Where is my KH going?

[Vitor]

Hello all!
Noob here.
First of all, some backgound. I was a very stupid noob and bought a very large bag of AquaForest Reef Mineral Salt. Problem is: I made my initial water with it not realizing it was actually something supposed to be a part of your balling, from what I can understand.
This was 3 months ago. Water changes have been done every week since then (aquarium is 330 gallons and I change give or take 47 gallons a week). I did the whole cycle maintaining this regime of water changes to try to correct any imbalance that may be there from doing the initial mistake. These water changes have always been done with a correct salt (Aquaforest Reef Salt).
Everything was fine, I introduced my clowns (doing great), now a couple more fish and corals. Coral all on the "easy" side from what I read and studied.
I am scared though, and should have thought of this sooner, that my water may be imbalanced. Here is why:
-My magnesium is persistently high (> 1500), and swings a bit without me being able to explain it ( I have reached in the past 1800) -
- Calcium as well, but not as much (was 550 at one point but gradually been going down and is now 478)
- KH disappears - I have been trying not to do much with it as my thought is that swings can actually hurt more but it was 5.5 for quite a while; I have been gradually been adding it but between each water change it goes down quite a bit. Let us say it swings easily 1 dKH a week. What is weird to me is that from what I can tell there isn't really anything in there to consume it

Anyway, the coral I added seem well. The fish seem well. Should I worry? Will a good water change regime balance it out in time?

Thank you so much.
Also, uploaded a pic

 

[KrisReef]

Mg swings are testing errors.

How are you adding dKH to the system? If you are not dosing then slow decline is expected from coral and coralline algae uptake.

So, what test kits are you using?

What numbers are you getting?

Are you dosing? How often?

Are you still doing water changes and how much?

If the coral is happy from water changes then all is good, except for your testing issues and your “number chasing” that may cause more damage than not testing and just doing regular water changes?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I can’t really gauge the daily drop in alk from what you wrote, but if it us less than 1 dKH per day, I’d just supplement it.

I cannot tell from the picture whether there is growing coralline algae, but it can use a large amount of alk and calcium. Precipitation onto bare calcium carbonate surfaces can be a huge driver of demand.

Is the sand hardening at all?

 

[Vitor]

Mg swings are testing errors.

How are you adding dKH to the system? If you are not dosing then slow decline is expected from coral and coralline algae uptake.

So, what test kits are you using?

What numbers are you getting?

Are you dosing? How often?

Are you still doing water changes and how much?

If the coral is happy from water changes then all is good, except for your testing issues and your “number chasing” that may cause more damage than not testing and just doing regular water changes?

Hello! Thanks for answering.
I use Microbe Lift carbonate basic 3. I dose, it comes gradually down. I thought the rate it was happening was fast. One example: july 1st after dosing 8dKH and today july 5th 6.7 dKH

I use both hanna checker and have been using salifert as well. Both read the same.

I am not dosing on a regime, as i just inteoduced coral on july 2nd. Might start doing so now.

I change water weekly 10% to 15%

Coral seem happy yes. All that went in seem (to my little experience) more “open” so to speak.

Not worried about chasing number chasing. Just wondering if these calcium and magnesium numbers in relation to the kh were anything to worry about

 

[Vitor]

I can’t really gauge the daily drop in alk from what you wrote, but if it us less than 1 dKH per day, I’d just supplement it.

I cannot tell from the picture whether there is growing coralline algae, but it can use a large amount of alk and calcium. Precipitation onto bare calcium carbonate surfaces can be a huge driver of demand.

Is the sand hardening at all?

No coralline from what ai can tell yet
Precipitation yes i think, quite a few bits were sand has hardened. Is this ok?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This is my generic recommendation for precipitation issues (e.g., hardening sand):

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

 

[Vitor]

This is my generic recommendation for precipitation issues (e.g., hardening sand):

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

Thanks a lot. I will do that. Step 3 may prove hard, I will see what I can find

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks a lot. I will do that. Step 3 may prove hard, I will see what I can find

Grocery store baking soda is the best low pH alk additive.

 

[Uncle99]

Hello all!
Noob here.
First of all, some backgound. I was a very stupid noob and bought a very large bag of AquaForest Reef Mineral Salt. Problem is: I made my initial water with it not realizing it was actually something supposed to be a part of your balling, from what I can understand.
This was 3 months ago. Water changes have been done every week since then (aquarium is 330 gallons and I change give or take 47 gallons a week). I did the whole cycle maintaining this regime of water changes to try to correct any imbalance that may be there from doing the initial mistake. These water changes have always been done with a correct salt (Aquaforest Reef Salt).
Everything was fine, I introduced my clowns (doing great), now a couple more fish and corals. Coral all on the "easy" side from what I read and studied.
I am scared though, and should have thought of this sooner, that my water may be imbalanced. Here is why:
-My magnesium is persistently high (> 1500), and swings a bit without me being able to explain it ( I have reached in the past 1800) -
- Calcium as well, but not as much (was 550 at one point but gradually been going down and is now 478)
- KH disappears - I have been trying not to do much with it as my thought is that swings can actually hurt more but it was 5.5 for quite a while; I have been gradually been adding it but between each water change it goes down quite a bit. Let us say it swings easily 1 dKH a week. What is weird to me is that from what I can tell there isn't really anything in there to consume it

Anyway, the coral I added seem well. The fish seem well. Should I worry? Will a good water change regime balance it out in time?

Thank you so much.
Also, uploaded a pic

Is salinity rising or falling?
That condition results in varying testing results.

Salt is salt, I see nothing very special about the salt itself, except some suggestion that certain minerals may be missing from other mixes.

Nice graphics though!

 

[Vitor]

Is salinity rising or falling?
That condition results in varying testing results.

Salt is salt, I see nothing very special about the salt itself, except some suggestion that certain minerals may be missing from other mixes.

Nice graphics though!

Salinity always at 1.025

 

[Uncle99]

Salinity always at 1.025

Results may vary widely between test kits.
MG going north of 1500ppm (to 1800ppm) would require a ton of product.

What test kits are being used?

 

[Vitor]

Results may vary widely between test kits.
MG going north of 1500ppm (to 1800ppm) would require a ton of product.

What test kits are being used?

Salifert and Hanna checker (always same result)

 

[Uncle99]

Salifert and Hanna checker (always same result)

The Hanna MG (and CA) checkers were useless to me, both had a wide flux in results, likely due to the small sample size.

But I do trust the Salifert for both and if they agree, likely correct.

What do you get when mixing a fresh batch?

 

[Vitor]

The Hanna MG (and CA) checkers were useless to me, both had a wide flux in results, likely due to the small sample size.

But I do trust the Salifert for both and if they agree, likely correct.

What do you get when mixing a fresh batch?

I took notes bit don’t have them on me. But the dKH if I remember correctly is 7.2 on the fresh mix.
MG and CA are now within normal ranges with Salifert tests. It is the KH that keeps dropping