PH, KH, CA, MG and all that jazz

OK, so I read all different things about levels and the most common thing I come across is stability. I have useless Sera test kits as that's all I can get here, but I have some Salifert ones on there way from ebay so I can compare readings. But what I have at the moment is

CA around 360
MG around 1360
KH is 4
PH is 7.9-8.1

All apart from the MG seems low, question is should I be looking to raise them, or is it a question of stability is more important then the level.

I have one leather coral, 4 fish, 2 inverts, 77lb live rock, 120lb live sand, crap skimmer, shrinking chaeto and a couple of spots of byposis. I am however waiting for new SWC 120 cone to arrive.

I would like to see my PH around 8.1-8.3, kh around 8-10 and cal around 450.

So are my levels to low, or are they relative. If too low what is the best way to raise them.

Thanks

 

I am assuming you are getting your saltwater from your local fish store. I would purchase a two part calcium/alk to bring your numbers up. How long has the tank been set up? How big is your tank? I like the Salifert test kits myself as I use them for testing my waters parameters.

 

No I use IO salt (again as I have no choice) and RO/DI water. The tank has been up about 2 months, it's a 55g with 20g sump

 

You don't list any corals that use alkalinity or calcium so your levels are not too bad. The kH needs to be raised and the calcium could be but its not critical. +1 to ReefBruth. Get some 2 part or at least get some baking soda and dose for alkalinity.

 

I have been adding Seachem reef complete for just over a week, but doesn't seem to have had much effect. I will order some Kent ca and alk from ebay meantime (again can't get anything here).

Is it ok to use baking soda? I have read some people say do it, others say don't. If so how much should I add?

Thanks for the replies

 

Not to get in your business but, you keep saying you cant get anything from here. Where is here?

 

I moved from the UK to Brunei in Borneo about a year ago. I have two LFS shops that sell just fish. The fish, LR, LS and corals are great. But apart from that everything else I have imported from the US, even had to order chaeto from the UK.

I managed to get a Sera test kit for NO3, but not for NO2 or Ammonia. When I asked if they would be getting any, they just look at me and say "don't have"

So now I have to pay expensive shipping on anything I want and have it imported

 

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. You can use it to raise your alkalinity without raising your pH. If you want to raise your pH, bake the soda for about 30 minutes at 300F. This converts the sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate which will raise your Ph.

Use the calculator at BRS to calculate how much to add.

REEF CALCULATOR - English

 

Excellent, thanks for that. I want to push my PH up a bit as well so I will bake it first. It says "Need: 37.4 grams, approx 7.9 tsp, or 1.3 oz" but I am assuming I wouldn't dose that all at once. How would I know the correct amout to do each day?

I want to go up about 6dkh, so at 7.9 tsp, would I be safe to think 1 tsp day?

 

Yes 1 tsp per day should be OK. I would dose it in the morning before the lights come on. That is when your pH is the lowest. Add it slowly so it doesn't make a white cloud of precipitate.