Red Sea Salt Blue Bucket Levels

[sharkdiver]

So the Hanna Checker came so mixing a batch overnight and will check the Alk in the morning.

 

[Orm Embar]

When I was using API for alkalinity, I was routinely getting readings 3 dKH higher than either Salifert or Elos (which were virtually identical to each other and to the LFS which uses Salifert). The alkalinity readings for fresh mixes were where I expected them for a given brand of salt with Salifert/Elos as well (but again not with API).

After reading some posts about how Salifert and Elos kits tended to be quite accurate compared to Triton sendouts (which presumably are a good reference standard), I prefer to use Salifert (or Elos).

 

[sharkdiver]

Well the batch I made last night measured 7.2 dkh this morning with the Hanna Checker and 8 dkh with my API test kit. So Alk was lower this time even though I used salt from the same bucket.

 

[acer]

I just found this thread- because after seeing my SPS /acros dying off over the last few months and my Cheato was also dying back. So, finally got off my lazy backside and started testing instead of just doing water changes. Results: Tank Alk was 16 DKH , Mg 1050, Ca+ 350 = Hanna checkers and PH of 8.3 via probe. What the heck!! So, I tested my water mixing station new water (Reef Crystals) and I got 14.2 DKH= yikes!! Certainly my fault as everthing was going well thru summer and early fall - so got lazy and had not checked ALK for months as I do water changes pretty faithfully. Tank Alk is 15 -16 due to auto top off having some Kalk in it and with it being cold I was evaporating faster than usual and I was still putting in a bit of kalkwasser ( 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons) in the ATO each time = Dummy. Whats weird is the Alk is that high, but my calcium is low. The tank is a mixed reef tank with the SPS/Acros dying off ( as stated above) so they would not be uptaking the calcium and usually I found softies/LPS uptake Alk faster than Calcium. Hmmm.. So, as a safe remedy I just purchased the Red Sea blue bucket- will post parameters using my Hanna checkers (ALK/Ca+/Mg+) later today.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Reef crystals normally is pretty high in alk. I'd stop the limewater and let the alk decline.

Soft corals do not take up alkalinity faster than calcium. No corals do. There's no mechanism for that in almost any organism, actually. But there are some processes that can, such as a sulfur denitrator, or rising nitrate levels.

What test kit for magnesium? if Red Sea, it might be in error.

I'm suspicious the low calcium might also be a test error. What does the new salt water read for calcium?

In any case, boosting calcium alone is a fine plan, even if it is already OK since higher calcium is not generally a problem.

 

[acer]

Thanks for the quick post Randy- Ya, have already stopped using Kalk in ATO over a week ago- no change in the ALK yet - tested both Hanna checker and at Local Reef Store yesterday. I will repost the blue bucket test results ASAP.= Awaiting my RODI to catch up so I can make 30 gallons and if the ALk in the new water is at 8 DKH then I will do a 30 gallon water change to my system = total of about 210 gallons. Will retest after a day to see what changes are made . Then figure out how many water changes (every 3-4 days) it will take to bring down the Alk, and raise the Ca+/Mg+ .

Ya, I was stumped by the low mg/ca results with the high ALK ( thanks for the explanation- I remembered that wrong about LPS/softies) - using Hanna checkers for Ca+/Alk and Salifert for Mg+. I will test my QT tank as I just put all the new water I had previously made ( 30 gallons of Reef crystal at 1.025) in that tank and edit this post with results.

Edit : results of Calcium test of QT tank with newly mixed reef crystals= 464

Future Plan: Once the ALK/ca+/Mg+ returns to reasonable levels. I will then use both salts in my mixing station for water changes ( maybe 3 parts blue and 1 part Reed Crystals) to make a 9 DKH salt for water changes with good ca+ and mg+ levels .

Edit/add on: Red sea Blue bucket new mix results : 1.025 salinity, a PH of 8.4, Ca+ is 515, Mg+ is 1320, Temp is 76 degrees, ALK is 220 on Hanna checker = 12.3 DKH- NOW WHAT! I guess I will let it mix overnight - that doesn't really help much.

 

[acer]

OK- Yeah- received my new Hanna ALK reagent- so retested and the tank water is 10.6 DKH, and the new Red Sea Water is 7.8 DKH = YEAH!! SO, if anybody thinks they can use expired reagent and get accurate results ....think again.