Trouble with Dosing CA and Alk

[Eggpaul]

Magnesium 1400
PH- 8.2 lights off, 8.4 lights on
SG- 1.025
Calcium 445
KH- 8.0
Biocube 29- chaeto and carbon in chamber 2.

I've been trying to keep KH at around 9.5, but it kept dropping so I kept increasing the dosing schedule on my reefkeeper. at one time it was 9.3, but then it crept down to 8.6, then 8.3, now it's at 8. But calcium is holding at 445. I really want KH to be at 9.5, I have lots of LPS and a new SPS. I am dosing 17.6 ML of each spread out over the day. Calcium during the day, ALK when the lights are off. I dose Calcium in the return chamber, but I dose Alk in front of the overflow because it has more flow (flows into chamber 1, then onto a blue filter floss). some of it goes into the chambers, some of it into the tank. There is a mini snow storm, is that precipitation? Should I dose unequal parts , less calcium? Should I manually bring up KH with the calculator? Is the high calcium level holding the KH low?

 

[Sniperhank]

You are causing calcium precipitation on the sump. If you are trying to bring up the alk, why are you dosing calcium at all? What you are doing is pretty counter productive. If you want alk up, just slowly add the alk. The relationship between calc and alk does go hand in hand, but is basically (very basically) managed by mag.

 

[Eggpaul]

You are causing calcium precipitation on the sump. If you are trying to bring up the alk, why are you dosing calcium at all? What you are doing is pretty counter productive. If you want alk up, just slowly add the alk. The relationship between calc and alk does go hand in hand, but is basically (very basically) managed by mag.

I'm dosing Calcium also because if I don't it will drop. the tank is heavily stocked with coral. Should I stop dosing it until Alk is up to where I want it and then start dosing both again?

 

[Sniperhank]

What does the tank sit at without dosing?
I ask because you stated it is heavy lps, and there shouldn't be too heavy of a draw on the elements that you should need to dose both.
If you want your alk at 9.5, then you should only dose to reach that level. Once it is at that level, monitor how much it drops in a day. That way you'll know how much to add in a day rather than chasing the number. Keep in mind you want to add slowly as too much can cause issues. I recently killed off several frags by dosing too much alk in one sitting by accident.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It's a three way see saw effect you are seeing. Hold Mg at 1350 and start dosing more alk solution and you should be able to get stable at 10dkh. The calcium can be adjusted some if it falls, but IMO the alkalinity is the primary target. But as Sniper said, do it slowly as your LPS will really show sensitivity to rapid changes.


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[Eggpaul]

What does the tank sit at without dosing?
I ask because you stated it is heavy lps, and there shouldn't be too heavy of a draw on the elements that you should need to dose both.
If you want your alk at 9.5, then you should only dose to reach that level. Once it is at that level, monitor how much it drops in a day. That way you'll know how much to add in a day rather than chasing the number. Keep in mind you want to add slowly as too much can cause issues. I recently killed off several frags by dosing too much alk in one sitting by accident.

Recently my alk was at 5 before I started dosing. Lost a hammer and frogspawn. I noticed I lose about .5 KH each day if I don't dose. That is why I started dosing in the first place. Don't reef tanks lose calcium also while losing kH? That is why I thought we have to dose equal parts of both.

so should I stop adding calcium for now and raise the KH? Then start dosing both again at lower amounts?

 

[Eggpaul]

It's a three way see saw effect you are seeing. Hold Mg at 1350 and start dosing more alk solution and you should be able to get stable at 10dkh. The calcium can be adjusted some if it falls, but IMO the alkalinity is the primary target. But as Sniper said, do it slowly as your LPS will really show sensitivity to rapid changes.


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My Mg is at 1400. Is that ok or should I let it fall to 1350?

 

[Gregcoyote]

It's okay. Just don't add anymore Mg if you were dosing it.

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


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[Gregcoyote]

Recently my alk was at 5 before I started dosing. Lost a hammer and frogspawn. I noticed I lose about .5 KH each day if I don't dose. That is why I started dosing in the first place. Don't reef tanks lose calcium also while losing kH? That is why I thought we have to dose equal parts of both.

so should I stop adding calcium for now and raise the KH? Then start dosing both again at lower amounts?

The problem is they interact with each other. As I mentioned earlier, the most lethal aspect is low or too high alkalinity. Get that where you want it by varying the dosing ratios. They do not have to be added equally. Then establish a dosing regime that strives for stability.

This is a super common problem with heavily stocked tanks.


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[Eggpaul]

The problem is they interact with each other. As I mentioned earlier, the most lethal aspect is low or too high alkalinity. Get that where you want it by varying the dosing ratios. They do not have to be added equally. Then establish a dosing regime that strives for stability.

This is a super common problem with heavily stocked tanks.


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I just thought it's more common to dose equally. I'll follow your advice, get alk to 9.5 and dose accordingly. seems the calcium dose needs to be lowered so ALK can rise.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yep. That's what I would do. Once the aquarium gets balanced you probably can dose more equally, but your not there yet.


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[Dary421]

Greg... On the average for your system what's your daily dosing of alk etc to keep that beast's system stable ?


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[Gregcoyote]

I have old tank syndrome as the corals have cemented my reef together over the years. As a result in 500 gallons I add about 30ml of alk every 24 hours.


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[Dary421]

I have old tank syndrome as the corals have cemented my reef together over the years. As a result in 500 gallons I add about 30ml of alk every 24 hours.


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I would have guessed much more


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[Gregcoyote]

No, that along with some kalkwasser and a touch of calcium and I'm good to go.


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