| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Jeffs_little_ocean 
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: My alk is 15 dkh!
Posted: October 22 2009 at 3:46pm |
Since moving to kaysville my tank has slowly been going downhill. I know moving systems takes awhile for them to recover, but seriously its been one thing after another. My xenia all melted away, and I had alot. The coraline algae is all turning white, the zoas have gotten smaller and smaller. I have this massive aptaisia outbreak that 7 pepermint shrimp and a coral banded butterfly wont touch. I practaclly starve the rest of my poor skinny fish to try to get something to eat it. My flame hawk jumped out (i think he saw the twinkie on the kitchen table) Ive been dosing cal and mag to try to help with the coraline dyeoff, but havent been dosing alk because my levels have been high (around 11 or 12). I was thinnking that maybe using tap is the culprit, so I have switched back to RO at 50 cents a gallon  but after reading the other posts today, it appears alot of people (including the club pres) use tap. Then today when I tested my alk, it was at 15 (and this is with a salifert test kit) Wow! I cant figure out why its so high? anyway...what is the best and fastest and safest way to bring it back down?
|
 |
Rioreefer
Guest
Joined: December 20 2007
Location: Ogden/Roy
Status: Offline
Points: 1388
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 3:51pm |
Cool, thats what I run mine at 12-14 and Cal 500-550
If you want it down the best way to bring it down is with H20 changes IMO
|
|
Aquarium Creations
Pet Store
Joined: August 20 2003
Location: DRAPER
Status: Offline
Points: 3234
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 4:23pm |
|
I agree 15 isn't a huge problem what is your calcium? what is your mag?, I am not sure from the post today where you get alot of other people use tap? I would dare to guess unless you are adding alot of calcium to keep in solution with your alk that your calcium would be low aswell as your mag.
|
Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected]
|
|
Rioreefer
Guest
Joined: December 20 2007
Location: Ogden/Roy
Status: Offline
Points: 1388
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 4:25pm |
|
Id be willing to bet the same thing, Just becuse I find it hard to keep mine at 12-14 and 500+ and mag 1500+
|
|
Aquarium Creations
Pet Store
Joined: August 20 2003
Location: DRAPER
Status: Offline
Points: 3234
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 4:28pm |
|
I should of said is that it may not be low but you have to ad alot or really often to keep it up.
|
Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected]
|
|
Guests
Guest Group
Pet Store
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:07pm |
|
Hey Jeff where do you live? If you live around the Pleasant Grove area I will let you come get my R/O for free. Also what are your other levels at? I wouldn't use tap water unless you have tested it and know what your water has in it so you know what to add and what not to add. If you want help and I have the time, I can come over and help you out with your problem by testing everything for you.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:17pm |
Thanks but Kaysville is too far. I appreciate the offer thou. My levels are:
Temp 78
SG 1.024
Alk 15
Cal 420
Mag 1350
|
|
Ryan Thompson
Guest
Joined: April 11 2006
Location: Lehi
Status: Offline
Points: 3546
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:29pm |
I personally would never want to see my alk that high! I am ticked if I let it get up in the 9 range. I like to keep mine right around 8.
I also don't know how having the alk at double what Natural sea water is, could be a good thing as others stated????? It's like saying, "Yeah my calcium is at 800 but it won't affect anything!" Give me a break, you would kill stuff left and right.
Skyler can attest to that. We had a guy that comes into Reef Runners and his calcium was north of 700. He couldn't figure out his problems until Skyler tested his water and found that. I want to know how another fish store that was checking his water happened to miss it! Since Skyler checked his water and fixed the params, things have been going great for him.
