Newbie needs some advice

[btodd43]

Hello all- Well the dieing has stopped,still have my true percula,cleaner crew,and some zoos left after the salt mistake from hell,My stupid swing arm hydrometer was telling me my salt was low? so I kept raising it until almost everything died- Could'nt understand it I did all the tests (salifert) and all my readings were perfect-so I went to the LFS and got a refractometer and got home and checked the salt HOLY %$#*& it's 1.027! So I did the big water change and got it down to 1.023 (I was told it is better for the fish) and now I am waiting for my ALK to come down to 3.5Meg/l (it's at 4.11 Meg/l right now) So my ph will come up higher (It's at 8.0) I really don't want to use a buffer unless I really have to, Will the ph come up on it's own when the alk goes down? Thanks all for so much help...
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Honda N360

 

[Len]

Actually, 1.027 isn't too bad and 1.023 is on the low side. The old books used to reference 1.022-1.023 for some weird reason, but saltwater is 1.025 (with some areas like the Red Sea being 1.027+). You're gonna hate me, but I think you should slowly bring back the specific gravity to 1.025 over the next few water changes. Again, slow and steady is the answer as sudden changes is what kills many things.

As for the pH, try more circulation and opening a window (seriously ) The pH should come up on its own over time with enough air/water gas exchange. A skimmer always helps. But 8.0 isn't too bad, so don't start chasing numbers and doing radical changes to attain them.

 

[btodd43]

Thanks Len- I will do- I trust your guidance and thanks again. BTodd
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Mercedes Benz O309

 

[Anonymous]

Hello all- Well the dieing has stopped,still have my true percula,cleaner crew,and some zoos left after the salt mistake from hell,My stupid swing arm hydrometer was telling me my salt was low? so I kept raising it until almost everything died- Could'nt understand it I did all the tests (salifert) and all my readings were perfect-so I went to the LFS and got a refractometer and got home and checked the salt HOLY %$#*& it's 1.027! So I did the big water change and got it down to 1.023 (I was told it is better for the fish) and now I am waiting for my ALK to come down to 3.5Meg/l (it's at 4.11 Meg/l right now) So my ph will come up higher (It's at 8.0) I really don't want to use a buffer unless I really have to, Will the ph come up on it's own when the alk goes down? Thanks all for so much help...

Buffer will not raise the pH. Buffer protects the pH from shifts. Raising your pH is a matter of doing proper water changes...letting water circulate for 24 hrs or so usually raises the change water to 8.2
Your alk isnt bad...and alk IS the measurement of your buffer, by the way.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Len on the Sg. The easiest way, IME only, to raise it slowly is to cut down slightly on the makeup fresh water you add daily in between water changes. For example, in my 5 gallon nano I need to add 2 pints daily to maintain SG with the current evaporation rate. If I added a little less-checking with the refractometer to be certain of the rise- every day in between the weekly water change the SG would rise at a slow rate.

Good luck!

 

[mike90]

yea i will no longer rely on my hydrometer. those things are crap. i'm ordering my refractometer tomorrow after seeing a friends and how percise it was!