Alk swings?

[pjr]

Could this be an ORP issue? I think there was some discussion regarding smoking in the house. Just a thought.....

[MizTanks]

You know I was wondering about that myself~my sis smokes big time~although there's an exhaust fan in the window next to her and an air cleaner (at my insistence) would this actually affect my parameters?

[slapshot]

That would affect the PH not the Alk. Your ok. Now you need to do a 24 hour test to determine your usage. Read you alk level. Then don't dose. 24 hours later read it again. Now start adding your alk stuff until you get it up to where it was at the first measurement. You have to wait between doses but in an hour or two you will have it. That is then how much you have to dose to maintain your level. You can not use the directions, they are only a guide. It all depends on your animals usage.

[MizTanks]

Update:

So at the advice from you all, here's what I've been doing for the last 7 days. In high flow area. Dosing 10ml of alk at 11pm and 10ml of Ca at 11am my parameters are now steady and as follows. Using Red Sea Pro 3-1 test kit. Testing at 9:00 a.m.

Alk=8.1
Ca=420
Mag=1400
Ph=7.8 testing at 9:00am and raises to 8.3 by 10pm lights out. Using API Ph test kit.

By george I think she's got it! lol

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice

[Heidi]

Mizzz, I just wanted to chime in here and tell you your alk is on the low side. I keep mine right at 11 when my tank isn't a mess cause my salt mixes to 12.2. I am going to have to do two part if I want to stay at the same Dkh as my fresh mixed water. That is ultimately my goal but first I got to get these phosphates and nitrates down . For the record the cal and alk are 12 and 460 in the nano so when I do a water change there is no parameter movement.
Just a thought
Heidi

[MizTanks]

Thanks for the opinion Heidi With so many different ones out there about proper alk/ca/mag levels, well it's just to dang hard to pick one. There are so many successful reefers out here who keep different levels, I'm beginning to see that there is no perfect set level to maintain. Thing is, even when my alk was lower at 6.4 none of my corals, fish nor inverts seemed affected in any way. Aside from the acros, maybe. Which I'm no longer keeping.

For now I'm shooting for stability and being able to keep the above readings. For the last 7 days it's been working. My tank is happy, healthy and thriving