params off.........

tgp4274 · Jul 6, 2014

ok my tanks been up for little over a year n none of my pramas seem to move... I don't have much in the tank n I don't dose anything..... just tested tonight and tests are

pho at 2.0
cal at 500+
mag at 1500+
alk at 14

none of them seem to go down.... am concerned on the alk ad I know I need get the pho down...
am using api for the pho ad the alk
using salfist for the cal n mag
I am using npx pellets at moment
any ideas helpful thanks!!

Reefing Madness · Jul 6, 2014

Whats your tank look like? Corals? Coralline??
with phosphates that high, coralline has a hard time competing against algae to grow, thus using up the ALK.
You can use Muriatic Acid to lower that number to where it should be, then when doing a water change, use the acid in the mixing container to where you want it first, then add it to the tank.

tgp4274 · Jul 6, 2014

really??????? woulda not thought of that...... so where I get said acid???? n corralane is
slow......... don't have much algey in tank tho..... n in the year I have never had to scrape coralane off of my glass which I have always thought was kinda weird... not even the back.
n corals are mostly lps
2 brains
frog spawn
hammer
on small clam
pulsing xenia
colt
two toadstoles
and one birdsnet frag about 2" tall...
thanks!!

Reefing Madness · Jul 6, 2014

All your LPS and the Clam are doing ok? But your ALK and Cal never come down? Or do you do water changes and they stay at those levels?
Muriatic Acid, is a pool acid, you can get at any pool store. You do not need alot of acid to drop that ALK.

The "acidity" (that being essentially negative alkalinity) of muriatic acid straight from the bottle is about 11,000 meq/L.

So adding 1/11,000 of the water volume as this acid will drop alkalinity by 1 meq/l (2.8 dKH).

You want a drop of 13-7 = 6 dKH, or 2.1 times that amount, so you'd add 1/5,100th of the water volume.

13 gallons ~ 49 L

1/5100 of 49 L = 9.6 mL

So I'd add 5 ml and stir well for a few minutes and see what alkalinity you get. Then dose again assuming it seems on the right track.

You'll need to aerate well after adding the acid to blow off the excess CO2 and bring up the pH
Randal Holmes-Farley

tgp4274 · Jul 7, 2014

yes clam looks GREAT!!!! lps looks good also. no my alk never comes down before or after water changes..
so if I add drop by drop to the tank is that going to goof with my ph???
n where should I do te drops?? in front of the return pump???
thanks!!! will try n get some tomarow. I think I can get it from WM scince they hve pool chemicals

tgp4274 · Jul 9, 2014

Reefing Madness · Jul 9, 2014

I've done it in my tank before, when I had a Sump, but I'd really not do it if you have corals in the tank, and not a sump. I'd actually lower the Alk in your water changes ( in seperate container ) to bring the total alk down in the tank. That way you can bring it down, and then let the PH stabilize before throwing it in the tank.