trying to get my stank stable

[Yumpto]

i have a 13.5 fluval my dkh has been at 13.1 for about a month now and my magnesium has been at 1300-1400 but my calcium dropped to 283 and i got it back up to 450 the other day and i still cant get my dkh down, i dont know if everything is ok and im on the right track and i do 10% water changes ever week and a half my local lfs not much help thanks

 

[Ding2daDong]

Hey Ympto,

What are you dosing? Also do you mix your own salt or buy it from the LFS? Do you test the water or the LFS? What's your pH? Whatever you do I would do it slow as to not shock your system. Double check your new saltwater you're changing as it should be the parameters you want and do 10-20% water changes, while limiting dkh dosing, until it gets back to 8-10 or where you like it. Let us know what you decide and if it worked.

Kind regards,
Matthew

 

[Copingwithpods]

How old is your stank?

Also what test kits are you using?

Could the 283ppm cal reading been a fluke? What did you dose to bring that up?

What salt mix are you using? Some are very high in alk specially right after mixing.

 

[Yumpto]

How old is your stank?

Also what test kits are you using?

Could the 283ppm cal reading been a fluke? What did you dose to bring that up?

What salt mix are you using? Some are very high in alk specially right after mixing.

6 months i use hanna checker for the dkh and ca and pho and the red sea for mag, and i use red sea coral pro for the salt and i use brightwell 2 part

 

[minreef]

Red sea coral pro mixes to 12 dkh out of the box

 

[Copingwithpods]

Blue or black bucket what's your Salinity?

 

[Yumpto]

Blue or black bucket what's your Salinity?

black bucket 1.025

 

[KrisReef]

What do you have in the tank that is consuming Ca?

Edit:
Oh, I forgot to say; Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Copingwithpods]

black bucket 1.025

You're right we're that salt will put you with frequent water changes.

 

[Yumpto]

thank you im just a little lost on why my calcium dropped so much my all my corals look good with growth

 

[Copingwithpods]

thank you im just a little lost on why my calcium dropped so much my all my corals look good with growth

Sudden cal drop with no apparent alk drop seams to point at a testing error. I say keep your testing up on alk cal and Sal and space your water changes out a bit more. If that salt doesn't suit you don't be afraid to switch it up.

For example I run 9dkh and 425 cal, if I did a water change with that salt I'd run into some major issues. Pick a salt with parameters you want and then dose your tank to maintain those levels, that way when you do a water change there are no big swings.