Teeka's 120 build

[Teeka01]

I have some concerns today I tested my water
PH 8.17
calcium is 350
Alk never changed after I did the whole syrenge
nitrates was good at 2.

What made me check the water is my limpet are dieing. Everything else in the tank is doing good. The mushrooms are showing some growth. Blushy and zoos is doing great too. My other snails are doing good. Just the limpets is doing poorly

[FragOutpost]

You are using the Salifert test right? You did put the conical tip onto the small syringe right? (Sorry if that is an obvious question. Sometimes I gloss right over the most obvious things).
Assuming that the test is not bad and that you followed all of the directions correctly then I would fill the syringe again up to the 1.0 mark and then add 16 to your result to get your correct alkalinity measurment. You have not added any supplements yet right? The alk will come down on its own eventually or you could try adding small amounts of calcium chloride to help bring your calcium up to 400 or so and this will help the alk to decrease. But personally I would not worry about it too much since your tank has just cycled. Soon your coraline algae will take off and help reduce the alk. IO is low on calcium and high on alk. When was the last water change?

[Teeka01]

Yes to the both questions on the test. I did the water change Monday the 10th.

[FragOutpost]

Yeah a water change with IO a few days ago would explain the high alk reading. Once you get some more alkalinity consuming critters in there you will not have this problem anymore. Not to worry, things will balance themselves out.

[FragOutpost]

Also, when you do your water changes how long are you mixing the water for and with what? I use a small powerhead and I aerate it with an air pump for a day or two to help the newly mixed saltwater come to an equilibrium with the carbon dioxide in the air.

[Teeka01]

I am mixing the water the day before I do the change. And I also put a powerhead in it.

[Teeka01]

I know it is in my head but I swear the mushrooms are growing already. All 3 of them are over an 1" to 1 1/4" long. I even see a new baby green zoo.

[FragOutpost]

Wouldn't surprise me, they are all very fast growers!
One day you will curse me going "How do I get rid of some of these shrooms and zoos, they're taking over"!

[Teeka01]

My sump has a rainbow of algae growing on the walls of it. I have red, brown and green hair algae. Thank goodness it is growing in the sump and not the tank. I guess this is my faulr I have had the light on in the sump thru the cycle process and no lights on the tank. In the tank the coraline is spreading good.

[FragOutpost]

It will take a few months for your tank to mature and stabilize and until then you will likely go through various stages of algae blooms. That is why it is important to get a wide variety of cleanup critters after cycling the tank. Don't get discouraged as things will improve over time with a good maintenance schedule. It will take a few months for bacteria colonies to reach maturity.

[Teeka01]

I was prepared for the algae outbreaks. Friday I will be getting anothe part of my clean up crew. I am lucky so far as it is not in the display tank. I can live with it being in the sump.

[FragOutpost]

What critters do you have coming on Friday?

[Teeka01]

Not sure yet I am still trying to figure it out. Friday is when I get to buy them.

[Teeka01]

water test time
Salinity 1.25
Calcium 320
Nitrates 5
Alk 14.2
I am going crazy. it is time to change my water again and my levels are still way off. alkalinty is still very high and calcium is lower yet.

[FragOutpost]

Your levels are not that bad considering your tank is so new.
I assume that you mean that your specific gravity is 1.025 as 1.25 would have killed everything by now.

Once sure way to drop your alk and raise your calcium is to add calcium chloride starting in very small amounts that gradually increase. Water can only contain so many dissolved solids before it becomes saturated. So adding only calcium chloride will help to balance your tank in two ways - 1. By forcing some of the alk to precipitate out and 2. both calcium and alk will be consumed by your tank's critters and by only replacing the calcium the alk should naturally subside on its own. The one word of caution with this method is that adding too much at one time could lead to a "snowstorm" of precipitation so start slow and test often. Try to target your calcium around 380-400 for now. Try raising your calcium by 10 ppm every day.

[Teeka01]

Okay I meant 1.025 as everything is still living. LOL
Thank you.

[FragOutpost]

LOL. Yeah I knew that you meant 1.025. Just giving you a hard time.