Dkh not doing anything

justingraham · Oct 3, 2016

Hey all thanks for the help I hopefully will get.
Three weeks ago when I had roughly 9 frags in my tank dkh was being used at .3 a day consistently. Since then I now have 22 frags all together and my dkh has not done anything in the past week. It is at 9.1. On both a Red Sea kit my lfs check and my Hannah checker. Calcium has dropped 25ppm in a week. Nitrates are at 0 and phosphates are at .08-.16 . Test were with Red Sea and Hannah checkers.
Nothing has gone into the tank as far as additives and nothing has come out of the tank.
Any ideas on why this is happening?
I'm trying to get it down to 8 dkh so I can start triton but it is stuck at 9.1
Thanks
Justin

justingraham · Oct 3, 2016

Darn nothing?

scardall · Oct 3, 2016

idea change your magnesium level? my dkh runs between 8-9 my mag. then is around 1300-1360ppm Not sure If I remember right,but isn't alk high when Mag. is low around 1100ppm

justingraham · Oct 3, 2016

Hum no scientist but I havnt added anything at all so shouldn't it be at the same level so when I get home I'll check mag but I'm thinking it will be right around 1300 right where it was when I last checked it

twilliard · Oct 4, 2016

No change in a week?
Have you been doing any water changes?

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

twilliard said:
No change in a week?
Have you been doing any water changes?

Twillard when I say nothing I mean nothing. I topped off when I cleaned the new incoming frags. But I used Red Sea salt(not pro). But that was only like a gallon into a hundred.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 4, 2016

Assuming the test method is working, calcification has just slowed, possibly due to phosphate increasing.

New frags also take a while to settle in and start growing fast.

I'd just keep an eye on it.

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Assuming the test method is working, calcification has just slowed, possibly due to phosphate increasing.

New frags also take a while to settle in and start growing fast.

I'd just keep an eye on it.

My phosphate has fluctuated between .08 and .16. I have a little algea in the tank so I would say possibly could be off. What do u recomend I get it to?
Ok well that's a releif I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I have tested it with Red Sea and a Hannah checker I also have brought it to two diffrent lfs to test it as well. All in the 9 to 9.3 dkh range.
The reason I'm doing all this is to start the triton method and they want it to be at 8 dkh so I'm guessing I should just wait till they start sucking it up before I start?
Also should I adjust my calcium to 420? Does that have an effect on it?
Thanks randy
Justin

twilliard · Oct 4, 2016

Shouldn't there be daily uptake just from the biology of the tank?

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

Ok does it matter that my original salt was Red Sea pro? And I have let it go from the 12 dkh to the 9 it is at now? Like if the corals are used to 12 and then they only have nine do they go into shock and consume nothing? Some of the corals that went into my tank were at 12 dkh water when they came to me.

twilliard · Oct 4, 2016

Remember even your rock uses Kh to me it is odd that there is no daily drop.
it's odd or it is to early for me yet lol

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 4, 2016

twilliard said:
Shouldn't there be daily uptake just from the biology of the tank?

No. Unless nitrate is actually rising, the only sink for alkalinity is calcium carbonate formation.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 4, 2016

I'd just watch and wait and not worry about the actual demand if the corals appear OK.

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I'd just watch and wait and not worry about the actual demand if the corals appear OK.

Reply well the don't look bad the sps look the same but all my montis and acans look to be growing ESP my rainbow monti just weird to me that's all

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

And thanks @twilliard and @Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 4, 2016

You're welcome.

Let us know how things go in the future.

scardall · Oct 4, 2016

"I found a chart online comparing the relative labels of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium values (from manufacturer label information) for the best aquarium salt mixes and adapted it to the version you see below:"

http://saltwateraquariumblog.com/best-aquarium-salt-mix-review-popular-reef-salt-mix-options/

rock_lobster · Oct 4, 2016

It will most certainly go down over time. Patience all that is needed. check again in 3-4 days.

justingraham · Oct 4, 2016

I understand the patience thing but it has now been 8 days without it moving. The thing I was worried about was that it was using .3 dkh a day before adding the new round of frags. Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else out there.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 4, 2016

scardall said:
I found a chart online comparing the relative labels of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium values (from manufacturer label information) for the best aquarium salt mixes and adapted it to the version you see below:

http://saltwateraquariumblog.com/best-aquarium-salt-mix-review-popular-reef-salt-mix-options/

Is that your article?