Low pH & Carbonate Hardness
 

Good Day:

I recently swapped out my live sand with 20 lbs of Caribsea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink sand from my 28 gallon JBJ tank yesterday and did a full set of water test today (10AM lights off). I use Reefer's Best salt and do not dose anything. I typically do a 4 gallon wc every two weeks or less. I have always had a problem of low pH and Hardness/alkalinty. It seems low but stable and was wondering if there is anything you would recommend. The only livestock that I have difficulty keeping is snails for some reason. I am not sure if this is related to ph/hardness.

Thanks,
Michael

SG: 1.024
Temp: 80 F
API Test Kits (not expired):
pH: 7.8
Amon: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ca: 480
KH: 7 dKH
Phos: 0
Elos
Mg: 1200

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=5866

Looks fine to me. If there's nothing wrong in the tank, leave it alone :)

Reefers best nsw values are dkh 7. This is what zeo suggest with there program so their salt is as such

If everything looks happy, which it does to me, I would recommend not doing anything to correct your pH or alk. Both values look perfectly fine to me. My ph and alk are sitting at those values now.

Your mag is a tad low though.

Do you have A/C and have all the windows closed? Fresh air circulating through the house will raise your pH a bit.

Thanks for all the replies.

I do have the windows closed and running the heat pump for A/C in the summer. This was the first time I actually used the Elos Mg test kit. I will give it another try tomorrow.

Michael

Drop checker test kits for pH are terrible, I wouldn't trust that reading anyway. In fact, if I were you I wold quit testing it and then you can quit stressing about it. :lol:

The calcium/alkalinity balance is way off though. The calcium is quite high - I know this was a problem with RB salt a few years ago, but I don't know if they changed it or not. Maybe you could get your calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium checked with another brand of test kits to double check? LFS usually offer this service for a small fee.

Our LFS here does the checks for free

Also, your specific gravity is low. 1.024 is suitable for fish tanks, but reef tanks should be 1.026 which helps keep all elements at reef values. However, since your calcium is already so high from the RB salt, I would be hesitant to increase SG right now.

I would question testing kit/method. My RBS never mixed that high. Usually around 430ppm