Water Chemistry

[svirid]

Good day guys,

I have a couple of questions, and would really appreciate if u can help me with that.

My water paramaters:
pH: 8.2
Ca: 480ppm
Mg: 1350
Alkalinity: 3.5meq/l
Nitrate: 5
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78F
Tank: 28gal

My first problem is Nitrate I noticed the algoe grow tested phosphate 0, and only later noticed my nitrates. For the phosphate I use Rowa, yesterday I added Chemi-Pure to remove nitrates. Tested today still 5. Not sure if I am doing it right. Any help?

Second: For the last couple of month I was using ESV Bionic Calcium Buffer System that I have to add 1ml per for 4gal per day of each component to keep Ca and Alkl stable. Looking at my parameters I end up now adding 10ml of Alklinity component and only 2.5 Ca. Its recommended to use 1ml per for 4gal. Not sure if I am doing a right thing. Prevously I was adding only Alk part and my Ca dropped so I had to start dosing it too.
The reason I am doing it is that the LFS guys told me to keep Alk above 4 I had 2.5 before and Ca 478.
Anybody had any experience with the Bionic?

My fish stock is 2 clowns and flame hawkfish.

Any help with my problems? Thank you very much.

 

[ox5477]

what brand test kits are u using and how old are they?

 

[svirid]

what brand test kits are u using and how old are they?

I use only Seachem and Salifert. I got them all no more then 2-5 month ago.

for Nitrate I use Seachem, but its really hard to say its 2 or 5 the colors are so simular.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, regarding Nitrates, home grade test kits are woefully inaccurate, and 5ppm is really too small a reading to accurately say that's how much in there. You probably have traces of nitrate, but not dangerous levels for sure. I'd just relax about it

As for the other chemistry, Calcium and alkalinity demand will fluctuate tank to tank, so don't be surprised here. Bionic works well but is EXPENSIVE. Not sure if bulkreefsupply.com ships to Canada?

 

[svirid]

Well, regarding Nitrates, home grade test kits are woefully inaccurate, and 5ppm is really too small a reading to accurately say that's how much in there. You probably have traces of nitrate, but not dangerous levels for sure. I'd just relax about it

As for the other chemistry, Calcium and alkalinity demand will fluctuate tank to tank, so don't be surprised here. Bionic works well but is EXPENSIVE. Not sure if bulkreefsupply.com ships to Canada?

Yes they do but I did not find it there. I am worried about the nitrates because I wanted to add 1-2 more fish and was worried maybe I already overstock. My 28gal have 2 clowns and 1 flamehawk. I wanted to add one bangai and one bi-color dottyback.
What do u think?

 

[SkiFletch]

You probably could on the fish. bulkreefsupply.com sells the items used to make your own additives. Namely sodium bicarbonate (alkalinity), calcium chloride (calcium), and Mag sulphate/chloride (magnesium)

 

[svirid]

You probably could on the fish. bulkreefsupply.com sells the items used to make your own additives. Namely sodium bicarbonate (alkalinity), calcium chloride (calcium), and Mag sulphate/chloride (magnesium)

Thank you

lets say I stop dosing bionic as far as I remember without it my Ca was 420 ppm just from my Seachem Salt.
Can I start adding baking soda to my top off water. It is really hard for me to create dosing sysem even if I do it wont look nice in or out of my tank. No place to hide it.

If I can add to top-off can u please recomment how much I can slowly start.
My tank 28 gal and my top-off canister 12 litters, I usually fill it up every 5-7 days.

Also If I use only baking soda to raise my alk will my Ca drop?

Thank you very much.

 

[SkiFletch]

You sure can dose it to your topoff water. If you don't overdose it, you can add both calcium and alkalinity to topoff water. That's what I do...

 

[svirid]

You sure can dose it to your topoff water. If you don't overdose it, you can add both calcium and alkalinity to topoff water. That's what I do...

are u sure I can mix Ca and Alk together? I read somewhere that I cannot do that.

Also how much is not to overdose it. Lets say I use 2 litters top-off water per day for my 28 gal. What can be the safe amount of soda to start I can increase later if needed.

Also which one is better baked one or regular?

Thank you very much for al yur help.

 

[svirid]

Ok please help me here if you can.
I have 25 gal every day I add 8 ml of alk. 1ml per gal raises alkl 0.74meq/l
I have calculated so apx I raise my alk 0.24 meq/L every day
My question is lets say I have 10 litters of top of for 7 days, so I have to add alkl stuff to raise 0.24x7=1.68meq/L sso how much baking soda is that and should I add baked soda or regular?

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd be surprised if your alkalinity and/or calcium draw is steady week-to-week. Things will change as your tank ages, matures, and grows. So all the calculating you can do will eventually be thrown out the window as demand grows and changes. It's a good idea to get a rough semblance of how much calcium/alkalinity you add to your topoff water and then just increase/decrease it as necessary through time. Do yourself a favor and look for a "Reef Chemistry Calculator" in a google search and you can find out how much dry weight of calcium/alkalinity you want.

If you do want to add both to your topoff water, just do it a long time apart

 

[svirid]

I'd be surprised if your alkalinity and/or calcium draw is steady week-to-week. Things will change as your tank ages, matures, and grows. So all the calculating you can do will eventually be thrown out the window as demand grows and changes. It's a good idea to get a rough semblance of how much calcium/alkalinity you add to your topoff water and then just increase/decrease it as necessary through time. Do yourself a favor and look for a "Reef Chemistry Calculator" in a google search and you can find out how much dry weight of calcium/alkalinity you want.

If you do want to add both to your topoff water, just do it a long time apart

Thanks for your help. My Ca was very stable I think because I dont have much stuff that using it. Alk were ok too while I was using bi-ionic but its hard to keep up every day. Especially when u are on vacation. Yesterday was a first day I added baked b soda to top-off, tested yesterda wera 0.42 - 3.2 meq/l, tested today apx - 0.44 a little higher. I will test tomorrow see what happens.

Also I do not really need lots of Ca now, but when I do, I undertsnad that I cannot add soda and Ca together with the top-off. But an I add baking soda with top off and for example add Ca to my fresh salt water, and instead of 420ppm now make it let s say 470?

Thank you.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, you can do that with your mixed seawater