Calcium and Alkalinity

[Matthew Braunstein]

Hello Reefers! Last week I tested calcium and alkalinity and found out cal was at 180 and alk was off the charts. So last Saturday I started dosing 6ml of cal everyday. Today took a trip to LPS to test cal and alk, and also to find out what was causing this problem. Found out that cal rose to 320 and alk was still high at 18. Workers there suggested that I do a 50% water change. This afternoon I did a 7 gallon water change to try and reset alk and cal. Tomorrow as soon as I wake up I am going to test my alk. Now they also said if water wasn't the issue it is probably my sand , which would be unfortunate if I had to change all of it.

 

[Nixperience]

I can't imagine it would be your sand. Keep doing water changes until it balances out. Use kalkwasser to supplement as the ratios are optimal. Don't forget to dose small amounts of magnesium daily or low magnesium can throw off your Ca and KH ratios. 

[Matthew Braunstein]

1 minute ago, Nixperience said:

I can't imagine it would be your sand. Keep doing water changes until it balances out. Use kalkwasser to supplement as the ratios are optimal. Don't forget to dose small amounts of magnesium daily or low magnesium can throw off your Ca and KH ratios. 

Okay thanks I will have to pick up some magnesium.

 

[Nixperience]

10 minutes ago, Matthew Braunstein said:

Okay thanks I will have to pick up some magnesium.

 

Make sure you are testing your magnesium. You want it around 14-1500. 

[bofo]

I think you're on track. I had this problem when I first got into the hobby a few months ago; go through my post history! Fortunately it was during my cycle and there was no livestock. Problem fixed itself with water changes.

[Clown79]

Your sand wouldn't be the issue unless you used play sand or sand designed for fw.

 

If you used aragonite sand, its not likely the cause.

 

What salt do you use? How long is it mixed for(each brand has specific instructions)

 

Do you mix the container of salt before hand, that distributes it properly.

 

I test 1hr after waterchange, thats the most accurate results.

 

What you need to do is:

 

Test newly mixed salt water

Test right after a water change

 

Without doing this, waterchanges will fix nothing if the salt is mixing low/inbalanced numbers.

 

Test magnesium. If its low, alk and ca will be out of balance.

320 ca is still low. Should be 370+

 

As you get the ca up the alk will drop but that needs to be done slowly if there is livestock in the tank.

 

 

[Matthew Braunstein]

Last weekend as you know I did a seven gal water change. The alk went down by 4 to 14 so we are definitely getting their, but the next morning I did a 5 gal water change. But their was no change to alk. So I am just gonna do two water changes every week with regular saltwater , and hopefully the problem will get fixed.