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#1
06-13-2006, 01:55 PM
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whats causing the swing?
What is the short of the long when my alk levels drop 1meq/l in 1 day? For now I am trying to keep my alk levels steady at 4 meq/l but i am having a hell of a time. And I know its stressing stuff out. I have been using baking soda to keep it constant. Which may not be the best thing but was told that it will work. And I am testing with hagen test kits. But I figure since I am getting a constant swing in alk levels that my test kit is reading correctly. I know you all prefer salifert and I am ordering them now. In the meantime what is causing the alk level to swing so much??
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MG 
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#3
06-13-2006, 02:10 PM
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What are your calcium, magnesium and alk/dkh reading? All 3 are very important and I suspect that one of them is out of whack - probably magnesium - for you to be having that kind of trouble maintaining alk. I am glad you have order Salifert test kits as they do give you a more accurate result.
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#4
06-13-2006, 02:22 PM
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I thought magnesium only affected calcium levels??
Alk - fluctuates between 7 dkh and 10 dkh. In a matter of 3-4 days. calcium - 360 ppm magnesium unknown.... Salt is I/O. And when i tested the salt from a new mix left 24h. to circulate. I got low reading on both alk and calcium. alk - 6 dkh calc - 280 ppm magnesium unknown
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MG
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#5
06-13-2006, 03:58 PM
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reply
MG definately effects both levels. If MG is low, Calcium can't be utilized efficiantly and it throws your ALK out of whack. I was having difficulty keeping my PH and ALK up, so I started dosing MG more and it solved my problem.
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#6
06-13-2006, 04:32 PM
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A Simplified Guide to the Relationship between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley
A great read! 
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Christy's Reef Blog My 180 Build Every electronic component is shipped with smoke stored deep inside.... only a real genius can find a way to set it free.
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