Tank Specs

reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
I tested my water parms this evening and I need some advice as to the levels.
Ph:7.5
Ammonia:0
Nitrate: under 5
Nitrite:0
Kh: 100ppm
Ca:800ppm
Temp 79-80 degrees f
I currently have a 36 gallon bow front with 130 watts PC lighting, 2 canister filters (without the media), protein skimmer, 2 maxi jet 900 powerheads with the following:
mated pair of Gold striped maroon clowns
two pepermint shrimp
Emerald crab
5 turbo snails
2 nassrisa snails
7 'shrooms
pulising xenias
Acalycigorgia sp. ~ Blue Sea Fan
branching hammer corals
Thanks in advance for the information.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
Ph - low
Cal - high.
KH - 100?? should be around 8-10
Do you test magnesium?
What do you add to your water?
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
Mag, Cal & PH all work hand in hand.....How? I havnt a clue. Do a search on it, there is a very good post describing it.
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
I've never even seen a test kit that registers Ca that high. What kind are you using?
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
well the test kits were old so I think that I was getting inaccurate readings. So I went out and bought a new kit..I'll post the results as soon as I can...Any and all help I would be greatful! and thanks to the peeps that have already replied! thank you! :)
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
Well here are the results of the new kit
Ph: 7.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrite <03
Nitrate 0
Kh:4.5dh
I asked on guy at the LFS about the Ph and he told me to get some buffer, so Im using Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH. I dosed this afternoon and it says that it may take 48 hours to stabilze the Ph. Any more imput would be great. I wonder if this is also the cause of me losing my pods..or my fish are eating them?? Just a thought..Thank again..:)
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
Using a buffer only mask's the reason as to why its low. I think its the Magnesium levels that stabilize PH & Ca. And Ca dripping helps with Mag. & Ph. Did you retest your Ca? And pick up a Mag. test kit.
Like I said, Im not to sure how all three work together, and how they help each other I am totally clueless, so I may be wrong. But I do know that you shouldnt use the buffer.
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
The LFS didnt' have a mag test..Im going to take a sample to the LFS for them to test for me tomorrow and then ask them the reason. Everything else seems to be ok. :thinking:
All the fish and corals are acting ok...everyones out and full force. Im going to still continue the Buffer until I can see the Ph around 8.0. I'll post the results tomorrow when I get the info back from the LFS..thanks again!!!
if you can find the link that would be great!!!
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
Well I went to the LFS and the lady there was RUDE!!!! I asked her if she tested Mag and she like, why???...then said No we dont test for that. then another women came out of the back room and tested my parms for me....She came up with the same readings as I did...Then the mean lady told me to dose with the Kent Marines SuperBuffer. I told her that I am and that I wanted to know why the Ph was so low! She gave me this response "Well since it being summer the farmers must be using Fertlizers and such and must be leacking in the ground"....I looked at her like she was crazy...But then I left feeling like I did n't even get an answer to my question..I tried to explain from the response here about the relationship between the Ca, Mag and the Ph.. and I got a dirty look from the mean women...The place sells nothing but saltwater fish and corals...Go figure...So Im going to order the test kits from the net and I'll post when I get them..I wonder if the "melting" of my zoos is due to the Ph being so low??? Just another thought..thanks again everyone that responded....
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
Your pH isn't really dangerously low, so I don't think it would cause your zoos to melt. Are these new zoos? Did you maybe notice a white film around the polyps? If so, could be a fungus killing them. Moving them from a dim tank (at LFS) to a lot of light can nuke them too, but I don't think you have what I would consider a lot of light.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
Wax - your correct in the lighting department, I didnt think of that. The zoos can live in that light as long as they are mid -high in tank. But also I think light has to do with the PH levels also. (Lower when they first come on, higher when theve been on a while) When Are you testing?
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
I've tested in the morning after I have already turned on the lights! I have not tried testing when the lights were off..but the "mean" lady at the LFS stated that it would be lower before the lights came on...I'm still rather confused...and hopefully that you guys can help me out! :) I've ordered new test kits online and waiting for them to come in...I believe that someone told me that the Ph is also affected by the water movement????I have two Maxi Jet 900 Powerheads in there already...Should I get another one?? :thinking:
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
Well I've been dosing with the Marine Kent Buffer, and the Ph is around 8.0. better the the 7.5 that I was getting.... Im still waiting on the new testing stuff, but for time being, the ph is going up! woohooo...I know that its a temp fix, but as long as its working, Im going with it!!! I will still check for the Mag level tho...and I'll post when I get the results Thanks for everyones help!
 
reefboi147

reefboi147

New Member
Well after retesting my water specs, I have the following measurements
Nitrate 20
Nitrite 0
Alk:300
and Ph: 7.8
Im just trying to stabalize the Ph so that its in the correct level....
 
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