Ca/Alk/Mag Mess . . . How to fix?

[gregzz4]

And after posting, I see some good advice from Dan too

Best if you up one @ a time so you can monitor it alone and it's affects ...

[Lampshade]

Before you do anything, is coral OK? i recently nuked my tank because my alk test said 6dkh and calcium said 420. Be VERY careful with your tests, i took an API and a salifert beside each other with one saying 6-7dkh, the other 17dkh.

Basically what i'm saying is before you do ANY corrective actions, first make sure you actually need the correction, and if you do, get a second opinion. I lost $1500 worth of SPS because i cheaped out on a test kit then trusted it, don't do the same :P.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

How? Clean water?

Typical water isn't going to have levels much higher than you have now, and you can then fine tune.

It is a new bag of salt. That makes me a bit nervous, as it could be quite different from the previous bucket.

Originally Posted by Lampshade

Before you do anything, is coral OK? i recently nuked my tank because my alk test said 6dkh and calcium said 420. Be VERY careful with your tests, i took an API and a salifert beside each other with one saying 6-7dkh, the other 17dkh.

Basically what i'm saying is before you do ANY corrective actions, first make sure you actually need the correction, and if you do, get a second opinion. I lost $1500 worth of SPS because i cheaped out on a test kit then trusted it, don't do the same :P.

My LPS look wonderful. My SPS aren't perfect, but okay. A couple are a little browned, but growing. I can't tell by looking at anything that the calcium is so out.

It is the API test kit that is being used for Alk. I have the Seachem test for Alk, but I haven't used it yet. I will test side-by-side tomorrow, before I do anything.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Enigma

It is a new bag of salt. That makes me a bit nervous, as it could be quite different from the previous bucket.

Honestly, it's just salt. As long as it's the same brand as what you've been using, you're good. Mix it up for an hour, if it mixes clear, that's my sign that salt is good.
If you're still concerned, do a quick alk test. You don't need to knead the bag, or flip it, or mix for 24 hours. Mix it in RO, let it go clear and hit a close temp to what you need, and change water. It's just a water change.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Enigma

My LPS look wonderful. My SPS aren't perfect, but okay. A couple are a little browned, but growing. I can't tell by looking at anything that the calcium is so out.
.

sounds like a typical mixed reef to me, lps doing fine and sps could be doing better:P

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