# Need help with alkalinty



## Ibrat82 (Jan 13, 2016)

So my refractometer wasnt calibrated using 35ppt solution until now. I found out that my water was really at 1.020. This caused all my paramaters to be really low like alk, calcium, magnesium. I'm using aquavitro salinity salt.

So I got my salinity up to 35ppt however my alkalinity is still low. Here we what my readings are now. What can I do to bring up my alkalinity? I'm going to be putting in a mushroom and birdsnest in my tank soon and want to make sure I get everything upto par. Rights now i only have dead rock, sand and 2 clowns in my tank.

Should i dose alkalinity? If not please advise. Thanks for your help

Thanks

*Alk 6.4 *
Magnesium 1335
Calcium 420
PH 7.78
Ammonia, Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
Temple 77.7


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Grab yourself some b-ionic alk and Google BRS reef calculater to see how much to add to get to your desired level. You're not critically low. No rush or worry.


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## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

What Salt are you using? What test kit are you using for Alk?


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## Ibrat82 (Jan 13, 2016)

aquavitro salinity, and salifert test kits for everything.

I know alk and ph are related. If i increase my alk will it affect my ph? if so how? will it increase or decrease the ph?



skim said:


> What Salt are you using? What test kit are you using for Alk?


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## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

OK from what I understand Seachem reef salt and Salinity have Borate which affect your Alk. and giving you a low reading because Salifert won't read Borate. You should pick up a Reef Status Magnesium Carbonate/Borate test kit if you want to test the Alk. or just not worry about test Alk. or Switch Salts.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Ibrat82 said:


> aquavitro salinity, and salifert test kits for everything.
> 
> I know alk and ph are related. If i increase my alk will it affect my ph? if so how? will it increase or decrease the ph?


That is why I directed you to the reef calculator, it will tell you how much to dose and in what quantity so as not to spike your PH. 
I suggest using EVS B-Ionic Alk because it's quality stuff, pre-mixed and has a feild in every reef calculator out there...and it's available everywhere. Buy the small bottle because once you bring yourself up to around 8 you probably won't need to use very much very often..... for now.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator



skim said:


> OK from what I understand Seachem reef salt and Salinity have Borate which affect your Alk. and giving you a low reading because Salifert won't read Borate. You should pick up a Reef Status Magnesium Carbonate/Borate test kit if you want to test the Alk. or just not worry about test Alk. or Switch Salts.


???? this is strange advice, slightly complicated and drastic. The OPs salt is good salt. The OPs test kits are good kits and testing Alk is the most important parameter to test. If anything I would say don't bother to test PH.


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## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

What is so hard to understand Seachem Reef Salt and Salinity Salt both have high levels of Borate, that is used as part of there Buffing system or make up of their Alk. The Salifert and most Alk. test kits do not measure this as part of the Total Alk. so it will show low. These kits do not detect the Borate. Your Alk. is more than likely perfect. If you want to get complicated you may want to get a Boron test kit also as most kits do detect Boron and is included in the reading which has no benefit and give you a higher reading than what your Alk. real is.
Randy Holmes did reviews on both kits and tells the why and what. 
Anyhow the reading you got for your Alk. is quite normal for anyone using Salinity Salt and I would Google a bit more before adding any 2 part. 

Skim


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Your explanation helped me become less confused. I've never used Seachem Reef Salt or Salinity Salt, I had no idea about Borate or Salifert's inability to read it affecting the outcome of the test result... huh, learn something new every day...


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## lewig (Aug 4, 2013)

Ibrat82 said:


> So my refractometer wasnt calibrated using 35ppt solution until now. I found out that my water was really at 1.020. This caused all my paramaters to be really low like alk, calcium, magnesium. I'm using aquavitro salinity salt.
> 
> So I got my salinity up to 35ppt however my alkalinity is still low. Here we what my readings are now. What can I do to bring up my alkalinity? I'm going to be putting in a mushroom and birdsnest in my tank soon and want to make sure I get everything upto par. Rights now i only have dead rock, sand and 2 clowns in my tank.
> 
> ...


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry


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## Ibrat82 (Jan 13, 2016)

The borate theory might be correct. I don't get how everything else is in line like my magnesium and calcium but only alk is off. The batch is guaranteed for 8-12 dkh yet I'm only getting 6.5 on salifert tests. Anyone have another type of test that can measure alk/boron that would be able to help test it or know where I can get the proper test kit in the gta?


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## wchen9 (Jan 23, 2014)

Have you actually tested a new batch of aquavitro salinity after mixing? Do you get similar results?

I just took a look at my notes for a test of a fresh batch of aquavitro salinity I did a while back and my Red Sea kit read 9.2 dkh.


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## Ibrat82 (Jan 13, 2016)

I just tested a batch of salt I'm doing for a WC and it's coming around at 9.8 dkh. So maybe it's not the borate detection. What could be ca using my low alk in a such a new tank with nice corals??


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## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

The other thing I thought of in regards Aquavitro is you have to add the salt slow into the fresh water as I have and many people have added it to quickly and it will precipitate and you will have a nice white bottom. Sorry I did not think of that earlier but that would give you a low reading as well. I don't use this Salt anymore as I did not like how long it stayed cloudy. I have talked to few people that say when they mix the salt they one cup and wait a few minutes then add the next one and wait and so on. They said that's how they achieved the most consistent mix that would match up with label.

Skim


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