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Calcium and Alkalinity issues

Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
Ok Guru(s) ...

I am having a hardtime getting my calcium and alkalnity levels to stablize.
The tank is a 150G with about 10 fish and a few corals. I tested calcium a month ago when I was not doing any calcium additions. It was 460PPM then. I have been using the Brighwell Concentrate Buffer to increase my KH. My KH was 7 a month ago and I started using Brighwell Concentrate Buffer with good results (it was 12 a weeks ago).

Here is the issue ..

I tested calcium a week back and it was at 360 PPM. The KH was 12. I have the calcium supplement from Tropic Marine Pro and also the BI-Ionic 2 part calcium and KH. I decide to add Tropic Marine Pro calcium to increase my calcium. I added as per instructions and in 3 - 4 days added enough to raise the levels to 400PPM.

I tested last night and the Calcium is still at 360 PPM but my alkalnity is at 15 :mad:. The product said it would not touch alkalnity but I guess that is not the case.

I am planning to do a 20% water change tonight. This will bring the KH down. Question is, should I use the calcium part of the 2 part BI-Ionic buffer to raise calcium? I am not sure what to do here.

PH is 8.2. Nitrite annd nitrate are 0. Salinity is 1.025.

Thanks for looking.
 
Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
Thanks. However, I need some advice now to correct the problem. My tankmates will perish if I wait to get enlightment from this Guru. :-\
 
J

john90009

NJRC Member
if just the calcium part of the two part was added a little bit every day- then the calcium would go up and the alkalinity would go down a tad- so i would say dont dose the alkalinity part of the two part and increase your calcium dosing part but dont over do it, change the dose a little bit then check the next day what changed and by how much.
 
Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
I never dosed calcium untill last week when I tested it to be at 360PPM.
I have been dosing Concentrate KH buffer once a week for 2 months and the alkanity was always 12.

The calcium supplment (Tropic Marine Pro) that I added in last 3 - 4 days raised alkanity to 15 and the calcium stays at 360PPM.
 
J

john90009

NJRC Member
The two part stuff you have what is it the bright wells a-b dosing stuff? What your going to have to do is just add the calcium part of the two part- the first bottle is calcium the second is alkalinity. Your corals are starting to take up the calcium and the alkalinity is a bit higher so its outcompeting the calcium in the water. Also check your magnesium to if you have a test kit.
 
H

hayabusa2003

Which TropMarin product? Is it Tropmarin BioCalcium? (Dry powder). If so, that is a 1-part additive that takes care of both Calcium and Alk.
 
S

Scottyrock

from what i am told ( and im no llama with dosing) when you alk goes up calcium goes down.. and vice versa. mine stays the same so i9 really couldnt tell ya for sure though
 
H

hayabusa2003

yeah, the label is confusing, but sorry to say that THAT product is both Calcium and Alkalinity. This article actually warns about it -

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

So anyway, your problem is that your system is ionically imbalanced (Calcium, Mg, Alk). You can either add Mg to try to get things back in order (but then you'd have to test for Mg), or stop adding stuff to your tank, do a series of water changes over the next few days and let things re-balance.

Once things are balanced, you'll want to adjust your alk first, then your calcium, using your two-part and the reef calculator.

I recommend doing water changes and re-adjusting your system back slowly.
 
P

pgordemer

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
WHat you are missing is the fact the as DKH increases, calcium decreases. And conversely when you increase calcium DKH is depleted.

So the first step is to get the 2 levels where you want them with individual 2 part solutions, then once they are at that level you must add BOTH CA and DKH of the same amount at the same time (preferable daily).

Example, my system has been rock solid with a DKH of 9.6 and a CA of 420. (recommended DKH is 7-11 and CA recommended is 380-460). Once I got it to that levels (Took about 2 weeks), it stays there with the addition of 100ML a day of both CA and ALK via a dosing pump at night.

It will take a SIGNIFCANT amount of CA to bring the system back to 420. Here is a calculator you can use:
http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html

Another note is that is Magnesium isnt at least 1350, you will have trouble bringing the CA number up.
 
Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
I understand the balance reasoning. The issue is the supplement that I was adding. Mr. "hayabusa2003" nailed it.
Holy smokes. The label clearly says that it raises calcium. However after reading the article hayabusa2003 posted, I must say what the ... This product is two part not just calcium.

I will do a water change. My water is mixed at ALK 8 and that should bring down the alk to reasonable levels.
Then I will use the B-Ionic 2 part to raise calcium.
 
J

john90009

NJRC Member
Phil does your tank ever change its consumption rates- i remember when i used to dose two part my tank would either take calcium or alkalinity faster so i found myself dosing more of one then the other i also know Wendys tank does that im not to sure if it still does that.
 
P

pgordemer

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
john90009 said:
Phil does your tank ever change its consumption rates- i remember when i used to dose two part my tank would either take calcium or alkalinity faster so i found myself dosing more of one then the other i also know Wendys tank does that im not to sure if it still does that.
Click to expand...

If you are at a balanced stage, the total consumption will change (more corals equls more calcium), but the consumption rate willbe the same for both CA and ALK. If they are going down at different rates, then the tank we never reall balanced to begin with.

420 CA x 9 DKH
440 CA x 10 DKH
460 CA x 11 DKH

are all balanced.

OPINION ONLY: too many people chase the CA number. It is far more important to keep the DKH part of you tank rock solid. The CA part will fall inline automatically. I find when I work to just make it 9DKH, the CA part just stay where it should.
 
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