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Cal dropped after dosing?


JavaJacketOC

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So I've been monitoring the Cal and Alk consumption of my tank over the last week and as of yesterday I determined that my tank is consuming about 15ppm of Cal and 12ppm of Alk per day. I'm using B-Ionic and have determined that I need to add 15ml of Cal supplement and 20ml of Alk supplement.

 

Today was the first day of daily dosing so I tested before I dosed, waited an hour then tested again just to confirm.

 

After dosing yesterday my readings were:

 

Cal - 490ppm (A little higher than I was shooting for)

Alk - 163ppm (9.13 DKH)

 

Approx 24 hours later my readings were:

 

Cal - 475

Alk - 151

 

I dosed 15ml of Cal supplement and 20ml of Alk supplement.

 

1 hour later my readings were:

 

Cal - 419

Alk - 164

 

I'm using Hanna test kits...I tested Cal 2 times today with 2 different water samples and got the same reading both times.

 

420 Cal isn't bad but WTH? I thought the reading yesterday was off but I tested twice then as well and got like 485 and 490. I also tested Cal yesterday with an API kit and that came in at 460 - 470.

 

 

 

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You are not adding calcium and alkalinity simultaneously, correct? :huh:

 

Weird. Its hard to understand Ca dropping 60 points in an hour unless there is another phenomena going on with other factors.

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You are not adding calcium and alkalinity simultaneously, correct? :huh:

 

Weird. Its hard to understand Ca dropping 60 points in an hour unless there is another phenomena going on with other factors.

 

I added the alk, then a few min later the cal....I took the water from my return chamber so I guess it's possible my ATO was running when I took it but I'm pretty sure it wasn't.

Edit: well not a few min later, I drop the alk in the return chamber then once the could is gone I add the cal...it's less than a min

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I added the alk, then a few min later the cal....I took the water from my return chamber so I guess it's possible my ATO was running when I took it but I'm pretty sure it wasn't.

Edit: well not a few min later, I drop the alk in the return chamber then once the could is gone I add the cal...it's less than a min

Not sure if this is your issue, but I believe your calcium may have just precipitated from the concentrated alk in the area. Or something like that. Anyway, wait till the parameters drop to normal and try try again! :)

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Not sure if this is your issue, but I believe your calcium may have just precipitated from the concentrated alk in the area. Or something like that. Anyway, wait till the parameters drop to normal and try try again! :)

 

Yeah, I'm gonna give it a couple hours then test again. I added the way I have been for the last 5 doses...just odd that it dropped below the level it was pre-dosing

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My recommendation which is based on my own learnings is to avoid the urge to have 2 different dosing amounts for each element. In other words, don't chase a calcium number so precisely that you need to have a different value. My advice is to dose both your cal and alk to your target limits, lets say 8dkh and 420. Then set your dosing so you dose equal amounts of cal and alk. Continue to measure your alk every couple days but let the cal do it's own thing. After a week or so of keeping your alk stable, measure your cal and use this as the target for your tank. It may be a bit higher or lower than your initial value but it will be close enough. In my opinion, Alk is the number one thing to keep stable and two parts are meant to be dosed in equal parts. When you chase independent values you will get swings.

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My recommendation which is based on my own learnings is to avoid the urge to have 2 different dosing amounts for each element. In other words, don't chase a calcium number so precisely that you need to have a different value. My advice is to dose both your cal and alk to your target limits, lets say 8dkh and 420. Then set your dosing so you dose equal amounts of cal and alk. Continue to measure your alk every couple days but let the cal do it's own thing. After a week or so of keeping your alk stable, measure your cal and use this as the target for your tank. It may be a bit higher or lower than your initial value but it will be close enough. In my opinion, Alk is the number one thing to keep stable and two parts are meant to be dosed in equal parts. When you chase independent values you will get swings.

 

I'll probably just do this...I feel like I'm over thinking it...just want to get it right :D

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I'll probably just do this...I feel like I'm over thinking it...just want to get it right :D

 

Trust me, I've tried chasing both numbers. You will drive yourself nuts and have less success doing it. Keep the alk stable and a stable cal will follow.

 

Think of alk as heart surgery. IMO, it's that important and large swings up or down are not good.

 

Are you dosing by hand or do you have a doser? I strongly recommend a doser, especially if you want to keep SPS. Dosing tiny amounts every couple hours is the ticket. Dosing larger amounts once a day is okay but not ideal.

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Trust me, I've tried chasing both numbers. You will drive yourself nuts and have less success doing it. Keep the alk stable and a stable cal will follow.

 

Think of alk as heart surgery. IMO, it's that important and large swings up or down are not good.

 

Are you dosing by hand or do you have a doser? I strongly recommend a doser, especially if you want to keep SPS. Dosing tiny amounts every couple hours is the ticket. Dosing larger amounts once a day is okay but not ideal.

 

I'm currently doing it by hand,...if the stick obsession remains I'll probably be getting a doser in the next few months.

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I'm currently doing it by hand,...if the stick obsession remains I'll probably be getting a doser in the next few months.

 

I'm sorry to break the news but the stick obsession only gets worse, it never gets better. :)

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