My Calcium is driving me nuts!!!!!

[JCnflies]

Please help ............ I'm doing everything I know how to do - even after taking the time to read several chem lessons !

Two weeks ago, my magnesium was very low nad my calium was at about 240. I learned that my Ca will not go up unless my Mg went up. Now my MG has gone up to 1250 or higher. My calcium (according to my API test kit) is 260. I have been two part calcium dosing most days; in fact, I have gone through 2 pairs of the 16 oz Part A & B bottles in the two weeks. Yesterday, I bought the big 64 oz Kent Two Part Calcium.

Now, being frustrated, I admit I may have overdone it when I added about 3/8 cup of each (separately of course.) When I add them, I put them in at the pump intake and I let about 30 sec - 1 minute go by between dosings. My tank is a 75 gallon and my alkalainity is at 13.

Has anyone been through thisd before? Usually I dose smaller amounts of Calc at a time......... do I waste the calc if I try to put in 3/8 cup? I am frustred a bunch and would really appreciate some wisdom Thx

 

[JCnflies]

I should mention, too, that I have a decent number of corals, but I don;t think anywhere near the number necessary to keep deleting the calium added. I have 2 medium and 3 med - sm SPS, a large lobo, a blasto (6 heads), an acan (maybe 10 heads), a sinularia, some mushrooms, star polyps, small toadstool, bunch of zoasa bit of xenia on the back wall and a ricordia.

 

[jnfallon]

I went and looked it up, you need 24 oz to raise 60 gallons from 250 to 425 ca.

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

Dose another 8 oz, then wait a 1/2 day and dose 8 more oz. (do this after re-test twice of course)

Then every day, dose equal parts of each - start with 2 oz. per day. If it builds up over a week, you can lower a bit. If it goes down increase a little bit.

Going forward, if you're still using IO adjust mag and ca BEFORE doing the water change. Over time it will get stable.

 

[jnfallon]

btw, i'd recommend buying a few of these. makes dosing a breeze.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=8&product_id=20700

 

[JCnflies]

THx. I plan on switching to Kalk as soon as the Calcium is stable at 400 or better

 

[jnfallon]

Cool, kalk works for a lot of people , assuming the evaporation is sufficient. I've never tried straight kalk, I dont have anywhere to store a weeks worth of top-off, but messed w/ a kalk rx, I didnt like.

Even w/ kalk, you will still need to dose water change water before adding it to tank.

 

[Justjoe]

....according to my API test kit

What test kit is that and how old is it? I would suggest trying another test kit to confirm your readings.
Dosing some calcium chloride will raise your Ca levels, and then normal dosing methods should keep you where you want to be.

Check out the Ca/ alk articles as well:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

[JCnflies]

I think I picked right ..... I have been trying to do what the article said .......a dding calcium only. But the Kent two part does not say which is which. I am trying the part A and the calcium is going up, but slowly. I think I guessed right ..... I am upv to 360

Tomorrow I'll add more.

 

[fishome25]

calcium chloride will bring it up fast and is cheap. and i don't think ca test kits work

 

[Justjoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10531688#post10531688 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JCnflies
I think I picked right ..... I have been trying to do what the article said .......a dding calcium only. But the Kent two part does not say which is which. I am trying the part A and the calcium is going up, but slowly. I think I guessed right ..... I am upv to 360

Tomorrow I'll add more.

If you add a little bit in an area of slow moving water and you see a bit of a white cloud, that is the alk component, if it stays clear then you have the Ca additive.