Calcium, alkalinity and mag

stanleo · Mar 26, 2019

Red Sea Pro kit came and I ran the test.

Calcium 550
Alkalinity 7
Magnesium is 1600

I know optimum is 400-420/9/1300. So what should I do from here on? Salinity is 1.025. I use Reef Crystals from instant and run a sump. Tank is 120gallon.

Sod Buster · Mar 26, 2019

Try and get that alk up very slowly. Before your next water change, test the fresh mixed water before you put it in the tank and post those numbers.

IslandLifeReef · Mar 26, 2019

Those numbers aren't bad at all and you could keep them there. What do you have in your tank and what do you want to keep. Also, what numbers does your salt mix say it mixes to. It is much easier trying to keep your numbers close to your salt mix for water changes and also helps if you ever need to make a large emergency water change.

stanleo · Mar 26, 2019

IslandLifeReef said:
Those numbers aren't bad at all and you could keep them there. What do you have in your tank and what do you want to keep. Also, what numbers does your salt mix say it mixes to. It is much easier trying to keep your numbers close to your salt mix for water changes and also helps if you ever need to make a large emergency water change.

Right now just snails, hermit crabs and an emerald crab, 2 fire fish, a clown fish and a sand sifting starfish. I plan on a reef with hard and soft corals. It doesn’t say alkalinity but calcium it mixes to 455 and magnesium to 1345.

IslandLifeReef · Mar 26, 2019

stanleo said:
Right now just snails, hermit crabs and an emerald crab, 2 fire fish, a clown fish and a sand sifting starfish. I plan on a reef with hard and soft corals. It doesn’t say alkalinity but calcium it mixes to 455 and magnesium to 1345.

I wouldn’t mess with anything right now. Just keep an eye on the numbers. Which salt mix are you using? Maybe someone could tell you what the ALK is on that mix. I would monitor it for at least a month before you try to dose anything or make any changes.

lapin · Mar 26, 2019

New tank. It will take a while for it to become stable. For now you can use Randys baked baking soda to raise your alk a little if it falls below 7. RC should be a lot higher in alk than what your tank is at. Just continue with 10% weekly water changes and it should be fine in a few months.

GoldeneyeRet · Mar 26, 2019

Those numbers should not be a problem and I would not do anything to change them right now. I would verify your results, including salinity, by taking a sample to a LFS or a fellow reefer to double check. It woudnt hurt to take a sample of new saltwater to check as well.

Once you have verified your results, including salinity, test your new saltwater.

Then you will have some information to figure out how to proceed.