A little help balancing levels please...

[drakken]

I've been trying to balance out my 55 gallon tank using B-Ionic after a few big water changes.
Here's my levels:
SG 1.023
Ca 410 ppm
dKH 14.1
Alkalinity 5.03
If I understand this correctly everything is OK except the Alk which is too high. Should I stop using the part 1 of the B-Ionic but continue with the part 2? Is there something else I should do?
Thanks!

 

[reefer44]

yea its your magnesium probaly.....had the same problem...my levels were at 1270 instead of 1350......i would get a sailifert test for magnesium there the most accurate

 

[bang guy]

Stop part 1 completely until ALK is balanced with Calcium. B-Ionic has probably already bumped up your Magnesium level but it never hurts to check.
Have you used any Seachem Salt or Buffer in the past??

 

[drakken]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Stop part 1 completely until ALK is balanced with Calcium. B-Ionic has probably already bumped up your Magnesium level but it never hurts to check.
Have you used any Seachem Salt or Buffer in the past??
No buffers or Sea Chem salt. I use Crystal Sea.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Have you used any Seachem Salt or Buffer in the past??
Thinking Borate Alk "skewing" readings...?

 

[drakken]

Originally posted by Squidd
Thinking Borate Alk "skewing" readings...?
What is that?? Please explain.

 

[squidd]

Long story short...
Borate alk is "boron" based alkalinity...The alkalinity needed to balance Calcium levels is "carbonate" based...
Sea Chem products (among others) are known to have high borate levels which can build up over time...
Most test kits measure "total" alkalinity, but the "carbonate" alk is what we're interested in...
Some "specialized" test kits can measure borate alk seperately...then you subtract borate level from total level to get a true "Carbonate Alk" level...
For "example" if your total alk is 5 meq/l of which borate alk is 1.5 meq/l (not an unreasonable number) your "Carbonate Alk" would really only be 3.5 meq/l which would be in line with your 410 calcium level...So no "precipitation event" is at risk...
I've measured borate levels at 1.25 meq/l (since reduced)...NSW is more like .2 meq/l borate...
Borate alk is good at maintaining pH at steady levels...
"Optimum" borate level is still a "debatable " number...

 

[drakken]

Squidd,
Thanks for the explaination. What should I do then?

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by Drakken
... What should I do then?
O.M.G. Whatever You Do...DON'T PANIC
...YET...:scared: :scared: :scared:
J/K...
Actually, your levels aren't all that "whacked" so reducing or eliminating the part "1" for awhile and doing a couple regular partial water changes should bring your levels in line...
If you get the chance, or are curious, try to get a well stocked LFS or fellow reefer to do a borate test to confirm or negate the "skewed test" results...Then you can work out a plan of action to "adjust" borate levels in your tank if necessary or find out where they're coming from...(additives,salt,etc...)
Otherwise just carry out your normal reef keeping activities...