New Tanks Chemistry

[BillO]

I have a new reef setup - 90g, 90lbs LR, IO salt. SG 1.024 Its been up about a month. The rock cycled and I have changed about 20% of the water. I have recently added 7 little Green chromis, assorted snails and crabs and a RBT anemone. From the beginning the alk was low -4.85 to 4.00 meg/L. The calcium tests 350.
Why would the alk be so low with relatively new IO. Should I start adding washing soda and lime to get these numbers in line?
Any advice would be appreciated

 

[BillO]

Also have 20# live and 80# dead aragonite

 

[Fatal Morgana]

IO often has this problem with alk and cal. Yes, add some additive to get the value up if you need to, but AFAICT, there is nothing in the tank that will need the extra efford. How is the A/N/N value after the cycle?

 

[ChrisRD]

An alk of 4.00 to 4.85 Meq/L (if I'm reading that correctly) is not low at all - it's a bit high actually. For reference, natural seawater alk levels generally run about 2.5 to 2.85 Meq/L.

IMO you may have jumped-the-gun a bit putting an anemone in there right away. Hopefully he'll do OK.

Ca is a touch low, but nothing to be alarmed about. Most of us shoot for around 400+ ppm or so. A bit of a Ca supplement could fix that. Other than that, things sound good.

 

[BillO]

Thanks both for the reassurance. Daahh - the alk is definitely a little high not low. I'll try a little Kalk to increase the CA and see what happens.
The Nitrites are undectable since the cycle. I haven't tested amonia or nitrates. I guess I should.
Why is it desireable to wait before adding an anemone. It seems fine. Is eating and looks great. He is criusing around at night though I think he likes where he is now.
Again thanks for the advice
BillO

 

[ChrisRD]

Kalk will increase both Ca and Alk. If you want to increase Ca alone just add a Ca supplement. Alk will drop back down on its own as it's used-up if you're not supplementing it.

As for the anemone, it's fairly common practice to give a tank time to mature and stabilize before adding sensitive creatures like anemones, SPS corals, etc.