Alk low need help

[firefightered]

I can not get my Alk level above 7. I have been dosing 8.3 booster for over a week 1X a day and have had no results. I've done a 10 persent water change no results. I dose Kalk every other day no results. All my other perimeters are good. I have checked with my test kit and have also had a lfs that specializes in nothing but saltwater check my water. I only have 1 small SPS that is not doing so well and some softies in my tank. What the heck is going on???????:cry:

 

[Troylee]

top off kalk 24/7 and it will rise but keep a close eye on it.... ph buffer doesn't really raise alk from my exp.... how much are you mixing in your top off??? i use 2tbsp per gallon of ro in my top off..... sps tank and it holds stable sometimes even rises like 2 weeks ago to 11 and i lost a few pieces...

 

[beaslbob]

I can not get my Alk level above 7. I have been dosing 8.3 booster for over a week 1X a day and have had no results. I've done a 10 persent water change no results. I dose Kalk every other day no results. All my other perimeters are good. I have checked with my test kit and have also had a lfs that specializes in nothing but saltwater check my water. I only have 1 small SPS that is not doing so well and some softies in my tank. What the heck is going on???????:cry:

Hopefully your alk is 7 dkh.

with that assumption, baking soda will increase that value. And probably decrease you calcium as will

use: Reef Chemistry Calculator

To determine how much to dose.

Also try the dr holmes farley diy two part here:
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

my .02

 

[maharsreef]

What is your mag???

 

[firefightered]

I'm at work right now and cann't remember my mag. but I know it was good according to my lfs. I have a 46gal bf with a 10 gal fuge. I have been dosing 1 tsp. kalk to 1 gal rodi. Should I try doubling the kalk per gal? I am only home every other day so it's hard to keep a daily ckeck on things.

 

[firefightered]

Just called the wife... She looked at the paper work and said the Mag was 380. I have also been dosing some mag stuff (cann't remember the name) to help things along but have had no changes. All my softies are doing great but the Hollywood stunner is receeding. I don't want to loose this one. it's my 1st SPS and I don't want to kill it!!!!!!

 

[Murfman]

What test kits are you using? 380 is way low, should be 1450ish, for Mag. If you are not available to dose every day, you could set up some peristaltic pumps to dose for you. You could then test when you are home.

 

[firefightered]

Here are all my perimeters if it will help. salinity 1.023, Mag. 380, Cal 1400, nitrite 0, trate 0, temp 78, phos. 0.
Lights= 4 T-5s with a Reefbrie LED in the center (retro fit) LED night light x4. Lights run 10 hr day.
I do water changes every 2 weeks with lfs water. ( very rep. salt and reef store)
I do not have a auto top off "YET". So I dose as needed with 1tsp kalk per gal RODI.
Tank load:
6- assorted fish
50lbs. Live rock
Approx. 10 mushrooms
1- "sick" Hollywood Stunner
2- Toadstools
3" sand bed
Good cleaning crew

 

[firefightered]

correction Cal. 380, Mag 1400

 

[beaslbob]

Actually that all sounds pretty good to me.

380, 7dkh, 1400 using kalk aren't all that bad.

 

[firefightered]

Any idea why my Hollywood is receeding? I feed reef snow, trace elements and both dry and frozen fish food. I bought it about 2 months ago from jason-tammy and ir really looked great. Now it is 1/4 the size and going fast........ HELP!!!!!!

 

[maharsreef]

Through experience, I've learned NOT to trust lfs water, However, those paramaters seem good, and I see no
reason that you couldn't get your alk up. I would look into getting an auto-top-off, and start making your own water.
It would make your life alot easier, and at least you know you can trust your water.....well somewhat more than lfs.

 

[caudill187]

Those parameters seem ok. Probably not responsible for the hollystunner receding. Infection? Dip it with revive, other antibacterial and keep it in low light for a few weeks.

 

[VegasRick]

+1 what beaslbob had to say and your sg looks a little low

 

[foxhuntr]

your cacium still seems low as well as your mag.....i would get your calciun up to 450 and your mag up to 1500 and add some baking soda and bring that alk up to 10 and raise your salinity up to 1.027....chalices like alk and mag on the high side.....i run mine at calcium 450 my mag at 1550 and my alk at 11 and my chalices grow like crazy.....

 

[Murfman]

There is another thread here on R2R where we are talking about Aleopathy (chemical warfare). Mushrooms are pretty toxic others, How close are they to your HS? All your params are on the OK, albeit low side, with as mentioned, your SG.

 

[firefightered]

The Stunner is toward the top of the tank and everything else is much lower. Nothing within 5"-6". I'll try to move it down to the bottum in the shade for a couple of weeks and see what happens unless it gets worse. How much baking soda should I put in and should I desolve it in RODI before hand. As for the LFS water.. This guy uses it in his own tanks and they are beautiful. I always check it before hand and have never had any problems. He has nothing but salt water tanks, fish, and corals. Coral Reef Aquatics is his buisness. great guy and very knowlegable.