Tips for using Buffers

[Skipponator]

Okay so last week my dKH was 9, and tonight it was 6.4 according to my Salifert test. My Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite is all 0, Calcium is 460, Phosphates 0, SG 1.025, pH 8.3. So I jave a 64oz un-opended bottle of Kent Marine Pro Buffer. Reading the instructions it says to add in the morning. Then is says good to be used with calcium supplements but I don't need any, so can I still use it? Tomorrow is my 10% water change night and maybe my levels would go back up? I use Reef Crystals salt btw. Or should I just add some Buffer in the morning? It says 10ml per 40 gallons, I have a 90 gallon with 20L sump, so about 100 gallons. How much will this raise my dKH? I guess only way to tell is test each day after dosing?

Looking for any type of help.

-Skip

[redwinger]

I would hold off on it and test it after you change your water. If you put it in before you do a water change you will be taking out part of what you just dosed.

[Fahz]

Are you using the 4 ml test or the 2 ml same question on calcium 1 ml or 2ml? Are you adding any additives now? What reading did you come up with in ml on alk? Your out of balance with the readings you give but buffers may not be the answer.

Fahz

[Fahz]

The question is why is your calcium high and alk low? If your using Reef Crystals salt your calcium should only be 400. What have you added to your tank that has changed the values since you set up a month ago? Other then a water change don't add anything and 20% is what you want to change 10% does nothing.


Fahz

[tico mike]

IMO % of water to change depends on how often you change your water. I do 10% every other week, dose kalk, iodine and strontium. It's been good to me. I have in the past, gone 8 plus months with no water change, just dosing with no ill effects. (I would not recommend doing that under any circumstances though. I had a period where I was just plain lazy and luckily nothing happened other than almost no growth. I guess you could say the bad part was nothing happened.)

[Skipponator]

I have always been at 460 for almost 2 months now, ofcourse I use my Hagen Master test kit for that, I only have Salifert dKH and pH test kits and Hagen for everything else. I have the complete Salifert test kits on my Xmas list and if I don't get them I am going to buy them. I don't add anything to my water except Lugols Solution, 3 drops every Sunday night. Otherwise I add nothing. Reef Crystals I thought were higher then 400. And tonight I used the 2ml test, I did 2ml last time and 4ml the time before. The reading was 3.2 which is at the .8 mark or so I think if I remember. Oh I also use reefchili for about 2 weeks now. I also add phytoplex and a little Microvert for direct feedings, but that shouldn't contribute to CA or Alk at all right.

-Skip

Perhaps it was a mistake on my part somehow.

[Fahz]

Mike between you story and this article I rest my case for 20% changes every two weeks.


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2004/short.htm

[Skipponator]

Hey that's useful, actually looking at teh chart, I bet I do about 17% weekly changes, I been doing about 10 gallons a week changing, but forgot that I don't really have 100 gallons of water volume.. Ooops, I could prolly just do it every 2 weeks now and just do a couple more gallons.

[Fahz]

Skip My guess is the Hagen test is not giving you a correct reading. Reef Crystals out of the pail mixed to SG 1.025 tests calcium at 400.


Your alk test using 2 ml correct me if I'm wrong.

0.32 x 16=5.12 x 2 =10.24 KH

0.32 x 5.71=1.82 x 2=3.65 ALK

[Skipponator]

Oh crap, I forgot a step. Urgh stupid me. I just took the ml's and found it's number. I knew it seemed too easy then last time. I really need to go to bed.

So my levels are okay then?

-Skip

[Fahz]

Yup just need a better calcium test (Salifert). If your going to use the Dowflakes I would get a Salifert Magnesium test kit also.

fahz

[Skipponator]

Ya I plan on getting the complete Salifert line of Marine tests here very soon.