Hello reef keepers :),
I still need to learn how not to FREAK OUT every time there is some kind of problem with my reef tank! It suppose it's the "new-be desease" :))...
So, I had my 55gal reef tank for a 6 months now. I have already discussed here on the forum about my constant low levels of Alk and it continues to stay at 5 dkh for the last 2 months or so. People here advised not to worry and stop even test for Alk for now, cause it must be simply caused by the bacteria in abundance in my still maturing tank (which is supposed to go through a lot of changes).
So, I stopped testing, stopped adding any bacteria to the tank and performed WC 20% once every 2 weeks. N03 and PO4 always showing 0ppm.
My local fish store keeps telling me that having NO3 at 0ppm isn't so healthy, he says I need to bring it at least to 2ppm. And following his advise, I reduced the WC to 10% every two weeks. Still NO3 at 0ppm. It might be that my skimmer is very powerful for my 55gal (I have Tunze 9006, 225gal/h water throughput). There is a way to reduce the amount of water going through with a little plastic curtain and I closed it half way to see if there will be any change. Am i doing ok till here?
Btw, only 3 fishes and a shrimp, feeding once every evening, being very careful not to give them a lot of food, so it's true as well that i'm not introducing a lot of NO3 into the tank. I use RODI water.
My main problem is the Alkalinity levels here. I used to have a lot of algues on my back glass and on the rocks, all sorts of algues but mainly green hair algues. Light isn't too much, only 12h/day and it's made to go slowly to full power at noon and go slowly down to only blue leds (as normal sun light). I just changed my RO system with RODI system and now TDS is 0. Algues are diminishing by themselves, I guess with the maturing of the tank, because I am not doing or adding anything other than food inside.
I think what might be the problem here is the salt I use, which is Red Sea Salts. It gives me high Ca 590mg/l and low Mg 1120 mg/l. And most of all - low Alk at 5dkh!!! Because I have only 5 LPS corals (plus the LR) and I heard there are not enough corals to consume all the Ca and that's why algues are overtaking! Is this true? Should I try with another brand of less rich salt? What do you suggest? My fish store has Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals and Prodac (italian brand, laboratory made salts).
Also, he advised me to try raising the ALK with Buffer supplement. I am using Red Sea Buffer and the instructions says in my case to add 50ml of buffer to the tank to reach Alk of 8-9 dkh at least requested from my LPS corals. But very slowly, every day a little for one week. Well, I just started 2 days ago adding 10ml/day. After adding 20ml in 2 days I tested my ALK is 6 dkh but Ca is raising even higher at 630mg/l which scares me of precipitation and Mg is raising at 1220mg/l as well. What shell I do to raise the Alk without precipitating the rest?
And my clownfish has clowdy eyes today, he seems to be active but is constantly hosting of the LPS which looks like anemone to him;) and still eats. I am worried though! Is it my fault causing cloudy eyes because I am messing with the ALK?
Please, give my you best advice! I appreciate it very much!
I still need to learn how not to FREAK OUT every time there is some kind of problem with my reef tank! It suppose it's the "new-be desease" :))...
So, I had my 55gal reef tank for a 6 months now. I have already discussed here on the forum about my constant low levels of Alk and it continues to stay at 5 dkh for the last 2 months or so. People here advised not to worry and stop even test for Alk for now, cause it must be simply caused by the bacteria in abundance in my still maturing tank (which is supposed to go through a lot of changes).
So, I stopped testing, stopped adding any bacteria to the tank and performed WC 20% once every 2 weeks. N03 and PO4 always showing 0ppm.
My local fish store keeps telling me that having NO3 at 0ppm isn't so healthy, he says I need to bring it at least to 2ppm. And following his advise, I reduced the WC to 10% every two weeks. Still NO3 at 0ppm. It might be that my skimmer is very powerful for my 55gal (I have Tunze 9006, 225gal/h water throughput). There is a way to reduce the amount of water going through with a little plastic curtain and I closed it half way to see if there will be any change. Am i doing ok till here?
Btw, only 3 fishes and a shrimp, feeding once every evening, being very careful not to give them a lot of food, so it's true as well that i'm not introducing a lot of NO3 into the tank. I use RODI water.
My main problem is the Alkalinity levels here. I used to have a lot of algues on my back glass and on the rocks, all sorts of algues but mainly green hair algues. Light isn't too much, only 12h/day and it's made to go slowly to full power at noon and go slowly down to only blue leds (as normal sun light). I just changed my RO system with RODI system and now TDS is 0. Algues are diminishing by themselves, I guess with the maturing of the tank, because I am not doing or adding anything other than food inside.
I think what might be the problem here is the salt I use, which is Red Sea Salts. It gives me high Ca 590mg/l and low Mg 1120 mg/l. And most of all - low Alk at 5dkh!!! Because I have only 5 LPS corals (plus the LR) and I heard there are not enough corals to consume all the Ca and that's why algues are overtaking! Is this true? Should I try with another brand of less rich salt? What do you suggest? My fish store has Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals and Prodac (italian brand, laboratory made salts).
Also, he advised me to try raising the ALK with Buffer supplement. I am using Red Sea Buffer and the instructions says in my case to add 50ml of buffer to the tank to reach Alk of 8-9 dkh at least requested from my LPS corals. But very slowly, every day a little for one week. Well, I just started 2 days ago adding 10ml/day. After adding 20ml in 2 days I tested my ALK is 6 dkh but Ca is raising even higher at 630mg/l which scares me of precipitation and Mg is raising at 1220mg/l as well. What shell I do to raise the Alk without precipitating the rest?
And my clownfish has clowdy eyes today, he seems to be active but is constantly hosting of the LPS which looks like anemone to him;) and still eats. I am worried though! Is it my fault causing cloudy eyes because I am messing with the ALK?
Please, give my you best advice! I appreciate it very much!
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