EVERYTHING in tank calified

[Shouse94]

I have a 55g mixed reef and am on the verge of losing almost every coral in the tank minus a few, GSP, Xenia, mushrooms.
Things that are about to die are Candycane, Montipora, zoos.

We've been fighting this I'd say for about 6 months where the pumps and sponges are getting calcified FREQUENTLY. We are doing Randy's 2-part and were dripping kalkawasser as well. We were told to try stopping the kalkawasser and see if it helped. We thought it did at first but now I swear it's as bad as ever. At most we can go 3 months before the pumps clog and stop working. The filter bags can get completely solid from calcium in a matter of 2 weeks. The sump looks a mess from deposits. Something doesn't seem right at all. Only 2 things rang a bell that I believe could cause this much damage.

1. The Dowflake being used in randy's 2-part is the batch that is not recommended for use/has gone bad and is not working as it should in the tank.

2. We are dumping way too much 2-part in the tank than we should be even though we test frequently and feel it's what is needed to keep the paramaters as reccomended. We are adding about as follows of Randy's 2 part every night:
Calcium: 1.75 cups
Alk: 1.5
Mag: dosed periodically

I have not done any Mag tests but cannot believe it is causing this much problem. I know my tank is very dirty(detritus and high phosphates) which is killing the corals. That's why the montipora is dying but not the GSP. But that still does not explain the calcium issue. It is not normal for everything to solidify in a matter of a couple months.

I really need your help this time guys and gals. I will provide any more info u think is needed. Please throw out some suggestions. I need to save this tank!!!! Thanks

 

[KenT]

um, stop dosing and do some water changes with a fresh bucket of salt.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

NEVER dose what you don't test for

NEVER dose what you don't test for

test water and post results (especially for) S.G., calcium , alkalinity and magnesium

 

[_E_]

Like Gary said, I would do a few tests and post the results here for better advice. pH, salinity, calcium, and alkalinity would be a good starting point. What kind of corals are you keeping (heavy SPS)? I don't dose with homemade two part (I use B-ionic) but that sounds like a heavy dose of two part. Also, fix that detritus (aka nitrate) and phosphate problem since that could affect every coral in the tank.
E

 

[MileHighFish]

you should need a 2-part and a kalk drip.. stick with just one!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13601614#post13601614 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
you should need a 2-part and a kalk drip.. stick with just one!

that's your opinion.
I use a calcium reactor, kalkwasser, water changes and two parts to balance /supplement calcium and alkalinity in my aquarium.
The removal (or addition) of even one coral can change the rate of depletion in someone's aquarium- this is why routine testing is necessary. Even if you don't add or remove corals the rate of depletion will increase as the animals grow larger. Every system is unique.

You can't adjust calcium and alkalinity independently of one another with kalkwasser. Once Ca and alk are balanced it's fine to use limewater. (Review articles in Randy's Reef Chemistry Forum here on RC.)

 

[MileHighFish]

thats good but your not having issues like the thread starter.. i have full sps lps tank and cal is at 460 and dkh is at 12.. there is no need to waste money on all the other additives

 

[MileHighFish]

how would you adjust the cal alk independently with a cal reactor??

 

[Freed]

I use a calcium reactor, dose kalk via a dosing pump and seldomly add one of the 2part to raise my calcium if the other two aren't keeping up. Everyone's system is different.

Shouse94, test your alk, calcium, mag, salinity and post here.

Do you keep an eye on your pH as well? Tank temp?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13601836#post13601836 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
how would you adjust the cal alk independently with a cal reactor??

with two part or something else (but not kalkwasser)

 

[MileHighFish]

there again, its a waste of $$

 

[Freed]

A calcium reactor is a waste of money? What? Much, much cheaper than dosing 2 part constantly every day and much less hassle.

But, 2 part is extremely useful for adjusting your levels and is also cheap if you use the right chemicals.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13601860#post13601860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
there again, its a waste of $$

you're not getting it.

Calcium and alkalinity additives aren't a waste of money.
You're only wasting money on them if you're using them improperly.
The only way to know if you're using them properly is to test the water.

 

[MileHighFish]

i do get it.. i'm not a noobie my friend.. if my alk and cal are right in line, then any other cal or alk additive is a waste of money!! if you need to add all things that get sold then thats great.. keep doing it!! with 5 gal of eveporation a day, i have no need for more cal additives... so yes IMO for my tank it would be a waste of $$$$$$

 

[reverendmaynard]

That sounds like a huge amount of 2-part for a 55gal to me.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13602000#post13602000 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
i do get it.. i'm not a noobie my friend.. if my alk and cal are right in line, then any other cal or alk additive is a waste of money!! if you need to add all things that get sold then thats great.. keep doing it!! with 5 gal of eveporation a day, i have no need for more cal additives... so yes IMO for my tank it would be a waste of $$$$$$

this thread isn't about your aquarium :lol:

FWIW similar to using a calcium reactor you can't adjust Ca and alk independently of each other with kalkwasser (alone).
You'll need something else (such as a two part) to do that.
I've grown many corals using kalk alone. If you have high evap and low demand it can work, but without testing the water you won't know if limewater (alone) can keep up with the demand.
It all comes back to testing the water.

 

[MileHighFish]

and its about yours? your the one that keeps going back and forth with me.. and why do you keep telling me to test my water..
cal 460 dkh 12.. sounds like i test.. get off your high horse Gary Majchrzak

 

[mhaith]

Re: EVERYTHING in tank calified

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13600845#post13600845 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shouse94


2. We are dumping way too much 2-part in the tank than we should be even though we test frequently and feel it's what is needed to keep the paramaters as reccomended. We are adding about as follows of Randy's 2 part every night:
Calcium: 1.75 cups
Alk: 1.5
Mag: dosed periodically

Get another test done on your water. You are adding huge amounts to your 55g. That is about two times as much as I add to my heavily loaded SPS 210g. Based on what you say you have for livestock, I believe Randy's regimine suggests you should be adding about 1ml/gal at the most

 

[Freed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13602021#post13602021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reverendmaynard
That sounds like a huge amount of 2-part for a 55gal to me.

Yes, I didn't even notice at first but glad you pointed that out. 1.75 and 1.5 CUPS per day? That's a whole heck of alot of chemicals for a really small tank. I would use at most 30 ml of alk in my tank on any given night a few years ago before I bought my calcium reactor and that's on a 200 gallon total system. :O

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13602096#post13602096 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
and its about yours? your the one that keeps going back and forth with me.. and why do you keep telling me to test my water..
cal 460 dkh 12.. sounds like i test.. get off your high horse Gary Majchrzak

I'm not telling you to test your water. This advice is meant for others (such as this thread's author!) that might not be testing their water. Please re-read this entire thread. I think you've lost your perspective here.