Unstable MG and CA

[letdoit]

My MG always drop to 1140 PPM

My CA always increase to 490 PPM

If not wrong, most of u will decrease CA by itself and that why using Calcium Reactor, right????

My tank will auto increase CA

I try salifert powder, i will go back to 1350 within 2 days, but 3 days later drop to 1140 PPM.

I had spending alot $$ to maintain MG PPM

pls help

[chercm]

but what is your dKH value ?

[sharkfin]

but what is your dKH value ?

follow wat bro chercm advise. i tink dKH is e main problem, do a test on ur KH, cheers!

[letdoit]

follow wat bro chercm advise. i tink dKH is e main problem, do a test on ur KH, cheers!

thanks man,

both of u correct, my DKH got problem,

Now my DKH is 7

But my PH is 8.7 (digital)

i had use buffer 7 to double check digital PH meter, correct.

Am i right that if i increase KH, PH will also increase?

If yes, what to do? I need to +KH and -PH now.. how?

[Achilles Tang]

If you're in doubt, this is my advice....

The cheapest & fastest way to balance your water parameters and give a 'breath of fresh air' to your tank is to do a 50% water change soon!

Don't use too much chemicals to try adjust your water parameters... it's just simply not cost effective.... and people tend to overcompensate and possibly cause a precipitation crash... bad news with hard corals.

Do you use a calcium reactor?

[letdoit]

If you're in doubt, this is my advice....

The cheapest & fastest way to balance your water parameters and give a 'breath of fresh air' to your tank is to do a 50% water change soon!

Don't use too much chemicals to try adjust your water parameters... it's just simply not cost effective.... and people tend to overcompensate and possibly cause a precipitation crash... bad news with hard corals.

Do you use a calcium reactor?

hi, no i don't have calcium reactor because it always stay 450 PPM, sometime will self increase , also worry abt CA, I read many forum and book, normal will drop instead increase.

Yup, i seldom change water, maybe once every 3 mths to 4 mths.

if water change, will MG drop? normally salt had CA in package, i not sure got correct MG and other parameter .......

Ok, i try water change soon

[Alvin Tan]

hi, no i don't have calcium reactor because it always stay 450 PPM, sometime will self increase , also worry abt CA, I read many forum and book, normal will drop instead increase.

Yup, i seldom change water, maybe once every 3 mths to 4 mths.

if water change, will MG drop? normally salt had CA in package, i not sure got correct MG and other parameter .......

Ok, i try water change soon

do a water change of at least 35% with a reputable salt(i advise tropic marin).....at least change some water every month!....3-4 mths is way too long.....check ur testkit...maybe its faulty..

[Achilles Tang]

hi, no i don't have calcium reactor because it always stay 450 PPM, sometime will self increase , also worry abt CA, I read many forum and book, normal will drop instead increase.

Yup, i seldom change water, maybe once every 3 mths to 4 mths.

if water change, will MG drop? normally salt had CA in package, i not sure got correct MG and other parameter .......

Ok, i try water change soon

It's possible your CA test kit could be old and giving a faulty reading.

On the other hand, if you don't have a lot of hard corals, the CA could be depleted very slowly, but it shouldn't be rising unless it came about through some imbalance eg. high levels of Alk, mg being induced suddenly etc?

Test your Ca and Alk together the next time.

Mg depletes a lot faster than the above two, IMO... esp with hard corals.

Like I said, water change is the cheapest fastest way to balance out your parameters.

[letdoit]

thanks. No choice, water change. next time built fish tank at toilet. easy to do water change

[Reefzzz]

thanks man,

both of u correct, my DKH got problem,

Now my DKH is 7

But my PH is 8.7 (digital)

i had use buffer 7 to double check digital PH meter, correct.

Am i right that if i increase KH, PH will also increase?

If yes, what to do? I need to +KH and -PH now.. how?

Bro, IMO, if your pH reading is correct, then the Ca reading of 490ppm might be wrong. At this high pH together with Ca concentration of 490ppm, i believe Ca will start to precipitate out already..

Alkalinity consist of carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide ions. Increasing any of the 3 will increase alkalinity. However, only by increasing hydroxide portion will then cause the pH to raise..

[chewlaoheng]

is coralife salt ok?

I happen to change about 30% of water but dKH still low ard 7. PH is 8.2.

[letdoit]

too late, my CA drop to 410 PPM after 40% water change

Now found one of my blue tang sudden got ich problem. sian....

[letdoit]

hi,

i hope i was wrong too. I using salifert and topic marin and AP on CA alone.

AP show 480 PPM

TM show 490 PPM

Sali show 490 PPM

should be 486.666 PPM

AP taken 1 day before TM and Salifert.

Digital PH 8.7

Salifert PH = lazy to use. should sell it

AP PH = lazy to use.

Buffer 7.0

buffer 4.0

But never mind, my problem solved by my stupid hurry idea, ( water change 40%)

alot stress

[Reefzzz]

But never mind, my problem solved by my stupid hurry idea, ( water change 40%)

alot stress

hi bro, not really a stupid idea... As what AT had suggested, water change might be one of the fastest way to correct the parameters...

[Achilles Tang]

Water changes that are of the right PH & salinity & water temperature shouldn't shock lifestock. The other parameters are not so critical like calcium or mg levels.

A reduction of dissolved nutrients like NO2 or NO3 is like a breath of fresh air to your tank inhabitants in fact!

[letdoit]

NEW PROBLEM!!!!!!

just add on help, don't need create new topic

Rencenly i added Nitratelock, found that my MG drop super fast,

yesterday 980PPM, i still adding salifert MG power

Now 11 AM, MG now is 720 PPM

My MG power should be adding 400 PPM per day , whereby i shouldn't add more then 200 PPM per day. I no choice, the MG drop faster then what i added.

I not sure who cause it, it drop very fast.

My NO3 from problem 100PPM, now 50 PPM, i never heard No3 remover will cause MG down right????????

[jervismun]

NEW PROBLEM!!!!!!

just add on help, don't need create new topic

Rencenly i added Nitratelock, found that my MG drop super fast,

yesterday 980PPM, i still adding salifert MG power

Now 11 AM, MG now is 720 PPM

My MG power should be adding 400 PPM per day , whereby i shouldn't add more then 200 PPM per day. I no choice, the MG drop faster then what i added.

I not sure who cause it, it drop very fast.

My NO3 from problem 100PPM, now 50 PPM, i never heard No3 remover will cause MG down right????????

This is way too abnormal... I dun think Mg can drop so rapidly... check your test kit... or perhaps the contnet of the Nitratlock affecting your test kit

[letdoit]

very rapid. just bought TP MG testkit (just now)

same reading. Die, what happen!!! the more i do, more problem coming out.

[jervismun]

very rapid. just bought TP MG testkit (just now)

same reading. Die, what happen!!! the more i do, more problem coming out.

Are you dosing Kalkwasser?

If you ever need to dose Magnesium, try the new Grotech Magnesium... it is more economical than TM

[letdoit]

by the way, what is epsom salt? where to buy? will increase MG right? no $$$ le. everytime drop

[hammy]

by the way, what is epsom salt? where to buy? will increase MG right? no $$$ le. everytime drop

try magnesium sulphate? magnesium chloride.

according to bro madmac, it can be bought in pharmacy .

anyway do water change is the cheapeast way to correct ur parameter

[letdoit]

sian, my KH drop to 4 already after what change. I know why already. Use RO water always like that. next time i used tap water. so troublesome

[hammy]

sian, my KH drop to 4 already after what change. I know why already. Use RO water always like that. next time i used tap water. so troublesome

which brand of salt are u using ?

and the salinity of ur tank ?