Kh/Aik question

[jmc1024]

Hello,
I'm new to reefing and have a 65 gallon tank with mostly Softies, Zoos and a couple of LPSs. All frags and the tank is about 4 months old.. I think my chemistry is pretty good but the Alkalinity has been going down a bit. It's currently at 7.7. Additionally my Magnesium is a little high. I do 10% water changes every two weeks with Indian Ocean Reef Crystals. Do you think I should start dosing for KH/Alk? Or keep checking to see what happens?

My Levels:Gravity 1.25
PH- 8.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Calcium 440
Mg 1440
Kh/Alk 7.7

 

[theMeat]

Odd that ph is on the hi end, and alk on the low. Magnesium isn't too hi, even higher isn't an issue. Do you use ph buffer? Fuge light?

 

[jmc1024]

no, no buffer or fuge light.

 

[theMeat]

Would be curious to see what the ph is in the morning, as compared to at night when the lights have been on all day. You're at the edge of what's good for alk. Dosing couldn't hurt, and if it goes much lower you should.
In general, when alk goes up ph goes up, and vice verse. And when alk goes up, cal goes down, and vice verse.

 

[jmc1024]

Guess i'll keep an eye on it and see what happens. That reading was in the morning. PH seems to be in-between 8.2 - 8.4.

 

[theMeat]

Should bring a water sample into your lfs, or fellow reefer to see what they come up with/double check your testing and testing kit. I do that a couple of times a year, and i'm always checking people's tanks.
The reason i say that is because your ph is up and alk is down. And, althou batches can vary, instant ocean reef crystals is known to be hi alk.

 

[jmc1024]

yeah prob is my local place won't check alk and I don't know anyone in SI to test my for me. Just did another test and seems like my alk is dropped even more. Not even sure if that's possible from this morning? Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

 

[theMeat]

wow, only one lfs on SI. There's certainly many members here from SI.

 

[jmc1024]

I think there are 2 that I know about, just called animal kingdom and they won't test alk, even called a place in NJ that's usually very good but they won't test alk either. If you know anyplace in brooklyn that will I'd give them a call.

 

[theMeat]

Don't know any that test off hand. I mean they must have test kits for their own use, not testing for others seems like bad biz to me.
Calling all SI reefers! Help a fellow reefer out

 

[jmc1024]

Thank you but I think i figured out what I was doing wrong. The top the syringe wasn't on all the way. It was only off a very little bit but it made a major difference in the tests. Now I'm reading at 8.4. Still learning!! However if anyone on SI does know of a good LFS I'd love some recommendations.