So I think I might have made a mistake here but I would like some opinions. I purchased an RO/DI 4 stage unit. However it has not come in yet. I was trying to save some time in cycling and filled the tank with salt water, live rock and sand. So my question is is it better to drain this tank...

I know it is better then tap water and all that good stuff but I was wondering if I should treat the distilled water like I would tap water. I am going to start showing my tank a little more love so I want to make the right decision. I don;t have the money for a R/O or anything like that so I...

Wich is the best to use, plain Instant Ocean, or Instant Ocean Reef Crystals ? Rc is supposed to have vitamins & elevated calcium levels, where i know plain IO is low in calcium...any bad stories about RC ?

Hi all. Is it normal to have to add water to a salt water aquarium after it has been setup for awhile? If so, how often and how much would be considered "normal"? I guess this would be due to evaporation. I asked the people at the fish store and they told me it was normal. I am just looking...

OK so here is the deal I have various sps that I was given in July of this year that have been growing well and showing great color and pe ect. up until about a week or so ago. I noticed the color going MUCH lighter. I have seen RTN - boy that happens quick, and i am hoping that this is not...

My pH was reading low, so i dosed with some baking soda. I checked my alk today and it tested at 12.6 dKH . Which is too high for my liking, but my pH now is at 8.19 I read earlier today that the salt mix i use will measure at 11dKH with a salinity of 1.026.

I make it to 1.025 SG and wonder if anyone ever tested it. I think I dosed a bit too much alk supp and the calcium is falling out of solution. I wonder if anyone tested this salt for Alk,Ca,Mg,pH, PO4 when it's made? Can you tell me and give me a SG? Thanks

I am toying with the idea of dosing my tank with Epsoms Salt to bring the Mg. up to around 1400, my question is will this have an effect on my salinity? My parameters as of right now are: Cal. 465 Alk. 4 meg/l Mg. 1250 I test with Seachem test kits and will change to Salifert next time I...

Since starting my new 70g a couple months ago, I've been having problems maintaining calcium and alk in my 70g reef, and suspected low Mg, so I tested, and sure enough it was way low (apx. 900-1000). I've only used Instant Ocean over the last several years, and after searching threads, have...

So those cute little clownfish we all have are they "Cute Little Angels" or "Devils in Disguise"?

my new 75 gallon reef had a carbonate hardness of 17ppm the test kit says it should be 8-12 the test kit says there are ways to raise the hardness but nothing about lowering it is 17ppm ok ? if not how do I lower it it is a new tank 4 days old with 150lbs of live rock with a wet/dry and a...

I am using a Seachem Magnesium and Alkalinity test kit, My Question is which do I really need to test for, Total, Borate, or Carbonate???? My test as of right now are: Calcium 400, Total Alk. 2 meg/l, and Magnesium 1400. Does this sound about right? from what I am reading I think I should...

Just starting to win the battle with hair algae to find my new tub of salt has the above after my third Wc:doh: I normally only test new salt for Mg-Ca-DKH but since using this salt the hair algae die off had started to recede and wouldn't syphon off as easy as previous My ro-di has 0 tds and...

I saw a couple of refractometers on ebay and was wondering if they are any different than the ones on marinedepot. I know some come with a light and some have a knob instead of a screw to calibrate, but other than that is there any difference?

I have done 2 40 gallon water changes this week and my calcium is still 600????should I just ride it out or lower it?????any advice is appreciated....I have a digital monitor for calcium....I have done 3 calibrations so it must be right???I also have a seachem clacium liqued kit but its not...

When you do a "H2O only" topoff......what ~8.3pH buffer product do you use to treat the water PRIOR to pouring the water in the tank?

Ok I checked my tank today and the specs are way out of wak. Ph 7.9 Alk over 16 dkh Cal 300 two days ago the cal was 350 ph 7.9 alk 14.0 I have been adding kent super buffer to bring up the ph. I also add Kent parts A/B as per directions... until today I began to add more calcium...

Ma - 1170ppm Alk - 5.8dkh Ca - 450 10% water changes every 7 days has not made much difference in my 9 mth 55g, its lightly stocked with 6 small fish and a few softies I've never added anything to my tank apart from top off water and the wc's, kinda scared to add chemicals so any advice will...

would higher calciun levels slown down the growth of coraline algae? I noticed that the coraline had a slower growth rate when I had a calium level over 500ppm. Now that my calcium is about 400ppm to 540ppm, its started to come cack!! is the correct?

I've been trying for several weeks now to raise my pH, KH, and calcium levels. They started at pH=7.9, KH=9, calcium=300ppm. I dose kalk with my top-off water, and I've been using Seachem Advantage Calcium and Seachem Reef Carbonate to raise KH and calcium. So far I haven't been able to make...