Hard COral Diseases?

[whatcaneyedo]

I'm not a big fan of Hagen... A different test kit with units in ppm, dkh, or meq/L would make this a little easier. Also, make sure that your test kit isnt past its expiration date. Are you sure the test kit didnt mean ppm? If its 80ppm then your alkalinity would be 4.48dkh which is really low. You can boost it with baking soda using this online calculator http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html


"Alkalinity is a measure of the amount of acid necessary to reduce water's pH to the point where all carbonate and bicarbonate have been converted into carbonic acid (about pH 4.2 in seawater). In seawater, bicarbonate and carbonate provide nearly all of the alkalinity. Consequently, reef aquarists can use it as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate and carbonate which are taken up by calcifying organisms (Figure 1). The units of alkalinity can be meq/L (milliequivalents per liter), dKH (degrees of carbonate hardness), or ppm (meaning ppm of calcium carbonate equivalents). One meq/L = 2.8 dKH = 50 ppm CaCO3 equivalents. Seawater has an alkalinity of about 2.5 meq/L = 7 dKH = 125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents."

From: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/rhf/index.php

[xtreme]

Originally Posted by Nexus13

i'm supposed to be in 105-125

is that accurate?

I would aim even higher than that. 140 ppm is roughly 8 dKH and that is where I like to be. 80 ppm is about 4.5 dKH which is way to low for SPS.

[Navarchus]

Hi
Usually a change in alkalinity may cause that problem. What is your alk?
Another direction is a change in salinity or in temperature. In my experience some folks damage their system during water changes without proper equalization.

I have also noticed your ca is on the low side and you don’t have an ALK and MG test results. If you can provide dose it will help diagnosing you problem.

When you touch you sps corals do they brake easily?

[whatcaneyedo]

Originally Posted by Navarchus

Hi
Usually a change in alkalinity may cause that problem. What is your alk?
Another direction is a change in salinity or in temperature. In my experience some folks damage their system during water changes without proper equalization.

I have also noticed your ca is on the low side and you don’t have an ALK and MG test results. If you can provide dose it will help diagnosing you problem.

When you touch you sps corals do they brake easily?

Scroll up the page by 6 posts. His alkalinity is 2meq/L