Low Calcium Problem

[reefrubble]

I use BRS Calcium Chloride , Soda Ash , Mag. Chloride , and Mag. Sulfate . , and I use the BRS Doser pumps , on timers . BRS states not to run the pumps more than 30 min. at a time , because it will shorten the life of the pumps . My pumps each run 8 times in a 24 hour period . The Calcium , and Soda Ash pumps each run 30 min. at a time , and the Mag. pump only runs 18 min. each cycle , 8 times a day . I have had quite a time keeping my calcium up . I had to keep increasing the concentration of the mix to keep up . I now have been mixing 10 cups of calcium chloride to 2 gal. of RO/DI water , and my level of calcium is still dropping . calcium is now 230 . I mix 8 cups of soda ash to 2gal. of RO/DI water , and my Alk. is 9.74 dkH . I also use a high mix for my mag. 2.4 cups of mag chloride , and 1.5 cups of mag. sulfate per 1 gal. OR/DI water , and this is is also added 8 times a day in 18 min. cycles . Mag is steady @ 1400 . The BRS pumps pump 1.1 ml. a min.

There has to be something wrong . All of my stony corals are small , and I only have 1 clam , but it is only about 4" . I do have a 300 gal. tank , but the amount of calcium I am dumping in this thing is crazy . :headwally:

 

[screamincamaro]

That is pretty crazy.

I now have been mixing 10 cups of calcium chloride to 2 gal.

You're mixing that pretty concentrated but I guess it's ok if it is able to dissolve. I've been following the mixing directions and my solution is like 2.5 cups to 1 gal.

I know if your mag is off or if you dump your alk & calcium in too close to each other it can cause it to fall out of solution. I'm doing the exact same thing you are doing and I believe I only have my pumps come on 5 times @30 min in a 24 hours period (plus I'm mixing it weaker). I would have someone recheck your readings to validate it's not your test kits and check to make sure you are not adding the calc & alk to close to each other.

Unless your tank is grown out and you have some large colonies I agree something is out of whack if you are having to add that much.

 

[reefrubble]

Brian , everything is added to a high flow area in the sump . the calcium pump is off for a full half hour before the alk. pump comes on .

 

[sharkin]

hey Ted, out of curiosity, what are u using to test the calcium with? I knwo you more of an expert than i am, but i do a lot of reading and dont think ive come across anything that would use up that calcium in that amount of time. Is it happening like over a span of overnight? a week? but i know for me if i had somethign that kept dropping that fast, id go out and try a different test kit to ensure the current one wasnt old or giving false readings just for that peace of mind, than to realize later it was the testing and now the calcium is through the roof 0.0

also what brand salt u using? perhaps a change of salt mix , for ive come across a lot of articles that stated with users switching to different brands of salt, that they never had to dose again, cause of the better quality salt. perhaps ur brand of salt mix isnt cutting it anymore and that may be it as well. sometimes that extra money spent in better brand salt will go a long ways, for i think ima start going with the Aquavitro SALINITY salt from Seachem.

 

[reefrubble]

hey Ted, out of curiosity, what are u using to test the calcium with? I knwo you more of an expert than i am, but i do a lot of reading and dont think ive come across anything that would use up that calcium in that amount of time. Is it happening like over a span of overnight? a week? but i know for me if i had somethign that kept dropping that fast, id go out and try a different test kit to ensure the current one wasnt old or giving false readings just for that peace of mind, than to realize later it was the testing and now the calcium is through the roof 0.0

also what brand salt u using? perhaps a change of salt mix , for ive come across a lot of articles that stated with users switching to different brands of salt, that they never had to dose again, cause of the better quality salt. perhaps ur brand of salt mix isnt cutting it anymore and that may be it as well. sometimes that extra money spent in better brand salt will go a long ways, for i think ima start going with the Aquavitro SALINITY salt from Seachem.

One thing my clam isn't showing white new growth on the outer edge of the shell any more . That is a sure sign that my calcium is too low . as far as salt goes I use IO , and I also have used some Reef Crystals while I have been having this problem .

 

[screamincamaro]

Only thing left I can think of is double check your test kits.

 

[reefrubble]

Only thing left I can think of is double check your test kits.

Or may be the pump isn't putting out as much as it is rated for , because the tubing may need to be replaced . Even if that is the case the concentration of the solution is still very high . I will get someone else to test my water this week .

 

[screamincamaro]

Good point, that's a possibility also. Do you have to refill the calcium about the same time as your alk since you dose them the same amount of time? If so it's probably not an issue with the tubing otherwise you'd be filling your alk a lot more frequently than calcium. Still, you can test it by running it for 30 min and putting the output tubing into a measuring device.

If this is the one you have http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store...stems/brs-2-part-doser-1-1-ml-per-minute.html

Then at 1.1ml per min you would expect it to fill it to 33ml over 30 minutes. If you didn't already do this already I'd recommend testing all your pumps this way before you start.

 

[reefrubble]

Brian , That's the pumps I'm using , and I did check the out put on each one , when I set up the system . I need to check the out put on all the pumps again . As far as the difference of the amount in the reservoirs , they were not the same for a long time now , because I had to make changes from time to time . Your right about starting with the same amount in each reservoir , that would make it easier to keep an eye on things .