important ca/alk questions

[ItsMee]

I used Randy's calculator: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

I have alkalinity of 6 DKH and want a DKH of 10 and the balanced calcium for that is 432. So I need 257 ml of Randy's recipe #1 for alkalinity and 295 ml of the calcium part. I have these measured in seperate containers ready to drip. Once these levels are set I want to maintain them with kalk. So I guess my question is, after dosing these should I drip kalk tonight as well, or hold off on the kalk until tomorrow night.

(my total net gallon is approx 90)

 

[Konadog]

I would hold off on adding the kalk until your finished with the two part additive.
On another note, you may not be able to maintain those levels with kalk alone. Each tanks load is different so you may need to adjust your levels from time to time with the two part additive again.

 

[ItsMee]

I know every tank is different, but for some tanks is it possible to be able to maintian ca and alk levels with just kalk?

 

[dchao]

In my experience, no, always ends up with either Alkalinity too low or Calcium too low.

 

[Konadog]

You can for awhile, but eventually one or the other will go the wrong way. It may take a week, or three months, but eventually it will be out of balance again.

 

[ItsMee]

That sucks...I guess I should order some more etst kits then

 

[bertoni]

The "balance" part of that web site is a crock, IMO. You can look in the chemistry forum for details. I guess someone should make a page without that part.

 

[ohioreef]

Randy has told me that ca/alk don't necessarily have to be in balance as long as both are within normal parameters. I never worry about balancing mine. I aim for 3.5-4 meq/L for alk and 400-420 for Ca.

I wouldn't recommend dosing all of both parts at one time. I'd dose part of one and then about the same % of the other to avoid a sudden spike in one or the other causing a precip event. I'd do it over the course of a couple days maybe testing in between doses.

 

[Jon Evans]

I have seen some pretty amazing reefs using only kalk to dose. The most important thing is the health of your animals, not chemistry parameters. If everyone is doing good, why worry about balance?

 

[Jon Evans]

Of course, you'll worry about balance if everything starts to crash, then break out the test kits.

 

[ItsMee]

well this SUCKS. I decided not to dose anyhting yet. I just dripped kalk last night instead. A rate of 1.5 drops per second. This morning the water looks like its kinda cloudy-maybe a percipitation. So I test the alkalinity...it is at 7 DKH (higher than last night) - Then my Ca is 360-380 (lower-indicating percipitation) What the heck? Is it possible to have 6 DKH Alk and 400 ppm CA-then drip kalk at a rate of 1.5 drops per second (mixed at 1 tsp per gallon) and have some percipitation? - This is getting frusturating, but due to high c02 levels in my home, I HAVE to drip kalk at night or the PH gets too low.

 

[moses13]

Did you also check your pH? 1 tsp per gallon is not a lot, most use more than that just for maintenance (i use 2 tsp/gallon, and I'm mostly softies), so I find it hard to believe you could have that precip unless something else is out of whack. Have you also check Mg level? Low Mg can make balancing difficult.

 

[dchao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6520017#post6520017 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ItsMee
This morning the water looks like its kinda cloudy-maybe a percipitation.

hmmm - could be, calcium percipitation.
But I don't understand why it percipitated out so early at only 7dKH? (which is normally considered safe)

I would double check your alk tester and instructions. Make sure you are measuring dKH and not meq/L (there is a 2.8 factor between the two).

Oterhwise, ask a Q at the chemistry forum.

 

[ohioreef]

I mix my top off at 1tsp/gallon and I add it in using an ATO that puts it in a lot faster than you are and I've never had a precip event.

Definately sounds like something else might be out of whack.

 

[bertoni]

It might be worth doing a Mg test. I would dose B-Ionic to try to raise the levels to the appropriate zone, and then watch the limewater drip, perhaps wait a day before starting it.

 

[Konadog]

Is it possible that you were dripping unsettled kalk, the milky stuff instead of the clear water. That would make your tank "kinda cloudy".

 

[ItsMee]

The kalk was settled for 24 hours this time, I meant to say 2 tsp per gallon is what I mixed, and my magnesium is at 1400. I am measuring my alkalinity correctly-I more than quadruple-checked that I in fact am.

 

[bertoni]

You might have overdosed alkalinity and Ca, I suppose, or the tank had a high pH issue. I would just back off on the limewater for a while. Are you dosing it for autotopoff? Are you adding vinegar?

 

[ItsMee]

I am not adding vinegar, and yes it is my auto topoff. I dont see how it could be high PH when my tests show differently...unless my PH pen AND liquid tests are incorrect.

 

[bertoni]

Are you testing during the drip?