH/ALK 8.6
11/12/2018 KH/ALK 8.9
11/15/2018 KH/ALK 7.7
mg:
5/31/2018 MG 1500
6/9/2018 MG 1470
6/12/2018 MG 1470
6/17/2018 MG 1440
6/24/2018 MG 1350
7/9/2018 MG 1440
7/13/2018 MG 1290
7/16/2018 MG 1290
7/17/2018 MG 1350
7/25/2018 MG 1290
8/5/2018 MG 1200
8/11/2018 MG 1350
8/20/2018 MG 1350
9/13/2018 MG 1260
9/24/2018 MG 1200
10/26/2018 MG 1320
11/12/2018 MG 1110
11/15/2018 MG 1200

po4
5/31/2018 PO4 0.01
6/9/2013 PO4 0.03
6/12/2018 PO4 0.03
6/17/2018 PO4 0.03
6/24/2018 PO4 0.03
6/30/2018 PO4 0.03
7/9/2018 PO4 0.2
7/13/2018 PO4 1
7/16/2018 PO4 0.2
7/17/2018 PO4 0.2
7/25/2018 PO4 0.2
8/5/2018 PO4 0.2
8/20/2018 PO4 0.2
9/13/2018 PO4 0.2
9/24/2018 PO4 0.2
11/12/2018 PO4 0.2

PH:
5/31/2018 PH 7.8
6/9/2018 PH 7.8
6/12/2018 PH 7.8
6/17/2018 PH 7.8
6/24/2018 PH 7.8
6/30/2018 PH 7.8
7/9/2018 PH 7.4
7/16/2018 PH 8
7/17/2018 PH 8
7/25/2018 PH 8
8/5/2018 PH 8
8/20/2018 PH 7.8
9/13/2018 PH 7.8
9/24/2018 PH 7.8
11/15/2018 PH 7.4

 

[sergifed91]

I did have a coral die on me. that might be the cause of the low parameters I'm getting.

 

[Bob Weigant]

my range of numbers is
alk 9
mag 1400
cal 450
my cal has been at 600 for well over a year and I haven't seen the corals suffering. I had even asked a friend who had great sps growth and he had said the same thing. His tank was also running close to 600. it wasn't something he nor I aimed for. At the time we both were using seachem's reef salt

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Notice any increase in coralline?

Honestly its nothing crazy. I would test again in a few days or after a water change in a week and see where you are at. Reef crystals has high base numbers.

Your low mag test is probably just a outlier (because mag test is the least consistent of the three) but if it isn't then that could cause precipitation of calcium carbonate (calc and dkh)

 

[sergifed91]

my range of numbers is
alk 9
mag 1400
cal 450
my cal has been at 600 for well over a year and I haven't seen the corals suffering. I had even asked a friend who had great sps growth and he had said the same thing. His tank was also running close to 600. it wasn't something he nor I aimed for. At the time we both were using seachem's reef salt

My concern is the mag and ph levels being that low.

 

[sergifed91]

Notice any increase in coralline?

Honestly its nothing crazy. I would test again in a few days or after a water change in a week and see where you are at. Reef crystals has high base numbers.

Your low mag test is probably just a outlier (because mag test is the least consistent of the three) but if it isn't then that could cause precipitation of calcium carbonate (calc and dkh)

I have had diatoms on the sand bed. atleast that's what I think that is what was on my substrate

 

[sergifed91]

I think before I leave for work tomorrow i'll open up the window in the basement to let some fresh air in. it's winter here and extremely cold. so I have the house all closed up for the season. that might help to get the ph back up and get fresh air in and the co2 out of the basement.