Need some help tested my dkh it was 14, but my calcium only 260. Mg 1400 ph 8.3 ammonia 0 , nitrite 0, nitrate, 10.phosphates0.25 tank red sea 130d 34 gallon. Salinity 1.025. I have just 4 fish ,2 clowns a bicolour blenny, and a blue cheek goby. I have a pulsing xenia frag which is doing well and a green clove polyp also doing well. Water very clear but this calcium and alkalinity seems a big imbalance. I started using seachem 1 and 2 calcium addititives 3 days ago but no change. If anything alk still high calcium slightly lower i wwas using a tmc compact 300 calcium reactor which i turned off this morning. Newbie to this, thanks for any help.
Dkh 15 calcium 260?
- Thread starter markrob
- Start date
- Tagged users None
TheEngineer
Formerly icecool2
Welcome to R2R!
My first suspicion would be the test was wrong. Did you repeat the test? From the stock list you have, there shouldn't be a need for dosing. Did you start for a reason?
My first suspicion would be the test was wrong. Did you repeat the test? From the stock list you have, there shouldn't be a need for dosing. Did you start for a reason?
Just tested again dkh ridiculous must be 17! This based on api test. ( add 10 drops of solution 1 to 5ml of tank water, then add solution 2 a drop at time counting the drops each timme and inverting test tube each time, until colour changes from blue to yellow) the amount of drops relates to the dkh. 17 drops this morning to turn from blue to yellow. Calcium still at 280. Mag at 1400 ph dropped slightly to 8.1, temp 27 0 ammonia 0 nitrites, nitrates down to 5. Test taken at 9.00 a.m and i live in england.
rockskimmerflow
Well-Known Member
Uhm I haven't used an API kH kit since I worked at a pet store years ago, but unless they changed the test completely to make it more complicated you're mixing up the calcium and kH test method. The kH test is a single reagent test. 5mL tank water, add solution drop by drop until the color changes to yellow. The calcium test takes 2 reagents, 10 drops of the first and count the drops of the second reagent til the color changes from pink to blue.
Your kH is almost assuredly not 17 if you're doing the test with 2 reagents. No need to freak out til you figure out how to do the tests and we get some real numbers. I suspect a lot less is wrong with your water than it would seem from your initial numbers.
Hitman
Reefing One Day @ A Time!!!
API test kits are not very accurate to say the least. I agree that it sounds like testing error though. For what you have stocked there really is no reason to dose at this time. A bit more info could help.
What salt are you using? How did you mix it? How old is the tank?
What salt are you using? How did you mix it? How old is the tank?
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
+1 on the API test kits. I'd pick up something more reliable like Salifert or Red Sea.
I'd also take the calcium reactor offline. There's no need for it when you're having chemistry problems, and you might not even need it after you get the problems resolved.
You mention you're dosing Seachem 1 and 2? Do you mean Seachem's Reef Fusion? If so, you only want to be dosing Fusion 1. Fusion 2 contains carbonate alkalinity, and your alkalinity is already too high. You don't want to be dosing that any higher.
I would start by getting Salifert/Red Sea test kits for calcium and alkalinity at least. Test your alkalinity and calcium daily at about the same time to ensure consistency. If the calcium is low, dose enough to raise it by about 25 ppm per day. If you're using Seachem's Reef Fusion, remember to only dose part 1. You might not see much of an effect from dosing calcium for the first few days because the high alkalinity may cause precipitation as soon as calcium is added. Just keep testing and dosing until the calcium comes up.
I'd also take the calcium reactor offline. There's no need for it when you're having chemistry problems, and you might not even need it after you get the problems resolved.
You mention you're dosing Seachem 1 and 2? Do you mean Seachem's Reef Fusion? If so, you only want to be dosing Fusion 1. Fusion 2 contains carbonate alkalinity, and your alkalinity is already too high. You don't want to be dosing that any higher.
I would start by getting Salifert/Red Sea test kits for calcium and alkalinity at least. Test your alkalinity and calcium daily at about the same time to ensure consistency. If the calcium is low, dose enough to raise it by about 25 ppm per day. If you're using Seachem's Reef Fusion, remember to only dose part 1. You might not see much of an effect from dosing calcium for the first few days because the high alkalinity may cause precipitation as soon as calcium is added. Just keep testing and dosing until the calcium comes up.
Hi and thanks. just finished work,. Thanks for the reply, i have the red sea magnesiium test kit wish i had got salifert kits for calcium dkh etc. I will stop dosing reeffusion 2 , just read the bottle it does say bottle 2 adds carbonates bi carbonates. So i will keep testing/ dosing reef fusion 1 to see if it helps as per instructions on bottle. Have to say, my xenia frag ang grren star polyp seem fine. I also have 2 very small war coral favia frags that im not sure about though.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Do you use tap water or RO/DI to make the salt water and top off? Tap water can boost the alk or calcium a lot.
