Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have been testing my tank and my parameters have been, calcium 571ppm, alkalinity 179 ppm, mg 1335, nitrates 0, phosphate 0.06mg/l. My ph hovers at 7.9. I have tried increasing ph with reef builder. It brings it up to 8.1, but then drops to 7.9. I am using reef crystals salt and sachem reef salt. I do not dose calcium at all. Do I need to worry about anything at present. I have a few corals, and would like to add more. Thanks in advance.
calcium high, but I don't dose calcium
- Thread starter mhsmith
- Start date
The PH is most likely cause by excessive C02 in the water. If your local weather supports it, you can confirm by opening a window. If the PH increases then it is caused by C02 lowering the PH.
As other will point out, adding buffers trying to raise PH is only a temporary fix and will skew your water chemistry.
Running a hose from outside to your skimmers air intake can also help.
Dennis
As other will point out, adding buffers trying to raise PH is only a temporary fix and will skew your water chemistry.
Running a hose from outside to your skimmers air intake can also help.
Dennis
I will try extending the hose from a more open area to the skimmer intake but in my set up to get it to the outside isn't feasible. This spring however when all the windows were open did not really make a difference in the ph, however. What about the calcium being high. Is that anything to be concerned about?
I don't think Reef Builder contains any calcium or magnesium. I agree that "pH buffers" all add alkalinity. 7.9 is fine, and is even a bit higher than many Tank of the Month winners. I'd just leave well enough alone, but fresher air will help. This article has a lot of information:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
Hey thanks for the input. I felt like chasing ph was not what I should do, but sometimes getting stuck on the numbers is inevitable. I will check the ph on my next batch of water that I mix. This weekend I plan on checking ph outside with airstone. I have always heard that people have had to constantly dose calcium, but maybe that is only if there is a lot of corals. Thanks so much for the replies. Bertoni, that is a great article. Thanks for the reference. Thanks again to all
From Seachem website regarding Reed builder;
Reef Builder™ contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium to compensate for the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity. It also contains sufficient magnesium to restore magnesium routinely depleted.
Reef Builder™ contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium to compensate for the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity. It also contains sufficient magnesium to restore magnesium routinely depleted.
Not trying to argue, i am not a chemist but these are things stated on the manufacturer website and MSDS data.
MSDS of Reef Builder shows:
Proprietary blend of
powdered carbonate,
bicarbonate, chloride
and sulfate salts of sodium,
magnesium, calcium,
strontium and potassium.
15 mg/m3 total dust, 8
hour TWA
10 mg/m3 inhalable dust,
8 hour TWA
NA
5 mg/m3 respirable dust,
8 hour TWA
3 mg/m3 respirable dust,
8 hour TWA
MSDS of Reef Builder shows:
Proprietary blend of
powdered carbonate,
bicarbonate, chloride
and sulfate salts of sodium,
magnesium, calcium,
strontium and potassium.
15 mg/m3 total dust, 8
hour TWA
10 mg/m3 inhalable dust,
8 hour TWA
NA
5 mg/m3 respirable dust,
8 hour TWA
3 mg/m3 respirable dust,
8 hour TWA
Hmmm ... according to me TM Bio-Calcium is a balanced alk and Ca additive, and so is Salifert All In One
It depends on what is used for alkalinity and in what concentration it is mixed.
There are some possible combinations to create a powder which contains alk and Ca.
And as long as they're chloride salts, I don't see any problems to add Sr - K -and Mg to a calcium solution.
The problem I see is sulfate and calcium, I don't think that will be balanced because it will precipitate with calcium - but then again, that also depends on the concentration.
My expectation is that the calcium and magnesium and strontium in it are at low levels and may be mentioned to try to mislead competitors and possibly even customers. It cannot really be a useful amount relative to coral consumption. As mentioned above, calcium carbonate will precipitate in the cup and won't redissolve int eh tank. Magnesium may make magnesium hydroxide, which can redissolve, or magnesium carbonate, which may or may not. This fact, however, has not stopped multiple companies from market calcium carbonate as a supplement, so scientific logic is not always followed by suppliers. 
If it did have enough calcium to supply a balanced amount of calcium, like Tropic Marin Biocalcium does, you could not dissolve it in fresh water before use, and that is clearly the application method they recommend.
IMO, the claim is somewhat oddly worded, probably for a good reason. They talk about replacing "the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity." which doesn't really claim it is replacing that lost to coral consumption, but perhaps just the loss when dosing.
Are you using it now, and if so, when you dissolve it in fresh water, how cloudy is it?
If it did have enough calcium to supply a balanced amount of calcium, like Tropic Marin Biocalcium does, you could not dissolve it in fresh water before use, and that is clearly the application method they recommend.
IMO, the claim is somewhat oddly worded, probably for a good reason. They talk about replacing "the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity." which doesn't really claim it is replacing that lost to coral consumption, but perhaps just the loss when dosing.
Are you using it now, and if so, when you dissolve it in fresh water, how cloudy is it?
Last edited:
Yes, that is what the Salifert all in one product is.
http://www.marinedepot.com/Salifert...dual_Bottles-Salifert-SF3171-FIADAOSB-vi.html
http://www.marinedepot.com/Salifert...dual_Bottles-Salifert-SF3171-FIADAOSB-vi.html
scarpenter
New member
what is your water source?
Interesting. I guess I should have said that Reef Builder won't add any calcium or magnesium to the water column, if it's dosed as suggested, by dissolving it into water first. As has been stated, the calcium and magnesium (or at least the calcium) will precipitate when water is added.
When something else becomes more interesting - but I don't have a clue what ...When is this hobby NOT interesting. Lol.
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