Checked water in SPS tank

[jasond1979]

Hi Guys enjoying the SPS I purchased off of you in the last few weeks. Everything you have in your SPS tank looks great and its growing so I decided to do a test of the water you bagged with the frags.

Salinity 1.025 excellent
Magnesium 1250 PPM a little low but close to 1300
Calcium 700 PPM Wow how is that possible
ALK 2.5 dKH This is how its possible sea water should be around 8dKH

I guess those sea lab blocks are great for Calcium and Magnesium but not doing much for your Alk. Not sure how your keeping you PH up but probably all the small bits of algae growing in the tank keeps it up.

I never knew a tank could be kept at such wacky levels, but just goes to show you more than one way to skin a cat. i wouldn't jjust try buffering the tank because yoou'll create a snow storm in there. If youwere dosing two part you could just turn off the Calcium for a week or so and gradually bring up the Alk.

I'll fire up my Ph meter and check out your PH next time im in.

Jason

[bpro32]

What test kits did you use and are you sure that's accurate? I've noticed my sps brown out around 6dkh.

[jasond1979]

I used the Hanna alk checker. My alk reads about 9 dkh I almost didn't believe the results myself but I didn't run another test because I didn't want to use more reagents.


But next time Im in there I will get a water sample and test it on the spot.

I can't understand why everything looks so good in the tank it must be one of the weird freaks of nature. Now I just purchased an Efflorens coral that was browned out. Maybe from the low Alk.

Jason

[UCedumacasion]

Thats crazy, I'll check that immediately. I know its been a couple of weeks but I never imagined it could be that low... hello sodium bicarbonate..

[duecejt]

Try other test kits. That does not sound right. Some store's will do free water tests.

[jason142]

Josh, Jason was talking about the sps tank at PK.