Low CA/Alk levels

[FyrFighter2004]

Hey guys I need a little advice...

 

I have a 24 NC w/ 150w sunpod, Aquafuge w/cheato, tune 9002 skimmer. Ive recently added a few sps. (Green birds nest, blue tip stag) I also have a small crocea clam that is doing wonderfully. My SPS doesn't look great. Bird nest has good polyp extension, however, the tips are slightly bleached. Stag has yet to show its polyps, however its still retaining its color. Until i added everything my CA was around 500, alk 9 ph 8.2. BTW nitrate 0-5, SG 1.024

 

Since adding everything my CA is hovering above 300, PH 8.3-8.4 and ALK hovers around 8. I was dosing kent Nano a/b at night, then come back 24 hours later to equally low numbers. I have switched to b-ionic. I just did a param check, CA 340, ALK 8-9 dkh, ph 8.4.

 

Im still catching on the all of the advanced chemistry of it all and trying to understand how everything works. So correct me if I am wrong. I need to do a few large doses in order to get my levels where they should be. then come back tomorrow and see where they are at. Do a normal dose, see where that bring my levels to and adjust accordingly. Does that sound right?

 

Also, how long after dosing should I wait to check my levels?

[vg30et]

Might want to check your Mg levels ... a symptom of low magnesium is the inability to keep CA/Alk levels up.

[EtOH_is_good]

the tank needs to get dialed in before you can maintain with dosing 2 part. water change will help, but with a clam in your tank, the calc may need some supplimental help to get dialed in.

[MrAnderson]

i would suggest determining the daily Ca and carbonate ("alk") consumption in your tank as soon as possible. then you will be able to make a wiser choice regarding dosing than you are now, which sounds like you're just dosing without really knowing how much you need.

 

dose Ca and carbonate at the maximum recommended dosages of whatever products you are using until you get it where you want it. take a reading at that point. let the tank go 24 hrs without dosing. then measure it again. do this a few times to make sure your measurement of consumption is accurate. once you have this number you should be able to figure out a daily dosing regimen which you can maintain your levels without too much worry or constant testing.

[The Propagator]

The products your using will also determine the length of time your levels will stay up there as well.

Kent pretty well SUCKS BAWLS with calcium and alk. Sea chem is the best I have used so far.

I would just use pure arm & hammer baking SODA if I were you for your alk.

Its what I use and MANY many other reefers in place of costly premixed solutions AND it last longer then anything else I have tried in a brand name.

 

Reef complete ( by seachem ) is what I dose in my 100g system HEAVILY stocked with acropora. ( bout 160-180 pieces) and my calcium stays where I want it for about 4 days and drops about 30-40ppm max during heavy growth spurts and around 15-20 ppm ever 4 days as per normal.

 

MAKE SURE YOUR KITS ARE NOT OLD.

Old alk and old CA kits will fook you every time !

But new kits just to be sure.

 

Also, if your dosing large amounts of ALK or CAL make a drip system and drip it in slowly.

You can do this quite easily with an old water bottle some air tubing, rigid tuging, and a small air vavle.

don't forget to either leave the lid off or poke a whole in the top for air to get in so it will siphon out though.

[d0ughb0y]

My suggestion is change the salt you are using, it is a whole lot better than using bad salt then dosing.

I did a test on several salt brands and I got best result on oceanic salt, with 500ca and 8 alk.

 

 

Hey guys I need a little advice...

 

I have a 24 NC w/ 150w sunpod, Aquafuge w/cheato, tune 9002 skimmer. Ive recently added a few sps. (Green birds nest, blue tip stag) I also have a small crocea clam that is doing wonderfully. My SPS doesn't look great. Bird nest has good polyp extension, however, the tips are slightly bleached. Stag has yet to show its polyps, however its still retaining its color. Until i added everything my CA was around 500, alk 9 ph 8.2. BTW nitrate 0-5, SG 1.024

 

Since adding everything my CA is hovering above 300, PH 8.3-8.4 and ALK hovers around 8. I was dosing kent Nano a/b at night, then come back 24 hours later to equally low numbers. I have switched to b-ionic. I just did a param check, CA 340, ALK 8-9 dkh, ph 8.4.

 

Im still catching on the all of the advanced chemistry of it all and trying to understand how everything works. So correct me if I am wrong. I need to do a few large doses in order to get my levels where they should be. then come back tomorrow and see where they are at. Do a normal dose, see where that bring my levels to and adjust accordingly. Does that sound right?

 

Also, how long after dosing should I wait to check my levels?