Slowly Dropping pH, Calcium & Alkalinity Levels.

[B1N4RY]

So I have added a about 7 small mini Acropora colonies (more like large frags about 1.5 inches x 1.5 inches into my aquarium since the water parameters seemed stable enough and over the past three weeks my water parameters have started to take a dive. I've also noticed that a few of the Acropora colonies seem to be suffering from burned tips. No I have a very minimum bioload as there are no fish in my aquarium and I feed only twice a week. But I am curious what could be causing the drop in pH, Calcium and Alkalinity. The only thing I can think of it that I don't have enough surface agitation to break up the slime film on top of the water. I don't have any accurate means of measure but I do believe it getting worse. I can't get enough flow on the Vortechs to break up the surface without causing a sandstorm. Would this build really have a profound effect on my levels dropping (obviously the calcium would be in relation to the alkalinity)? I do not have a sump and if I need more surface agitation I was considering placing in to Tunze Nano Streams Aimed constantly at the surface. Any thought?

 

[evolution21]

I'm no expert at this, but to me the numbers seem fine. If you are not dosing or replenishing calcium/alk, then those numbers should drop as the corals use both and deplete it..again no expert so I could be wrong


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[lnevo]

Either more water change or time for dosing.

 

[pkane11384]

Alkalinity, Magnesium and Calcium are bit low

 

[Boomer]

B1

Those numbers are fine par Ca++ slightly low. Your Alk and Mg++ are slightly higher than NSW.

The reason you are seeing these drops in Ca++ and dKH Alkalinity, is you added corals. And that is about a 15 day spread in your test dates. When corals grow or when you have abiotic precip, for every 20 ppm Calcium drop there will be a Alk drop of 2.8 dKH. Usually the dKH will drop more, as other reactions also use some of the dKH without using any Calcium.

Calcium
415 - 405 = 10. So one can expect a drop of dKH of at least 1.4 dKH.
@ 0.66 ppm Ca++ / day

Alk
10.2 - 7.3 = 2.9 dKH

2.9 - 1.4 = 1.5 dKH other reactions

@ ~0.2 dKH /day

Pretty much what one can expect for ~ 15 days.

 

[BAD FISH]

well said boomer I agree its time to start dosing also if you keep your magnesium up at 1400 it allows more space for calcium and alkalinity and they won't battle against each other as much.

 

[Boomer]

1400 is fine as long as you don't start dumping in Alk sup's to fast or you will get precip's of Mg(OH2), Magnesium hydroxide.

 

[B1N4RY]

Reply to Evolution21.

I'm no expert at this, but to me the numbers seem fine. If you are not dosing or replenishing calcium/alk, then those numbers should drop as the corals use both and deplete it..again no expert so I could be wrong


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Thanks for chiming in. I was hoping that was the answer.

 

[B1N4RY]

Reply to Lnevo.

Either more water change or time for dosing.

I just starting dosing Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code A & B.

 

[B1N4RY]

Reply to Boomer.

B1

Those numbers are fine par Ca++ slightly low. Your Alk and Mg++ are slightly higher than NSW.

The reason you are seeing these drops in Ca++ and dKH Alkalinity, is you added corals. And that is about a 15 day spread in your test dates. When corals grow or when you have abiotic precip, for every 20 ppm Calcium drop there will be a Alk drop of 2.8 dKH. Usually the dKH will drop more, as other reactions also use some of the dKH without using any Calcium.

Calcium
415 - 405 = 10. So one can expect a drop of dKH of at least 1.4 dKH.
@ 0.66 ppm Ca++ / day

Alk
10.2 - 7.3 = 2.9 dKH

2.9 - 1.4 = 1.5 dKH other reactions

@ ~0.2 dKH /day

Pretty much what one can expect for ~ 15 days.

Thank you for the explanation. I was hoping this was the case and not some other issue cropping up.

 

[B1N4RY]

Reply to Boomer.

1400 is fine as long as you don't start dumping in Alk sup's to fast or you will get precip's of Mg(OH2), Magnesium hydroxide.

Dose anyone know where to find a calculator for dosing Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code A & Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code B? I am currently dosing 1 ml of each every other day and will test the levels on Friday before my water change to get a gauge on what affect it is having on the water chemistry. Also do you have to dose them in equal quantities or should/can they be different.

 

[B1N4RY]

Some Closeups of the Acros & Clam in the Aquarium.

Here are a few photographs of the current state of my aquarium and the corals. I'm not entirely please with the coloration of the corals but their polyp extension is acceptable. My clam on the other hand has no issues. I'm concerned about the slime coat on the water since I don't have a surface skimmer and I cannot ramp up the vortechs without creating a sandstorm.




My aquarium as of Monday, September 23, 2013. See the film on the surface of the water.





One of my Teal Acropora Corals. Not sure if that is growth or a burn tipped on the right hand branch.



My Derasa Clam enjoying itself as usual.



Another Acropora Coral. I'm not sure if the white areas are signs of growth.



My Purple Tipped Acropora Coral. Not entirely happy with the color and the poly extension on this one.




My Green Acropora Coral. I'm happy with the poly extension but I am not sure if the white areas are signs of growth.




Some of the coralline algae encrusting the aquascaping rather quickly.