rplank
12/19/2004, 06:09 PM
Hi, Randy.
I have read all your articles on ca and alk problems. Based on your Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm) article, my aquarium is in zone 4.
My Ca readings are 540, and alk is 4.91 meq/L. (this being the day after 1/2 gallon of kalk topoff.) I understand that those are both high, but believe it to not be harmful, based on what I read. Can you confirm that for me?
My other problem is my pH. I just tested it, at 3pm, and it is 8.2. That is the highest it has ever been, and I think it is because I left the sliding glass door ajar last night, to see if it would help. Our apartment is pretty airtight. PH is normally between 7.8 -8.0 (night-day, respectively).
I would like to have my pH slightly higher. Is there any other option that I can try besides leaving the sliding glass door next to the tank open for fresh air? (The wife got a tad bit upset :mad2: at 7am when she woke up to a freezing living room! :p )
My tank parameters are as follows:
29 gallon, no sump, fuge, or skimmer
10x flow w/ powerheads
1.026 on hydrometer
77-78 F
amm=0
trites=0
trates=20-40 (crappy test kit)
20% water change weekly
tank running since Sept 5, 04
Stocked w/ 2 fish, small lps frags, no sps, about 10 lbs LR, 20 lbs dead base rock ("lace rock")
I just put some chaeto in a few days ago-hoping to help w/ nutrient export.
Thanks for any help you can offer, and also for the great articles.
I have read all your articles on ca and alk problems. Based on your Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm) article, my aquarium is in zone 4.
My Ca readings are 540, and alk is 4.91 meq/L. (this being the day after 1/2 gallon of kalk topoff.) I understand that those are both high, but believe it to not be harmful, based on what I read. Can you confirm that for me?
My other problem is my pH. I just tested it, at 3pm, and it is 8.2. That is the highest it has ever been, and I think it is because I left the sliding glass door ajar last night, to see if it would help. Our apartment is pretty airtight. PH is normally between 7.8 -8.0 (night-day, respectively).
I would like to have my pH slightly higher. Is there any other option that I can try besides leaving the sliding glass door next to the tank open for fresh air? (The wife got a tad bit upset :mad2: at 7am when she woke up to a freezing living room! :p )
My tank parameters are as follows:
29 gallon, no sump, fuge, or skimmer
10x flow w/ powerheads
1.026 on hydrometer
77-78 F
amm=0
trites=0
trates=20-40 (crappy test kit)
20% water change weekly
tank running since Sept 5, 04
Stocked w/ 2 fish, small lps frags, no sps, about 10 lbs LR, 20 lbs dead base rock ("lace rock")
I just put some chaeto in a few days ago-hoping to help w/ nutrient export.
Thanks for any help you can offer, and also for the great articles.