Another Low Alk/Cal Question

[NaClH2ODave]

I have a 1-1/2 year old mixed reef which is moderately stocked with fish and some LPS and SPS.

Alkalinity has been 6.5 - 7.0 dkH and calcium between 325 - 375 using Salifert and Hanna testers.

I've been dosing ESV B-Ionic 2 part at close to maximum recommend dose of 1ml/gallon/day (96 ml in approximately 105 total gallons).

Any idea why these values are so low?

Thanks

 

[bertoni]

The "maximum doses" are recommendations for people who don't test every day. Your tank probably has a lot of growth. For a tank with 105 g of actual water volume, a dose of 150 ml per day is fairly common, especially in tanks with coralline, clams, or fast-growing stony corals. My soft coral tank consumed consumption at that rate for years due to coralline growth.

 

[NaClH2ODave]

Thanks Jonathan,

I'll try and get a picture tomorrow, but my tank has mostly zoas, some hammer and duncan corals, and small areas of coralline. My concern was the suggested starting dose of only 1ml/4 gallons of water. I'll bump it up to 125ml of each per day and check again.

 

[bertoni]

Hmm, it's possible that the supplement is precipitating. Are there any signs of white or tan buildups on surfaces in the tank?

 

[NaClH2ODave]

There's the usual thin line at the water surface around the perimeter of the tank, but I don't really see any white or tan on other surfaces. Maybe just some light build up on the glass just above the sand bed.

 

[hersheyb]

96ml of esv for a that tank size, I have a 90 gal tank filled w sps colony n I'm doing about 60ml of esv. Might b percipitating....


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[NaClH2ODave]

Should I back down to around 60 - 70 ml/day? I'm concerned the numbers will drop even lower.

 

[hersheyb]

Should I back down to around 60 - 70 ml/day? I'm concerned the numbers will drop even lower.

Check out your equipment specially around the dosing area, see if your equipment is coveree in white build up


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[NaClH2ODave]

There's just some light buildup on the surface of the sump wall next to where it drips in.

 

[hersheyb]

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...dosing-2-part-to-my-reef-tank-brstv-reeffaqs/


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[Uncle99]

I trust your MG is in the 1260-1360 range, I find with insufficient MG, getting correct CA and Alk is next to impossible....or at least for me....

 

[NaClH2ODave]

Interesting video on how too much can actually turn out to be less. Still no evidence of it precipitating out though.

I actually bumped up the magnesium from around 1375 to about 1450.

 

[bertoni]

A little light buildup is fairly common, particularly if the supplement is going into the sump. You could try dosing into the main tank to see whether that helps, but I'm not sure that it will.