calcium depletion

[reefnetworth]

my 25g w/10 sump both DSB's has just begun to devour Ca after 6 months from set-up. I use Kent A & B Ionic Tech-CB. the first 4 mo. I used Kent concentrated Ca with only a 1/2 Tsp. nightly, it stayed 425-430 Salifert. I also added Reef carbonate by Seachem, 1/4 Tsp. w/doseage. Kent Pro-buffer dKH, 1/2 tsp. nightly. when i changed to ionic i now have been 3x to 4x to get up to 380. (nightly) why does it take more for less results? is it the combo im using? i dont get it. please help! thank you. REEF-ON!!!

 

[XeniaMania]

Tagging along, I'm also curious as to why I feel I'm adding an excessively high amount of Ca to my tank.

 

[reefnetworth]

its not making sense is it? i have 30 lbs. LR 3" LS in display. I have 6" in sump. wheres it goin?

 

[reefnetworth]

i do have a bit more coralline than a mo. ago, is it poss. it takes 4x doseage for what little has grown? purples, orange, crimson red, blue, & pink.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

that would have been my guess is that it is being used up by your coraline alage. but sence you said you don't have much of that or it's not growing fast, kinda rules that out. do you have any corals?

 

[PatMayo]

I don't have any corals in my tank yet, but I have coralliine growing out the gazoo. I mean everywhere. The tank has been up for about 80 days or so. I dose 120 ml each day of alk and calk trying to keep up with demand. I use Randy's two part formula so the cost is not prohibitive. I am amazed at the amont I have to dose.

Since you are using Salifert kits I think the results are proabably accurate.

Spend some time in the Chemistry forum, you will get an education.

Regards,

Pat

 

[XeniaMania]

I regularly test my Mg, Sr, and Ca. I'll test like say 1250 for Mg, add 2 capfuls to get it to 1320, only to have it drop back down to 1170 in 3 days. Through my Ca testing, my reading was 407 last night, not bad, but I add calcium on a daily basis, and some times it's at 3x the amount suggested on the Red Sea Calcium +3 supplement. I add kalk dissolved in vinegar into my system to increase/maintain Ca as well. My parameters are just like at the low end of what's acceptable, but maybe I'm just too demanding in wanting to push it higher...:lol:

 

[PatMayo]

My latest parameter check was last night and the readings were as follows,

Temp 81.4
Calcium 445
Alkalinity 3.15 meq/l 8.8 dKH
Magnesium 1320

These are the parameters I am maintaining by adding 120 ml of Randy's 2 part number 1 formula per day. Seems like a truckload for a 90 aga. I calculated my total gallonage at 88, this accounts for the 30 gallon sump and rock displacment etc.

But I have no precipitate of any kind and my pumps etc. are not getting clogged up at all.

So I am going to keep going. The point is that you would be surprised at how much coralline and live rock with good coralline on it will consume alkalinity. Calcium at a lesser rate.

Regards,

Pat

 

[reefnetworth]

i have alveoporo= (baseball size) geonopora= same size, anomone, green bubble-pink tip= 6", feather duster= b-ball size, 3 kenya trees= 2-3". brain=b-b s, toadstool=s-ball , three shrooms w/2 offspring=1"-3", 5 ceriths=1 in, 3-turbo's=silver dollar, 5 astrea's=quater size, 2 blue legs=1", pod of pink zenia, 13=1.5", 18-green button polups, pod blue polups=40-50, 1-cleaner shrimp, pod green stars=70-100, 2-perc's=1.5", 1-6 line wrasse=2 1/4", lots of coralline=about 50% coverage. parameters stay perfect except Ca, i doubled again 8 hrs ago 2 Tbl.sp. now @350,Salifert. can i 5x dose w/out poisioning?

 

[reefnetworth]

marineland boi-wheel @ 350 gph, mag 350 sump return, instant ocean skimmer rated 150 gph, penguin 1140 PH @ 300gph, macro in sump covers 6x10x4" deep, instant ocean salt. SG@ 1.0214, nite's & nat's=0, alk@ 2.2, ph@8.3, Nh3/Nh4@0, no phos. or mag. kits. never had prob. i mag 1x wk per directions along w/iodine, ess. elements, stron-molyb, iron, Seachem vit's=amino, marine snow & DT's. coralvite. all per directions. drip method 1xwk w/H20 change. thats all? lol!

 

[bertoni]

The concentration of Tech CB is likely not the same as the other products, so the dose size might change quite a bit.

I would suggest that you dose the alkalinity up to 3.5 meq/L with some baking soda, and the calcium up to 400 ppm with one of the Kent products. Either should work. It's safe to raise the calcium at least 100ppm at one shot. This calculator might help with the dosage:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

The next morning, you could measure the parameters again, and dose using the Tech CB. After a few days, you should have a dosage rate that is constant, at least. If the consumption is excessive, we could look at the magnesium level and perhaps some other issues.