alk dosing question

[danrobberg]

I have to dose alk every day, but calcium only every 4th or 5th day. I use B Ionic two part system. I maintain alk at 8 to 9 dkh and calcium at 440 to 460. is that normal?

 

[dots]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

20 ppm of calcium is used for each 1 meq/L (2.8 dKH) of alkalinity. Because of the precision of our tests, its more difficult to see that daily drop, but its there and happening.

Two parts are dosed in equal parts, unless an out of balance has already occured, in which you can adjust the ratio until it it corrected.

I suggest the following daily:

Top off your water
Test your Alk
add enough of the two parts equally to return the alk to the original value.
Test you Ca once every two weeks or so to spot check things are correct.
Keeping the Ca above 350ppm, but not too high to the point of precipitation out of solution will work. Keeping you Mg level at the correct level will help in doing this.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

[Toddrtrex]

Once the system is balanced, should have to add equal amounts of both.

What is your Mag level? Can you have someone else test your Cal and Alk, to make sure your test kits are accurate.

 

[danrobberg]

my local fish store tested it as well. is it bad to only add the one part?my mg was at 1230 so they told me to raise it.

 

[Toddrtrex]

It isn't bad to add only one to balance them out. But, after that, should be adding the same (( or very close to it )) amounts.

 

[danrobberg]

I have a 120 gal, I add 30cc of alk every day sometimes I'll do it three days than skip a day. and 30 cc of cal every 4 or 5 days. what should I do?

 

[Toddrtrex]

How long have you been doing it this way?

 

[danrobberg]

maybe two months. that's when I started testing more often and taking better care of the tank.

 

[danrobberg]

I evreven used to add calcium. I didn't need it. but I have recently added a lot more sps to my tank that's y I add it now. I use oceanic salt mix too by the way

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15315941#post15315941 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danrobberg
I evreven used to add calcium. I didn't need it. but I have recently added a lot more sps to my tank that's y I add it now. I use oceanic salt mix too by the way

Ahhh, that might explain it. How often do you do water changes? If memory serves, that salt has high levels of Cal.

This was some tests on that salt (( Cal, Alk and Mag, ))
Oceanic 580 8.5 1650

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287118

 

[danrobberg]

I do 12 gal every other week.

 

[danrobberg]

I wonder y my mag was low then. it was at 1230. I have used oceanic for about 5 years I raly like it but have always wanted to try tropic marine. have u had any experience wirh that salt mix?

 

[Toddrtrex]

I use TM Pro, and love it. I would say that 96% of the time I have to dose equal parts of A & B (( 90 ml of each for my 58 )). As for Mag, I dose 30 ml about once a week --- usually at the half way point b/t my weekly water changes.