Parameters look off
- Thread starter Jayreef23
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Jayreef23
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attiland
2500 Club Member
Calcium seems to be high alkalinity low. I would check magnesium too based on this. My bet that it is off too.
depending of the age of your tank probably I would do some water changes to correct it.
Do you dose anything?
attiland
2500 Club Member
Well you have to tune this a bit then. Less calcium ideal between 350-450ppm and alkalinity should be 8-9dkh
Alkalinity drops if magnesium is off. It should be 1200-1350ppm.
also high calcium drops alkalinity too
Last edited:
Dkmoo
Valuable Member
pH is in the danger zone - 7.7 should be your lowest acceptable level.
keep in mind that pH scale is logarithmic - each 1 increase/decrease is a 10x change in concentration - that means a drop from 7.7 to 7.4 is about a 50% decrease in the "good stuff" that pH provides to corals.
Hopefully once you increase your alk to 8-9 it will address the pH. if not, then you have other underlying problems such as high co2 content.
7.7pH should be the minimum for corals but even at those levels, most except for the hardiest stony corals and soft corals will deteriorate over a long term. Generally, 7.9 - 8.1 is the recommended "acceptable" level for stony corals and for ones that want to target the best health/growth, they maintain a pH of 8.3.
There is a right way and wrong way to address your pH problem. I'd recommend starting wit these two articles and do more research afterwards based on what may be specifically causing your pH issue.
keep in mind that pH scale is logarithmic - each 1 increase/decrease is a 10x change in concentration - that means a drop from 7.7 to 7.4 is about a 50% decrease in the "good stuff" that pH provides to corals.
Hopefully once you increase your alk to 8-9 it will address the pH. if not, then you have other underlying problems such as high co2 content.
7.7pH should be the minimum for corals but even at those levels, most except for the hardiest stony corals and soft corals will deteriorate over a long term. Generally, 7.9 - 8.1 is the recommended "acceptable" level for stony corals and for ones that want to target the best health/growth, they maintain a pH of 8.3.
There is a right way and wrong way to address your pH problem. I'd recommend starting wit these two articles and do more research afterwards based on what may be specifically causing your pH issue.
Glenner’sreef
2500 Club Member
Two small red flags for me. 1. Local fish stores usually use the cheap and often times less accurate API test. So if you can invest in a Salifert or Red Sea test kit soon. I promise you’ll have different numbers. Secondly re: salinity of 500, your salt that you use may very well be at or near that number. I know that Instant Ocean is 490 (I’m pretty sure) . Best of luck. 
