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Having trouble with my KH, pH, and Calcium levels, help please!

post #1 of 26
2/20/12 at 1:51pm
Thread Starter 

I just tested my water today and I'm afraid that I have some issues... 

  • calcium seems really high: 520 ppm (from my understanding it for a reef aquarium it should be between 400 - 500 ppm)
  • KH (alkalinity)is:  8 dkh  or 143.2 ppm (this seems okay, since I think it should be between 8 - 12 dkh or 140 - 200 ppm)  Am I right? 
  • pH seems kind of low: 8.0 ppm

 

I tested the calcium and KH 3x and kept getting the same results. 

I know that pH and KH are connected, but with my lack of chemistry knowledge I am completely unsure how they relate to each other. 

 

Other water parameters: 

Temperature = 80

Ammonia = 0

Nitrites =  0 

Nitrates = 0

 

Tank info: it's 7 months old, and houses 3 fish, 2 kenya trees, 1 mushroom, and a little candy cane coral. I do weekly water changes of around 20%, the last time I did a water change was 6 days ago. 

 

Hopefully the above info. will help you answer my questions below: 

  1. Is the calcium level a big concern, if so how do I lower it?
  2. Do I need to raise the pH, if so how? 
  3. Is the KH level alright where it is? If not, what should I do about it?
  4. I have Sea Chem Marine Buffer that claims to raise and maintain a pH to 8.3, should I use it? 
  5. What are your thoughts or suggestions regarding my water quality?? 

 

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, in avance for all of your help!! Any and all input is incredibly welcome! I'm really worried about my litte piece of ocean shrug.gif

 

 

 

 

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post #2 of 26
2/20/12 at 2:21pm
I say you are fine. You don't need to do any thing. If you want you can use the buffer just use the drip method to add it and use less then the directions recommend till you learn what you are doing.
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post #3 of 26
2/21/12 at 8:25am

Add a small amount ( a pinch or so) of baking soda and see what happens.

 

look up dr randy holmes-farley's improved diy 2 part.

 

FWIW pH rises as carbon dioxide decreases.  So balancing out the tank with more algae (macors or algae truf scrubber, or even just corraline) will raise the pH. Also you should check pH just before lights out.  It rises with lights on and drops with lights out.

 

my .02

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post #4 of 26
2/21/12 at 5:53pm
Thread Starter 

 

Thank so much!

Quote:
you should check pH just before lights out

 I'll check it out tonight, as soon as the lights go off and see if it's different. 

 

 

Quote:
algae truf scrubber

What's that? 

 

So adding some macro algae will help? I can buy some at my LFS, does it need to be put in a QT? I've bought it in the past and never put it in the QT, but I now I'm becoming more cautious. I don't have a fuge, so it'll have to go in the main area (probably anchored down by some rocks....will that work?

 

 

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post #5 of 26
2/21/12 at 10:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ View Post

I say you are fine. You don't need to do any thing. If you want you can use the buffer just use the drip method to add it and use less then the directions recommend till you learn what you are doing.


+1

Those numbers are fine. Are you consistently getting these readings all the time?

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post #6 of 26
2/22/12 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza View Post

 

Thank so much!

 I'll check it out tonight, as soon as the lights go off and see if it's different. 

 

 

What's that? 

 

So adding some macro algae will help? I can buy some at my LFS, does it need to be put in a QT? I've bought it in the past and never put it in the QT, but I now I'm becoming more cautious. I don't have a fuge, so it'll have to go in the main area (probably anchored down by some rocks....will that work?

 

 



An algae turf scrubber basically is a box with screens in it so turf algae grows on the screens.

 

IMHO macro algae is the single best thing for marine tanks.

 

You might consider a partition in the display to protect the algae from algae eaters.  Just an egg crate (1/4" plastic grid lighting diffusers) will do.  Cram a peice in a corner with the macro between the egg crate and glass.  you may have to add a small light to help as well.  but you get the idea.

 

my .02

 

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post #7 of 26
2/22/12 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef View Post



+1

Those numbers are fine. Are you consistently getting these readings all the time?



+2

 

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post #8 of 26
2/23/12 at 6:03pm
Thread Starter 

I'll test again tonight after I turn the lights in the aquarium out. The lights are always on from 4:30 - 9:30.

