Looking for advice

[Inspector_Pro]

Hi all.

My current parameters are dkh 11, Calcium 360, and Magnesium at 1050. I do a 15% wc with Reef Crystals about every 10 days.

I was just about to buy an Avast ATO with the peristaltic pump and add Kalk to my reservoir, but this won't take care of the mag, and will raise my Alk. Minimal corals now with only an acan frag, small hammer, war coral frag, and blasto frag. But, I have several more small Frags on the way. Mainly going to keep LPS and softies.

What's going to be my best setup to maintain parameters? Will just adding Kalk be okay?

 

[Anthony Wood]

Are you dosing anything currently? When are you doing your tests, after a WC or right before you do a WC 10 days later? Your low mag is what is really messing things up. The first thing I would do is stop dosing if you currently are and let the tank naturally balance all the levels out 10 days is more then enough time for the tank to balance itself out. Your tank will not hold 11dkh for any sort of long period of time with your mag levels the reason you may be having bad carbonate build up.

So you need to test a fresh batch of Saltwater and test the tank after it has 10 days to balance itself out. Of course if dosing say two part don't do it during that 10 days. That should pinpoint the source of what is throwing it off. Do you buy the buckets of reef crystals? I've heard the buckets will settle out and cause fresh bat ha of SW to mix differently.

 

[Anthony Wood]

While your dosing kalk you'll have to dose magnesium solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I doubt that is the correct magnesium level using Reef Crystals unless the salinity is low.

What is it?

 

[Inspector_Pro]

Salinity is at 1.024, I've actually tested Mag twice with a Salifert test.

 

[Inspector_Pro]

 

[Inspector_Pro]

 

[Inspector_Pro]

 

[Inspector_Pro]

 

[Elementalj]

I have been using reef crystals for the duration of my setup and had crazy high alkalinity and low calcium and magnesium at 1.026. I've done a couple of water changes with tropic Marin pro and started dosing Brightwell's Kalk+ and the readings are starting to normalize. I've had issues with a low pH as well. All are leveling out now.

 

[Elementalj]

I'd also advise to not overdo it with the kalkwasser right off the plate. I started dosing it manually with a 10 ml pipette out of my topoff reservoir. Slow is definitely the key to making these types of adjustments.

 

[Inspector_Pro]

Thanks man. I figured I'd start with 2 teaspoons for 5 gallons, I typically evaporate around 3/4 gallon a day. After my next water change I'm definitely going to look for some tropic Marin pro...have only heard good things.

 

[Elementalj]

If you're using the auto topoff I'd cut that dosage down a little more. Alkalinity spikes are deadly.

 

[Elementalj]

It's been two weeks for me with dosing the Kalk. I just turned the auto back on last night and let it complete a full cycle. My eyes never left the ph monitor.

 

[Elementalj]

Last might my alkalinity tested at about 10.5 and was up from about 9-9.5

 

[Inspector_Pro]

I'll keep an eye on the Alk for sure once I start the ATO. I'm going to order it tonight, and should be here by Friday. I've been manually adding Calcification by Aquavitro to try and bring up the calcium level. Also have some magnesium chloride and sulfate coming from BRS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'll keep an eye on the Alk for sure once I start the ATO. I'm going to order it tonight, and should be here by Friday. I've been manually adding Calcification by Aquavitro to try and bring up the calcium level. Also have some magnesium chloride and sulfate coming from BRS.

I'd avoid that product. It adds alkalinity too when the gluconate is fully metabolized.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I personally am a fan of the simplest solution. If you change to a higher quality salt you can maintain better parameters without much dosing.

I am trying to keep everything going with my WC only.

I would personally recommend Red Sea Salt as it has been may favorite so far. I did recently switch to Red Sea Coral Pro to help keep up with my nutrient uptake so that I can keep away from dosing as long as possible.

 

[JP79]

I like the idea of stop dosing. Wait it out. To be honest I don't like that salt. Also I don't know if you do it. But everyone should do this is mix the salt before you add it to the water. ie. If is in a bucket flip it over, shake it, roll it. Do what ever you have to do to get that salt mixed. Compounds all settle at different rates. So by mixing it your getting everything you need in that salt. I found once I learned that and also used a better salt my water has never been better and more stable.

 

[RudyB]

To make sure that your salt is the problem, next time you mix the salt test it before going into the tank. Also test the tank before the change and then test again a day later after the water change. I would stop all the supplements for that 10 day period to get a base line. Then start from the beginning. It will be better to calculate what you need if you are at a base line starting point than adjusting all the different things that you are dosing at the current time. Your tank will be fine for that period of time after a water change. As a side note I use the BRS two part to adjust my levels as needed from time to time if my BRS kalk on my ATO is not enough. Since my kalk stirrer is linked to my ATO I only add kalk mix that water evaporates. No over dosing. Hope this helps you.