chemistry help needed

jsab

jsab

Member
I am having trouble with my dKH value. Been trying to raise the number (1.2) for a few days with little to no results. How much buffer is too much? I am dosing with the Kent pro buffer as directed on back 10 mls per 40 gallons. Tank is 125. Been up a year. pH value by pH probe is 8.27 (recently calibrated) and Calcium is 427 by probe also. Did a 10 percent water change last night and today added the pro buffer and not seeing the results that I would like. Any ideas? My corals will thank you.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
What salt are you using? For the longest time I had issues with alkalinity, but all other numbers were fine, and it was the salt.
IMO, you may need to use more buffer than what the package is recommending. The packaging usually recommends enough to keep it at a consistent level, but it won't really help you raise it unless you add more.
Try doing a larger water change as well.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
Thanks for the replies. I had read on back of bottle to not dose more than 1/2 ml per gallon per day. Well, that means 125 gallons with 15-20 gallons (I guess) for the sump. Then the max per the bottle could be 72 mls per day. Than sounds like alot and I am very hesitant to dose that much. What are the ramifications of increasing it that fast? I don't have a clue what could happen besides a total collapse. I also had read in the archives about the magnesium relationship. Unfortunately I don't have a magnesium test kit. Need to get one of those. Bought some new LPS and SPS for the tank this past month, and they aren't looking like there is any growth. Like my father in law says.....education is expensive.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
Oh one more thing....it is so funny to read all the archive posts that everyone has and the answer is always.....do a water change. I agree. maybe a 20% change.
 
longislandmike

longislandmike

Member
Yes mag is very important in a reef tank. That's why i was asking what your mag level is. If the mag is off, not only will it be hard to keep your dkh up, it will also be hard to keep your cal up as well. I found that mag is the key to keeping sps and a healthy reef tank.
 
 
jsab

jsab

Member
Forgot...salt is Oceanic in the blue bucket. And as luck would have it, just bought a new bucket last weekend. To be honest, I have never tried another brand of salt. This one has always been ok with me. I'm open for suggestions. Sorry about the bump. couldn't get my keyboard to backspace and thoght I would just clear it and start the next reply.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
Is Mag ever too high? I have some mag supplement, but as I have read from may past posts, don't dose what you can't test for. I haven't dosed, but if I overshoot, then what happens? Sounded like good advice to me. How long can the corals go with low alkalinity without suffering too much? Need to order one, but shipping will take a week or so. and lfs probably won't have one. Plus its an hour away.
 
longislandmike

longislandmike

Member
I would never dose anything I can't test for, I would get the test kit first. I know you said you want to raise it 1.2 what is your dkh now?
 
longislandmike

longislandmike

Member
Your dkh is 1.2? I thought you were trying to raise it 1.2 more. 1.2 is very low. I would try another dkh test kit and do a water change. Bring your water to a local reef store and have them test all your levels for you.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
dKH right now is 1.6. That is after I added that buffer this afternoon after work. Didn't hardly raise it at all.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
T
I thought there had to be some relationship, but didn't know if it was inverse or what. I trust the pH probe. I would think it would be more reliable than the tests.
 
jsab

jsab

Member
I live in the middle of nowhere, so a trip to a lfs is a stretch that usually only happens on the weekends.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
How old is your test kit? I love my salifert kits, but have found the last two Salifert Alkalinity test kits to be completely inaccurate, I'm wondering if they're having any issues. Definitely have the LFS check it as well, even if they use API (which is what most LFS stores use).
I don't like Oceanic salt, not one of my favorites. I really like Tropic Marin and SeaChem AquaVitro Salinity.
 
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