Alternative Calcium / dKH buffer question

[lbv]

Right now my calcium is around 380ppm and I am trying to get it around 400ppm. I think the calcium is precipitating out with my alkalinity builder.

Here is what I use for Alkalinity:

SeaChem Reef Builder (contains: Carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and potassium).

Kent TurboCalcium: Calcium Chloride


here are my parameters: (excluding the basic ammonia / nitrate / nitrite since they are all good)

pH: 8.2
Mg: 1190ppm (slightly low, using Tech M)
Phosphates: >0.02
Calcium: 380ppm
Temp: 77.9F


I know I asked this before, but could the calcium be precipitating with any of the contents of Reef builder? I check the contents of each element in the Reef Builder, and the calcium content is far to low to cause any impact Salifet Kits just turn blue after 1 drop.

Should I try Baking Soda instead of this, and what precautions if there are any for the Baking Soda?

Also for Calcium, would Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide?) be less likely to precipitate than Turbo Calcium?

I tried your recipies, they worked great for about 2 weeks but then im getting the same old stuff... use the Alk recipie, calcium drops and vice versa.

Should I just try seeing which Combo works better Baking Soda and Turbo, and all other possibilities?


Here comes the Buffer question. I have a SeaChem dKH buffer sitting in my cabinet which I never used on this current tank. Would the buffer help much to control the fluctuations in Alkalinity?

Man I should of went for that 50 reef

 

[bertoni]

The calcium can combine with any of those alkalinity sources and cause a problem in the right circumstances. Maybe I missed it, but do you have an alkalinity test result for the tank?

I use kalk for supplementation. It has the advantage of adding alkalinity and calcium in a balanced manner, which does help reduce issues with balance in supplementation (and thus some precipitation problems), although it can be overdosed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Right now my calcium is around 380ppm and I am trying to get it around 400ppm. I think the calcium is precipitating out with my alkalinity builder.

Why do you think that? Do you see any precipitate? how much of each are you adding each day?

 

[lbv]

Forgot to add Alkalinity its at 9.6dKH.


There is no visible precipitation but when I add one or the other it seems to lower the other value. My DI/RO unit is replaced whenever I see a spike in things that I should not see (Phosphates etc.).

I did however do a test with a Stock Solution of both things and when either is added to the other it almost turns into small white particles. I don't know if it is the undissolved or a precipitation. I usually get an old water bottle fill it with RO and shake it until it is fully dissolved.

I used to take chemistry in Sophmore year of High School and passed with a 68 so I'm not good at it at all. The only visual precipitation that I can think of is adding Liquid Pb to some other liquid and it makes a white almost iceicle looking thing.


Heres my scenario a little clearer:
When I add Calcium dKH goes down like 0.5 - 3.0 dKH.
When I add dKH Builder, Calcium goes down 10 - 70ppm

Maby I got a bad, "impure" batch of things? The Turbo Calcium I got like 1 month ago, and my SeaChem Reef Builder (dKH builder) is like 3 years old.

Sorry for taking so much of your time, but this had been bugging me for awhile.

Thanks for the help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If either are too low in aquarium water, that will limit the use of both by corals and coralline algae. So it is hard to distinguish simply based on usage whether it is abiotic precipitation or organism usage. Both calcium and alkalinity are expect to decline every day in a reef aquarium.

If any or all of pH, calcium, or alkalinity are excessively high, or if magnesium is too low, that can increase abiotic precipitation.

I'd try using a balanced two part system, and just stick to dosing equal parts and see if the levels stabilize acceptably.

 

[lbv]

Now that you suggest magnesium it is kind of low (1190ppm) so I guess I will raise that and see. I know that the Alk and Calcium decrease everyday but it seems that the tests I do rasie one thing and lower the other.

How is Kent Tech M for raising magnesium?
Or should I just stick to Epsom Salts for small corrects. Last time I used it was likw 2 months ago. And did Tech M 2 weeks ago.

 

[bertoni]

Kent Tech-M has worked well for me, but for small and infrequent doses, Epsom salts should be fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Kent Tech M and B-ionic Magnesium are good commercial choices for boosting magnesium. Dead Sea Works magnesium chloride de-icer can also be used if you can find it. The Epsom salts can be used once or twice, but unless you are using calcium chloride long term, there is a concern about sulfate building up from repeated uses of the Epsom salts.