Help me out here please. Water parameters

[Aquaman1]

Ok.

I've done a few water changes.

Nov 28 15%
Dec 3 10%
Dec 6 15%
Dec 11 15%
Dec 13 15%

Those water changes were done in a attempt to lower nitrate, stabilize PH, raise magnesium, raise dKH and calcium has been fine.

Yesterday I did one because I had a little torch head frag die and I didn't want it to pollute the tank. My other torch is doing great. Frogspawn and toadstool baby.

Clowns also doing great and my cleaner shrimp.

So, here's my question. Why is it that I can't seem to keep my alkalinity, PH and magnesium high? I use instant ocean reef crystals with RO/DI water with 0 TDS.

Average dKH over last month 6.7-7.
Average PH 7.7-8 the highest
Average mag 1150.

I positioned one of my returns to the surface for more agitation for air exchange. It went up a bit but nothing big.

I have about 35 pounds of aragonite reef substrate. 45-50 pounds of rock (10 pounds fully live).

Lights on 1530-2300 hours with LED lights. Not sure of par.

Parameter today after water change last night

Nitrate 3
Mag 1215
Calcium 435
DKH 7.3
PH 7.8
Temp 78.5
Salinity 1.026.

Temp fluctuates between 77 and 80.5 in a day and I'm ok with that. Not to hot. Not to cold. In the real world I'm sure it's more than that.






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[DaveK]

When you have this sort of a problem, the first thing you want to test it your newly mixed replacement water. If that isn't right, water changes are not going to fix anything. If you do find them off in newly mixed SW, change salt brands. This does assume your test kits are giving good readings. Some test kits can just be off.

10% and 15% water changes usually will not make big changes to your water parameters. While I don't recommend it, consider what would happen if you replaced 15% of your SW with FW. If your SG is 1.025 a 15% reduction would only drop the SG by about .004. In other words, your water would still be about 1.021. Not that much of a change at all, and that's if you used FW. This applies to just about all other parameters also.

What are you using to measure SG? A refractometer is highly recommended. The aquarium grade hydrometers are often very inaccurate. This measurement is critical, because if it's off, you'll skew most of the other parameters.

Lastly, your parameters are not that far off. If the livestock is doing good, don't go chasing water parameter numbers. It's far better to be a little off than use a lot of assitives and stuff trying to get the number "just right".

 

[reefer gladness]

+1

There's a lot of data out there indicating that advertised levels of elements don't match up to real-world test results. Inconsistency between batches of salt is part of the problem. First thing to do is test your freshly mixed salt water as DaveK suggested. It's possible you got a bad batch, it's happened to me before with other salt mixes. First thing I do now when I get a new bucket is test the freshly mixed water.

By the way, temps in the 77.0 - 80.5 range are okay in a reef tank but 3.5 degree temp swings are not. In the real world ocean temps do not vary anywhere near that in 24 hour period. The ocean is a huge body of water compared to our aquariums and temp changes happen much, much slower.

 

[Aquaman1]

Hey thanks for the replies !

Salinity is tested using a calibrated JBJ ATC refractometer.

I have actually been pretty lucky with That for consistency it's was 36 PPT but with only CUC. Now it's been stable at 1.026 (35 PPT)

I was also using a seachem marine test kit. And seachem reef test kit. All the numbers were WAY off and now use salifert. Seachem is sending me new ones so it will be interesting to compare the old and new reagents.

I tested my salt mix a couple water changes ago and this is what I came up with
Salinity 1.026
Temp 80.0F
Cal 430
Alk 10.9 dKH 3.88
PH 8.0
Mag 1200.

I'm assuming PH is gonna be low because of winter and we are hibernating with the furnace on. Very little fresh air in the house. But it's -15 right now and snowing so I am not opening windows LOL.





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[reefer gladness]

pH 8.0 is fine in your tank, you will observe a .2 to .3 swing over a 24 hour period depending on when you test. It will test highest at the end of your light cycle.

Mag is definitely low in the pre-mixed batch.

 

[Aquaman1]

I test PH in the AM around 11 when lights been off for 12 hours and it's about 7.7 Later on around 2200 hours it will reach 8.0 roughly.

It's weird my dKH on the batch tested 1200 yet I have 1215 this morning. Could be off by a bit though I suppose.

I really hope that new water tester will work. Apparently it will just read away for a week. $600 they are estimating though???!!! Yikes!


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[reefer gladness]

What water tester are you referring to that costs $600? Steep price but that would all depend on what it does.

BTW, don't worry too much about Ph right now. It will probably come up a bit on its own eventually as alk stabilizes. Forgot to mention though, low mag is a factor in maintaining alkalinity so don't underestimate its importantance. 9 times out of 10 I think alk troubles are related to low mag.

 

[Aquaman1]

I'm having a brain fart but it's suppose to test 12 parameters and suppose to give a read out or something. Coming out next year. Based on a light system or something.

Estimated price of $600 is steep but we reefers live gadgets LOL.

My alk has been just below 7 and 6.7 is not too bad but could be better. I don't wanna chase parameters and I don't plan on dosing. WAY too much if a headache that I don't want. I'm hoping weekly water changes will aid in keeping me where I need to be. Maybe I should look at a better quality salt mix.


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