Alk. Dosing help.

[reeflife89]

I've been trying to bring my alkalinity into the acceptable range 3.5 - 4 meq/l. Currently my pre mixed salt water change water is around 2.0 meq/l. Ph is 7 and cal is 490. Trying to wrap my head around the ph alk cal ratios maybe someone has some easier to understand material ? Or any dosing or buffering help would be appreciated.

[asylumdown]

where are you getting this water/what salt mix are you using? When you say pre-mix, are you buying pre-made water from the store? Are you testing these levels on the brand new water, or water that's already in your aquarium? Those numbers are whack for new water, your pH should be around 8-8.2, a pH of 7 might actually be dangerous from some reef animals, I think the lowest pH naturally found in the ocean is 7.5. Also that's unnecessarily high levels of calcium, high enough that it might actually be suppressing your ability to raise alkalinity.

What are you using to try and raise alkalinity? What are your magnesium levels?

TBH, I would consider looking in to using a different source of water, or mix your own with high quality reef salt.

Also, if you haven't found it before, check out this article in Reefkeeping magazine, it's a really good primer.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/

[reeflife89]

Those numbers are the nsw I'm adding with water changes. H2ocean salt.

[reeflife89]

I'm still in the process of setting everything up I want the levels of everything balanced before I add anything. Looking for the best solution to the low alk/ph. Also different brands of tests for these perhaps. I'm using seachem currently.

[asylumdown]

What test kits are you using?

I've been using H2Ocean for a year, and I've found it to be really high in all components - really high in calcium, alk, and magnesium. The last time I tested a fresh batch of H2Ocean I think the alk was somewhere in the 10-11 range, and the pH was definitely above 8. I haven't ever needed to dose magnesium because there's so much of it in the salt.

I'd try testing your water with another test kit before I started adding things to the water

[asylumdown]

I'm still in the process of setting everything up I want the levels of everything balanced before I add anything. Looking for the best solution to the low alk/ph. Also different brands of tests for these perhaps. I'm using seachem currently.

Sorry didn't see that.

Seachem reef status? That's weird, I always found that to be a really reliable test. Maybe someone else can chime in, but I have a hard time gronking that H2Ocean can be mixing with such low alk - After every water change with it my alk jumps measurably, from 8 to 9 usually. I'm presently using Red Sea tests, and they've been pretty consistent. Your calcium reading looks spot on though, H2Ocean has tons of it.

[reeflife89]

Is there any preference you have of test kits?

[reeflife89]

I think I'm just going to go and get a couple different high end tests and compare. I can't understand the results much either.

[PurpleMonkey]

Maybe bring a sample of your water in to JL and ask them to test it? At a pH of 7, your rock would be dissolving.

[gregzz4]

If your current test kits and pH probe are correct, bringing your alk up to around 8dkh ( 2.85 meq/l ) will probably bring your ca down to a more acceptable level and increase your pH

I use Elos kits for the Big 3

As suggested, get J&L to test it for you before you spend any dough unnecessarily

Until I start buying the bulk stuff, I use Reef Builder (http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/sc-rbul1000/SeaChem+Reef+Builder+Additive+-+1.2+KG.html) for Alk, and Reef Advantage (http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/sc-raca1000/SeaChem+Reef+Advantage+Calcium+Additive+-+1+KG.html) for Ca

[asylumdown]

You can also use sodium carbonate (bake baking soda in the oven at 375 for an hour to make super cheap sodium carbonate) to raise both alk and pH