I usually test during the middle of the day (when there's plenty of bright natural light outside) so that I can go next to a window and compare the color in the test tube to the color chart more accurately. Hopefully when I test tonight the lights in my apartment are bright and natural enough to get a good reading. 

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post #9 of 26
2/23/12 at 6:05pm

+3

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post #10 of 26
2/23/12 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko View Post

+3


Lol..... This is too funny. Why is it when I post the same question I get told my test kits are wrong or I tested wrong?

 

Psssshhhhhhh........

 

Lol
 

 

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post #11 of 26
2/23/12 at 9:32pm
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.
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post #12 of 26
2/23/12 at 9:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ View Post

Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.



thumbnailCAJWJPMM.jpgGeeeeee, thanks yoda......................... word

 

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post #13 of 26
2/23/12 at 10:27pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the smile guys! rotfl.gif

 

Okay, here's my results from tonights tests:

 

pH = 8.2 ppm (up from 8.0 three days ago, I never added the buffer)

ammonia = 0 

nitrites = 0 

nitrates = 0 

Calcium = 520 ppm (same as it was 3 days ago) 

KH (Alkalinity) = 8 dkh or 143.2 ppm (same as it was 3 days ago) 

Temperature = 80.2

Spec. gravity = 1.024

 

* So the only thing that changed was the ph. Three days ago when I tested the water it was around noon, and the lights had been out since 9:30 the previous evening. When I tested the water tonight, it right after the lights had been turned off, after they had already been on for the usual 5 hours. 

 

So what do you all think? Is the water alright? Is there anything I should do or not do?? 

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post #14 of 26
2/23/12 at 11:15pm
That is normal. What changed was co2. During the lit part of the day photosynthesis by algae and corals convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and that raises pH. At night with no light there is no photosynthesis and the pH falls.
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post #15 of 26
2/24/12 at 3:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers View Post


Lol..... This is too funny. Why is it when I post the same question I get told my test kits are wrong or I tested wrong?

 

Psssshhhhhhh........

 

Lol
 

 


images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQV8NzEB7N_bMXc1_B4DxfvuMeI_K8gHB8PlWzLTyQs7mKkRfjO

 

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post #16 of 26
2/24/12 at 4:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko View Post


images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQV8NzEB7N_bMXc1_B4DxfvuMeI_K8gHB8PlWzLTyQs7mKkRfjO

 



Wow....... good morning to you too sir.....

 

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post #17 of 26
2/24/12 at 5:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers View Post


Lol..... This is too funny. Why is it when I post the same question I get told my test kits are wrong or I tested wrong?

 

Psssshhhhhhh........

 

Lol
 

 


If I recall correctly you said your Calcium was over 600ppm.  That's a different question.
 

 

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post #18 of 26
2/24/12 at 5:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza View Post

Thanks for the smile guys! rotfl.gif

 

Okay, here's my results from tonights tests:

 

pH = 8.2 ppm (up from 8.0 three days ago, I never added the buffer)

ammonia = 0 

nitrites = 0 

nitrates = 0 

Calcium = 520 ppm (same as it was 3 days ago) 

KH (Alkalinity) = 8 dkh or 143.2 ppm (same as it was 3 days ago) 

Temperature = 80.2

Spec. gravity = 1.024

 

* So the only thing that changed was the ph. Three days ago when I tested the water it was around noon, and the lights had been out since 9:30 the previous evening. When I tested the water tonight, it right after the lights had been turned off, after they had already been on for the usual 5 hours. 

 

So what do you all think? Is the water alright? Is there anything I should do or not do?? 


What you should not do - add a buffer to raise your PH

What you could do - add buffer to raise your Alkalinity. 

 

What I suggest - monitor Alkalinity and do nothing if it's not dropping.  If it drops much further then add some of the buffer to maintain it where it is or even a little bit higher.
 

 

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post #19 of 26
2/24/12 at 9:21am
+1
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post #20 of 26
2/24/12 at 9:23am

I think you're fine. When was your last water change? I'd do a water change and monitor my alk before adding a buffer. Some tanks just suck up alk (like mine). 

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