ALK is to low

kyle1284 · 01-03-2007, 02:27 PM

My Alk is TO LOW right now its at 2.5 and mEq/L and it needs to be at 3-4 mEq/L for a gaurentee on the fish from my LFS. I have been using Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH and it seems to be making no dent in the Alk HELP!
trates-0
Amoina-0
Calicum-390
refractometer reading 1.024

mempho reefer · 01-03-2007, 02:39 PM

I use Seachem Reef Builder. One tbsp per gallon of top off water every other week. Alk is steady at 4.35 meg/L and after extended use PH remains constant at 8.2

Warnberg · 01-03-2007, 02:53 PM

Kyle, first don't panic and start adding a bunch of stuff to the water. Something seems amiss here, USUALLY with low alk level you will have a high calc level but you are saying you have a calc level of 390. So What is your Ph running? Also what kind of test kits are you using? One last question what salt are you using?

lcstorc · 01-03-2007, 03:44 PM

Also what is the magnesium rating?

Here is one of my favorite links. It is a reef Chemistry Calculator that can help you determine how much of what to add to effect what component of your chemistry. Check it out.

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

prow · 01-03-2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyle1284

My Alk is TO LOW right now its at 2.5 and mEq/L and it needs to be at 3-4 mEq/L for a gaurentee on the fish from my LFS. I have been using Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH and it seems to be making no dent in the Alk HELP!
trates-0
Amoina-0
Calicum-390
refractometer reading 1.024

not bad. do need your ph readings. i dont know why your fish store will not give the gaurentee with a alk of 2.5, sence that is what NSW levels are. your Ca is fine too. both your Ca and alk are with in normal levels. yes, on the low side of the normal ranges but still in the normal ranges. here is a link for ya that should help you out.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

the only correction i see you need is just start adding/using a balanced Ca/alk sup. lots to choose, 2 part soulutions, lime water, reactors ect....still your ph plays its roll. follow some of the links in the article they lead to some real good readings.

Witfull · 01-03-2007, 08:20 PM

a LFS with a quarantee on salt fish? youre lucky!

bluespotjawfish · 01-03-2007, 11:13 PM

Thanks for the article, it is awesome!

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Already using the other chart, it is great too!

kyle1284 · 01-03-2007, 11:58 PM

thanks everyone for all the replies!

mempho reefer Thanks for the info!

Warnberg my Ph is somewhere between 8.0 and 8.2, im using an Instant Ocean Reef Master Test kit and i WAS using Oceanic Salt but for x mas i got a 200 gallon jug of Kent Marine Sea Salt and did my first 5 gallon weekly water change last week in due for one tomorrow.

lcstorc i do not have a magnesium test yet because i have not gotten into reefing hardcore should i get a mag test yet?... but as im understanding how to properly reef (BECAUSE OF REEF SANCTUARY!!

) I have sloweld started to gather some zoos and a xeina and there doing just fine for now. Thanks for the link by the way!

Witfullthats right and im gonna ride that wave as long as i can... thats how they got me coming back!

01-03-2007, 02:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
kyle1284 Elegance coral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 1,061 View Gallery Karma Komment	ALK is to low My Alk is TO LOW right now its at 2.5 and mEq/L and it needs to be at 3-4 mEq/L for a gaurentee on the fish from my LFS. I have been using Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH and it seems to be making no dent in the Alk HELP! trates-0 Amoina-0 Calicum-390 refractometer reading 1.024 __________________ KYLE 75 Gal 110 Lbs Live Rock 40 Lbs of live sand Equiptment:48 Inch 4x54 T-5 true blue and 10000k lights, 2 fuvual 305 Canister Filters Mis. Mushrooms, Fan Worms, hammer coral, frog spawn, candy cane, A TON OF TRUMPET CORAL!! orange plating monti, some kind of branching monti, pom pom xeina, all kinds of zoos BRIGHT GREEN star polyps, xeina, neon green toadstool, 3 damn damsles, a foxface and a blue tang. November 1...The begining! http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../random045.jpg November 8,2008 http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ristina034.jpg My 75 GALLON BAR TOP REEF TANK! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...n-bar-top.html

01-03-2007, 02:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
mempho reefer Tuxedo Urchin Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Memphis Posts: 281 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ALK is to low I use Seachem Reef Builder. One tbsp per gallon of top off water every other week. Alk is steady at 4.35 meg/L and after extended use PH remains constant at 8.2

01-03-2007, 02:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Warnberg Acropora Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 1,911 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: ALK is to low Kyle, first don't panic and start adding a bunch of stuff to the water. Something seems amiss here, USUALLY with low alk level you will have a high calc level but you are saying you have a calc level of 390. So What is your Ph running? Also what kind of test kits are you using? One last question what salt are you using? __________________ Dave 240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W) 4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs 2-54 Watt T5 Actinic Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor 4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads 7095 Tunze controller

01-03-2007, 03:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: ALK is to low Also what is the magnesium rating? Here is one of my favorite links. It is a reef Chemistry Calculator that can help you determine how much of what to add to effect what component of your chemistry. Check it out. http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

01-03-2007, 11:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish Tridacna maxima Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 4,943 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ALK is to low Thanks for the article, it is awesome! http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html Already using the other chart, it is great too! __________________ Lorraine To BB and all Bluespots - Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards

01-03-2007, 11:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
kyle1284 Elegance coral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 1,061 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ALK is to low thanks everyone for all the replies! mempho reefer Thanks for the info! Warnberg my Ph is somewhere between 8.0 and 8.2, im using an Instant Ocean Reef Master Test kit and i WAS using Oceanic Salt but for x mas i got a 200 gallon jug of Kent Marine Sea Salt and did my first 5 gallon weekly water change last week in due for one tomorrow. lcstorc i do not have a magnesium test yet because i have not gotten into reefing hardcore should i get a mag test yet?... but as im understanding how to properly reef (BECAUSE OF REEF SANCTUARY!! ) I have sloweld started to gather some zoos and a xeina and there doing just fine for now. Thanks for the link by the way! Witfullthats right and im gonna ride that wave as long as i can... thats how they got me coming back! __________________ KYLE 75 Gal 110 Lbs Live Rock 40 Lbs of live sand Equiptment:48 Inch 4x54 T-5 true blue and 10000k lights, 2 fuvual 305 Canister Filters Mis. Mushrooms, Fan Worms, hammer coral, frog spawn, candy cane, A TON OF TRUMPET CORAL!! orange plating monti, some kind of branching monti, pom pom xeina, all kinds of zoos BRIGHT GREEN star polyps, xeina, neon green toadstool, 3 damn damsles, a foxface and a blue tang. November 1...The begining! http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../random045.jpg November 8,2008 http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ristina034.jpg My 75 GALLON BAR TOP REEF TANK! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...n-bar-top.html Last edited by kyle1284 : 01-04-2007 at 02:05 AM.

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