Kh? Alkalinity
- Thread starter ajwalker261985
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REEF911
Active Member
Sounds to me like you have a nutrient build up. When you overfeed, the excess food will break down into the water column which will lower your alkalinity. If you have Algea and cyno then it's obvious it's a nutrient problem. Try feeding less and go out and buy some baking soda. Use the calculator from bulk reef supply to dial in a higher DKH. Alkalinity is baking soda, plane and simple. Corals and coralline do consume alkalinity and calcium to create their exoskeletons. and don't forget to stir your sand when you do your water changes.
Up to you. I'd dose if you think everything is in line. Everyone has to do it eventually.
Could be a bad test kit...
Is it salfiert? I have had lots of bad ones from them and have another right now.
If it is correct you need to raise your alk to around 8.
You may have detritus build up like in a sand bed or excess bacteria activity which can lower alk, carbon dosing can lead to this.
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Carbon Dosing (Vodka Dosing) can lead to your ALK being low?? I've not heard this one, and I've been dosing for 2 years. ??
What happens when you have a bacteria bloom? What is the dangers of bacteria bloom? what cause would that have on alkalinity?
A bloom my be more extreem case but this is happening all the time in a reef at lower levels..
Also lets add to this... What do some bacteria produce? Acids.. What do acids do to alkalinity?
Not everyone will see lower alk because with proper dosing of kalk, buffer or even water changes this may not be seen but it is happening. Some have a harder time keeping alk up with carbon dosing and I suggest any one with low alk issues or ph should not carbon dose till the problem is taken care of.
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ajwalker261985
Active Member
Iv only been feeding for a week and all food is consumed by either,fish,fire shrimp or aistasia so there is no food left after.wht are the signs of a nutrient build up? Stir the sand when I water change? Will that not just spread the cyano around?
hunter01975
Community Member
we also should remind the person that numbers should all be low or all be high.. that carrys a lot of importantness as well.
my alk is at 7 out of the bucket so i dose brightwell alk 8.3 i try and bring it up to about 8.5 to 9.5
I run seachem reef salt @ 35 ppm
ph@ 8.0
cal 480-520
alk 7-10
mag i think 1380-1420 been a while I forget the excact number and i dont have a mag test at home i use the LFS for that.
keep after your water changes and redo the test and see how it goes.
my alk is at 7 out of the bucket so i dose brightwell alk 8.3 i try and bring it up to about 8.5 to 9.5
I run seachem reef salt @ 35 ppm
ph@ 8.0
cal 480-520
alk 7-10
mag i think 1380-1420 been a while I forget the excact number and i dont have a mag test at home i use the LFS for that.
keep after your water changes and redo the test and see how it goes.
I'd not stir up the sand bed. Give a little wave of the hand where the Cyano is at, to lift it, so that you can siphon it out.
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ajwalker261985
Active Member
I did that and it came back,could it be that I only have one powerhead and the flow isn't enough and my bulbs need replacing as they're old and iv heard these can both be the causes for cyano build up,also I got air bubbles under the sand and a lime green colour starting to form?
Here are some pics.
Here are some pics.
Dtech07
SPS LOVER!!!
Sounds like you hit the nail on the head there AJ. Water movement is a big key in SW.
Looks like the affects of a DSB, but you only have it in one spot.
Looks like the affects of a DSB, but you only have it in one spot.
Deep Sand Bed = 4+" But I doubt thats your issue. Looks like yours is about 2-3"
I also agree with NOT stirring your sand bed. Unless you do so via siphoning at the same time, without sucking up all your sand. Good luck with that!
Increase your flow by adding another power head. Check your water for Phosphates. I recommend PhosGaurd to remove them.
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ajwalker261985
Active Member
The sand bed is deeper where these air bubbles are forming so it could be,for now ill reduce light hours and increase flow and see if that makes a difference,if not ill replace bulbs and go from there.thanks
