Christy,
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Alk, this is something that confuses me mightily. The test kit I have (FasTest) says its at 2.5 meq/L. What the heck does this mean? Is this good? Everyone seems to be reporting different numbers in degrees of hardness etc etc. My conversion table is screwy because 2.5 seems to be okay but then when I convert it it is too low for the degrees of hardness.
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Here are two links you may want to read if you haven't already. The first is an explanation of what Alk is. I am sure you know, but wanted to pass it on. It gets a bit much for most but you should be ok. With the biology n stuff.. [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] The second is a great conversion table. I keep mine at 12 dkh
Alkalinity Reefs.org library
Alk conversion table
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As well I was using Kent ProBuffer and I swear the stuff was getting sucked up by something because I was having a hell of a time keeping the alkalinity up so I gave up, until I can figure out what the heck is going on.
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Ok it sounds like you are only measuring alk. Am I right? You will need to watch Alk, pH and Ca together. These three will interact together constantly. One goes high one will drop. All kids of wahcky stuff. Once you have all three stable you may see a fix to your problem. I am not saying this will be a fix. but try it. I am running 8.2-8.3 for pH, 12 for dKh and 450 for Ca. All measured on salifert kits and a pH moonitor. Others will get different numbers. But usually close to that.
If you are having a hard time keeping Alk up you may be having other problems you can't see. What do you do towards Ca? and keeping it up? This may be a part of the problem.
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Tap water???
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#10 verrry interesting. I am going out today to get and airstone
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Make sure it outs out fine fine bubbles. ie limewood airstone.
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Could be.. how many fish ya have in there now? If he is making enough for four fish and is new he may have put the tank jsut over the edge for wastes. And it can't keep up.
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No no refugium. Every time I try to get organized enough to get out there and try to get parts for one, something else comes up (in this case, lightbulbs). Any ideas for an ultra cheap refugium, I have a spare 20G and 5G (Probly too small). What other parts do I need?
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Take the 20 gallon. Go to HD and buy a small cheap ballast/lamp kit. GE Ultra daylights work fine for lamps. Get the tank drilled with one hole for a drain on the side. Mount it higher than your tank so gravity send the H2O back into the tank. Use a MaxiJet1200 for the feed line up to it. Make it so it only has to go a few inches and you get max pressure
And finally Get salt ASAP and do changes. regular ones. With RO/DI if you can.
Hope you got something out of that.
[ 24 February 2002: Message edited by: DJ88 ]</p>