I would be willing to bet you had an alk spike and that is what killed off the xenia.
|
|
Aquarium Creations
Pet Store
Joined: August 20 2003
Location: DRAPER
Status: Offline
Points: 3234
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:34pm |
|
ryan you saw our show tank many people run there alk at 10+ I talked to Anthony Calfo a few years back he told me that many of the SPS people run alk at 14
|
Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected]
|
|
Ryan Thompson
Guest
Joined: April 11 2006
Location: Lehi
Status: Offline
Points: 3546
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:38pm |
I have heard of that Erik. Just doesn't make sense to me personally. I can see running the tank around 10 and 12 being the highest. But 14+!?!?! I just don't see how that can be healthy long term for a tank
If that high of alk was safe long term, then why are the oceans at like 7ish?
I know that with our small boxes we aren't re-creating the ocean but I still do my best to keep levels around NSW. That only seems logical to me  |
|
Aquarium Creations
Pet Store
Joined: August 20 2003
Location: DRAPER
Status: Offline
Points: 3234
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 22 2009 at 5:39pm |
|
Sorry Ryan i forgot to mention one of the main reasons for having high alk to to supress coraline growth, Coraline algae uses cal/alk faster then calcifying coral do. This doesn't mean you wont grow coraline but it helps calcifying corals get it first.
Edited by FIRE SHRIMP - October 22 2009 at 8:34pm
|
Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected]
|
|
fishoutawater
Guest
Joined: March 23 2009
Location: Herriman
Status: Offline
Points: 639
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 25 2009 at 9:53pm |
|
I did not know this. At about what number does coralline growth slow down?
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 8:41am |
Hello Jeff,
Sorry to hear you are having problems. Saving the Aiptasia problem for the time being, here is what I would do.
First stop dosing everything. When Alk, Ca, and Mg are at those levels, dosing is unnecessary. All that Ca and Mg dosing may just be screwing things up more. Aquariums have their own equilibrium. A hobbyist should first allow the tank to reach it's own equalibrium before dosing anything.
Second, take some pics and post them here so we can see how the tank looks. We can often see things just from a few pics that can help us help you.
Third, have Alk, Ca and Mg verified by a LFS or a friend that knows how to do it. Because you are relatively new to the hobby, it's a good idea to verify that you are getting correct readings.
Fourth, how much Xenia did you have?
Fifth, tell us briefly how you set up the tank and how you moved it. When did you set it up and when did it get moved?
Also, please tell us about the filtration.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 9:30am |
Okay Ive stopped dosing.
Ive been in the hobby for about a year. I started in Nov of 08. I used to have a 55 gallon with a T-5 fixture 216 watts. Everything grew great in that tank. Heres a pic.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 9:33am |
In August of this year, I moved from bountiful to kaysville. I decided to go from a 55 to a 65, alittle deeper and 36 inches wide. The move went good, nothing died. The new tank.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 9:41am |
About a month after the move, things started to die. Xenia (a big peice), mushrooms, zoas etc. I figured it was because the tank was deeper and wasnt getting enough light so i decided to go to halides. I got (2) 150 watt pendants. Also all the coraline was turning white. When I could see in the tank again, I noticed a massive aptaisa outbreak. Got some pepermint shrimp and a copper banded butterfly but they wont eat it.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 9:44am |
  Here are some closeups of rocks that used to be covered in zoas
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 9:49am |
|
My filtration is an overflow going into a filter sock into a 20 gallon sump that is full of chaeto. Reverse light cycle. I had been doing 10% water changes every month or so and I had a crappy skimmer that broke so I havent been skimming, but have been doing water changes every two weeks instead until i get a better skimmer.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 10:06am |
My last remaining Zoa rock and they dont really even open anymore. Im sad.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 26 2009 at 10:17am |
My first thought is the change in water quality.
Bountiful has excellent tapwater. I don't know about Kaysville. A simple change in water can change the way a tank grows. This is one of the advantages to using RO water. When I purchase RO water for a tank, I check the TDS. I've found RO water from a grocery store that had a TDS of 50+  . It should be <20ppm 
Do you use Activated Carbon? Even the best skimmer cannot remove many of the organic compounds removed by AC.
more to come, gotta go now.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
