Alk ok, CAL high, Mg high...help please

[Vmacisback]

So I did some testing today and yesterday after doing a water change on Sunday. The water change was approx 24g in my 95 approx. tank. This was only the second water change ive done on this tank since cycling. I stopped dosing cal, alk and mg after I felt like my numbers were getting a little on the high end.

Alk. 8.3
CAL 500
Mg 1455
Salinity 1.026

Using Microbe Lift reef salt.

If someone could chime in on what it should take to get these values back in order. I thought a water change would level them out but they shot most of the values up instead. thanks.

 

[ritter6788]

Numbers look ok really. If you want to lower them just let them fall on their own.

Check the parameters of your newly mixed saltwater to see what the numbers are. If it's high then a water change will tend to raise your tank parameters.

The numbers you posted aren't anything to stress over though.

 

[Vmacisback]

ok I hope so. Tank is just so new with so many small frags on racks. Some look good some look like their washed out trying to find a balance here. My phos is somewhere between .03-.05. and my t5 8x54w fixture is approx 8.5" over the water and im wondering if its just too much light for such a new tank and or the smaller sps frags to color up.

 

[ajcanale]

Levels seem unstable, depending on demand (not sure of what is in the 95g system) dose alk only (only enough to sustain current level or slighly raise to say 9) until calcium drops to 430-440 to attain ionic balance. Depending on overal calcium carbonate demand, mag shouldn't be a major player unless you have overall high demand. Either way having slightly high mag is absolutely better than having low mag when it comes to chasing alk/calcium numbers. Keep at least daily tests on alk, and calcium every other day until levels are stable.

 

[Vmacisback]

Levels seem unstable, depending on demand (not sure of what is in the 95g system) dose alk only (only enough to sustain current level or slighly raise to say 9) until calcium drops to 430-440 to attain ionic balance. Depending on overal calcium carbonate demand, mag shouldn't be a major player unless you have overall high demand. Either way having slightly high mag is absolutely better than having low mag when it comes to chasing alk/calcium numbers. Keep at least daily tests on alk, and calcium every other day until levels are stable.

Thanks that was the plan as for now. only dosed a bit of alk tonight. What would you say is the recommended alk level for phos of .03-.05 and nitrate of .0-5ppm? I was thinking of keeping it between 7.5-8.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Alk. 8.3
CAL 500
Mg 1455
Salinity 1.026

Using Microbe Lift reef salt.

If someone could chime in on what it should take to get these values back in order. I thought a water change would level them out but they shot most of the values up instead. thanks.

I wouldn't do anything about the values. They are OK and messing with them is not worth the trouble. Just maintain alkalinity with a supplement such as baking soda for a bit if it drops.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks that was the plan as for now. only dosed a bit of alk tonight. What would you say is the recommended alk level for phos of .03-.05 and nitrate of .0-5ppm? I was thinking of keeping it between 7.5-8.

That sounds fine, but anything between 7 and 11 dKH is fine, unless the niotrate really is very low, in which case the lower end of that range is probably more desirable.

This has more:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...-coral-reef-aquarium-randy-holmes-farley.html

 

[Vmacisback]

That sounds fine, but anything between 7 and 11 dKH is fine, unless the niotrate really is very low, in which case the lower end of that range is probably more desirable.

This has more:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...-coral-reef-aquarium-randy-holmes-farley.html

THanks for the reference, I am towards the low side of the nitrate with a new reef and only 3 fish. so 7.5-8.5 for alk ok? Once my system levels out I plan to keep the nitrate relatively low but not a true UNLS system, with this in mind what would be optimal for alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

THanks for the reference, I am towards the low side of the nitrate with a new reef and only 3 fish. so 7.5-8.5 for alk ok? Once my system levels out I plan to keep the nitrate relatively low but not a true UNLS system, with this in mind what would be optimal for alk?

I think that 7.5 to 8.5 dKH is a fine target alkalinity for most any tank, unless the goal is maximizing hard coral growth rates or if the pH is very low, in which case higher alkalinity may be desirable.