Thanks for the tip! I also read that SeaChem Reef Builder (which I have but have not used yet) will raise Alk as well as tend to stabilize pH. I am not planning on dosing this any time soon but am thinking to the future for ways of stabilizing pH and improving overall WQ. I plan to run pH and Alk tests again tonight a bit after topoff.
General advice - high pH/KH
- Thread starter cblack
- Start date
Another test tonight, Alk still at 13. It has now been a week since the WC with the Alk at 13. If I still get Alk of 13 on my full set of tests after the WC I am going to strongly consider dosing just Ca for a one-time correction as outlined in this article:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
See bit about "corrections for zone 3."
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
See bit about "corrections for zone 3."
I am going to be very conservative/slow with this dosing (tests pre/post, etc). Do you think dosing just the Ca part of the Ocean's Blend 2-part additive would be ok? Some articles seem to say this is fine as the other stuff in the Ca-part is trace including Iodine (in the form of Iodide).
Hello
Try this cart for stable system I noted in my tank that you may see the PH and ALK come down by raising Cal but also consider checking mag.
as raising Cal could be expensive if Mag is not correct
also i noted with my issue this cart is funny as it indicates that higher Cal corresponds with higher Alk. In my questioning i found that it is the consummation of Cal that my be lowering PH so Mag. testing may valuable to use this to lower PH.
Alk meq/L Alk dKH Calcium ppm
0------------0-----------360
0.5----------1.4---------370
1------------2.8---------380
1.5----------4.2---------390
2------------5.6---------400
2.5----------7---------410
3------------8.4---------420
3.5----------9.8---------430
4------------11.2---------440
4.5----------12.6---------450
5------------14---------460
5.5----------15.4---------470
6------------16.8---------480
6.5----------18.2---------490
7------------19.6---------500
Interesting web page for comparison of your salt mix with other brands
http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...om/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp
Try this cart for stable system I noted in my tank that you may see the PH and ALK come down by raising Cal but also consider checking mag.
as raising Cal could be expensive if Mag is not correct
also i noted with my issue this cart is funny as it indicates that higher Cal corresponds with higher Alk. In my questioning i found that it is the consummation of Cal that my be lowering PH so Mag. testing may valuable to use this to lower PH.
Alk meq/L Alk dKH Calcium ppm
0------------0-----------360
0.5----------1.4---------370
1------------2.8---------380
1.5----------4.2---------390
2------------5.6---------400
2.5----------7---------410
3------------8.4---------420
3.5----------9.8---------430
4------------11.2---------440
4.5----------12.6---------450
5------------14---------460
5.5----------15.4---------470
6------------16.8---------480
6.5----------18.2---------490
7------------19.6---------500
Interesting web page for comparison of your salt mix with other brands
http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...om/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp
Billybeau1
Premium Member
I'll say it again, as I said in another thread.
That study is old and outdated. The information in that study is no longer consistent with todays salt mixes. I'm not convinced it was accurate back then.
It is a poor example of todays salts and I would not put much stock in its content.
That study is old and outdated. The information in that study is no longer consistent with todays salt mixes. I'm not convinced it was accurate back then.
It is a poor example of todays salts and I would not put much stock in its content.
High Alk, Low Ca dosing plan
High Alk, Low Ca dosing plan
No further dosing since last posts on this thread, decided to get a second pH test for confirmation. This was done in the middle of the photoperiod (running 8 hours, going up slowly) about an hour or so after a 4g WC:
Sun May 25 tests:
API pH: 8.3
tetraTest pH: 8.5/8.6
KH 12 =~ 4.286 meq/L
Ca 330
Looks like sjames may have been right about the tetraTest pH kit reading high. Only other changes besides regular weekly WCs and topoff was changing to a reverse photoperiod for the fuge with macro in my sump area.
Planning to dose Ocean's Blend just Ca part at 1mL (around 1/6th calculated dose for 25g, what I figure is the total water volume in my system). Does this sound reasonable?
High Alk, Low Ca dosing plan
No further dosing since last posts on this thread, decided to get a second pH test for confirmation. This was done in the middle of the photoperiod (running 8 hours, going up slowly) about an hour or so after a 4g WC:
Sun May 25 tests:
API pH: 8.3
tetraTest pH: 8.5/8.6
KH 12 =~ 4.286 meq/L
Ca 330
Looks like sjames may have been right about the tetraTest pH kit reading high. Only other changes besides regular weekly WCs and topoff was changing to a reverse photoperiod for the fuge with macro in my sump area.
Planning to dose Ocean's Blend just Ca part at 1mL (around 1/6th calculated dose for 25g, what I figure is the total water volume in my system). Does this sound reasonable?
Last edited:
I've been following this:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
Which seems to say target Ca range is 400-450 ppm.
Should I dose 2ml of Ca part of my 2-part tomorrow morning? I could even dose more tonight. I wanted to start slow to avoid overdosing, but I think you are correct that it will take more than 1ml a day. Also, I would like to eventually start using the other (Alk) part of Ocean's Blend in a balanced fashion (e.g. 5ml a day of each part). Any thoughts as to an appropriate dosing range?
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
Which seems to say target Ca range is 400-450 ppm.
Should I dose 2ml of Ca part of my 2-part tomorrow morning? I could even dose more tonight. I wanted to start slow to avoid overdosing, but I think you are correct that it will take more than 1ml a day. Also, I would like to eventually start using the other (Alk) part of Ocean's Blend in a balanced fashion (e.g. 5ml a day of each part). Any thoughts as to an appropriate dosing range?
Billybeau1
Premium Member
You should use the dosage recommendations in the Chemicals calculator. They are pretty spot on as long as you use actual water volume and not just tank size. 
Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
That seems like an awful lot (I may be converting wrong, but that sounds like roughly ~112ml). That would be several times the recommended dosing according to the bottle instructions. I would think if I really /DO/ have to dose that much I would space it out more. Am I making a huge mistake in understanding your calculations?
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Yes. A number of calcium supplements are used for daily dosing and are weak in comparison to ,say, straight calcium chloride.
If you'll experiment with your numbers in the calculator I posted, you will see the difference each has on raising calcium.
Try your brand vs. Turbo Calcium , for instance.
If you'll experiment with your numbers in the calculator I posted, you will see the difference each has on raising calcium.
Try your brand vs. Turbo Calcium , for instance.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Baking Soda is the cheapest and the best that I know of for raising Alkalinity.
FWIW, Reef Complete in the liquid form is just as potent as Turbo Calcium.
FWIW, Reef Complete in the liquid form is just as potent as Turbo Calcium.
Added more Ca, looking for better supplement
Added more Ca, looking for better supplement
I added 2ml of the Ocean's Blend Ca part this morning. I am thinking I need to use something else like a dry additive though. All I could get locally was a Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium powder and I am afraid that would be dosing other stuff as well. Should I just get this or is there something else that I may be able to get locally (Dow's Flake?).
Added more Ca, looking for better supplement
I added 2ml of the Ocean's Blend Ca part this morning. I am thinking I need to use something else like a dry additive though. All I could get locally was a Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium powder and I am afraid that would be dosing other stuff as well. Should I just get this or is there something else that I may be able to get locally (Dow's Flake?).
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