MetroKat
New member
I tried to PM Randy Holmes but I'm not allowed so here goes:
I am a frustrated nano reefer that is getting mixed opinions on how to correct my tank chemistry problem. My gut tells me one thing but I get beat up on the forum I am on and by friends that are advanced and experienced reefers. I am into this for a year now.
First, a picture of my precious (RSM 130D with custom Sump, setup on Dec 25, 2011)
An explanation of the problem will be lengthy. I have documented it in detail with the links below:
July 23 Aquarium water testing results (professional testing service)
Ammonia 0.000 (Good) My test shows the same
Nitrite 0.005 (Good) My test shows the same
Nitrate 3.5 (Good) My test shows zero
Phosphate 0.03 (Good) My test shows zero
Silica 3.5 (High)
Potassium 267 (Low)
Calcium 133 (Critical) My tests have always always always shown 490+
Molybdenum 0.0 (Low)
Stronium 22.9 (High)
Magnesium 1325 (Good) I test at 1500
Iodine 0.04 (Good)
Copper 0.01 (Good)
Alkalinity 1.9 meq/L or 5.0 dKH (Low) I test at 6.0 to 8.6
I spoke to Aquarium Water Testing service and they explained that the calcium was a reading of usable calcium, not total calcium which home tests measure. A 30 minutes conversation later they advised me to to raise Calcium using Calcium Chloride products.
Aug 5
What's going on with the tank chemistry:
Recent history of the tank shows I have had
High calcium (490+)
Low dKh (~7.0ish)
High Magnesium (1500+)
Undetectable Phosphates, Nitrates
So for the moment, let's take these levels as natural for my tank since I did not dose anything.
I had taken to adding buffer to raise the dKh and it worked (although I added it sporadically). Zeph suggested starting KALK because it works to maintain parameters, and to balance out 2 of them: Calc and Alk. My first gallon of KALK+2 didn't change the parameters in any direction. In hindsight, perhaps it was maintaining the existing parameters from fluctuating (keep in mind my tanks natural levels as mentioned above). Indeed many who read my thread and sources online suggest KALK is for people with the opposite problem: those that can't maintain calcium to appropriate levels. So I stopped KALK and went back to buffer which works for me as mentioned.
The trouble happened on July 27 when a 32oz of buffer solution got dumped in a 12 hour period in the tank. The dKH skyrocketed to 15. At this point I started my second gallon of KALK+2. Now keep in mind, I believe what KALK does is maintain your tanks parameters. The water for my water changes was Oceanic salt, not my usual Red Sea Coral PRO.
While everything in the tank looked happy, both at 15dKH and now, what resulted in the next few days was that the calcium dropped to 300 (!!), and dKH has been doing a slow but steady decline as well.
So why didn't KALK "maintain" the levels as before? I don't know much about all this chemistry business but it is possible that such a high level of dKH precipitated or "ate" or whatever the calcium to 300.
From the little I know, the 3 components of a reef tank: calcium, alk, mag have to be in balance. Everybody here can argue what the "right" balance is. For the sake of argument, and because this is my tank, the right balance for me is what I listed above.
Aug 5th levels
Calcium 300
dKH 7.6
Magnesium 1350+
Plan of Action:
5Gallon water change using my usual Red Sea Coral Pro salt
Stop KALK and get back to buffer.
Goal for 2 weeks (I'm travelling again): Maintain dKH at 10.
Aug 5: Coral health could not be better, honestly. I even see color coming back in some of the SPS that was showing signs of browning. Not out of the woods yet but I need to fix the calcium first.
Today:
Re-cap: My tank went from 490+ calcium to the 200-300 range in a very short amount of time. I did not change my salt mix or add new coral. I have a lot of coralline and SPS but equal if not more amounts of softies and LPS. The major fall in calcium happened on July 27 when 32oz of buffer got dumped all at one into the tank sky rocketing the dKH to 15. This caused the calcium what was previously always recorded at the 490+ range to fall to the 300 range.
I did a large water change and recorded I was back to my baseline of Calcium 470- on August 6. However that appears to be short lived also. On Aug 25 calcium measured at 250, dkh at 6.1 (10 days without waterchange)
So in went KALK into the ATO and I also started supplementing Part A, calcium supplement. Calcium has been at 300 but dkh is at 8.3. The KALK dosage is 3teaspoons in 2 G of water. My tank uses 1-1.5G of top off daily.
During all of this, let's talk about corals.
My zoanthids and palys are booming!
Some of the SPS are not happy. Some LPS are not happy. I see reduced polyp extension and the coral is not fluffy like it used to be. My HH brain coral is my indicator of tank happiness and it has not been really pleased for at least 10 days now. The same 10 days that I have been dosing KALK.
Initially I had high Calcium and low dKH (in the 7.1 range) and the article said not to dose KALK when this particular imbalance occurs (Zone 4)
"Many commercial alkalinity supplements will also be fine for this purpose, as long as no significant calcium is added. In general, I don’t prefer those that contain substantial borate. The alkalinity component of the two-part calcium and alkalinity additive systems would be OK. You CANNOT use limewater or a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor to correct this problem. Any of the balanced calcium and alkalinity additive systems will move you parallel to the line at the left edge of the zone, while you want to move over to it, and cross it."
Initially when I refused to use KALK I was pounced on.
Then when I used a mild solution using a drip I was mocked.
Yeah I've been using 3tsp in 2 gallons in my ATO since the last week of August. Want to see my lovely KALK results?
I AM SO MAD!
My open brain coral, mancina, has been with me for a year. I look to this coral as in indication of the health of my tank.
Before KALK - all nice and fluffy. After KALK - tightly wound up and grumpy
However it is not all doom and gloom in the tank. The Z's and P's are very happy. I've had more polyp growth in the last 10 days than I have in the last 2 months.
And there are plenty of SPS that are doing just dandy
So. in conclusion, I have some questions
Is KALK helping me or not?
Why are my corals ****ed off?
What can I do besides more of Part A to get my Calcium back to the 400's?
If my water change gets my calcium high enough, should I be doing more frequent changes, like twice a wekk?
What can cause such a rapid absorption or decline of calcium in the water?
Thank you in advance for your help
Kat
I am a frustrated nano reefer that is getting mixed opinions on how to correct my tank chemistry problem. My gut tells me one thing but I get beat up on the forum I am on and by friends that are advanced and experienced reefers. I am into this for a year now.
First, a picture of my precious (RSM 130D with custom Sump, setup on Dec 25, 2011)
An explanation of the problem will be lengthy. I have documented it in detail with the links below:
July 23 Aquarium water testing results (professional testing service)
Ammonia 0.000 (Good) My test shows the same
Nitrite 0.005 (Good) My test shows the same
Nitrate 3.5 (Good) My test shows zero
Phosphate 0.03 (Good) My test shows zero
Silica 3.5 (High)
Potassium 267 (Low)
Calcium 133 (Critical) My tests have always always always shown 490+
Molybdenum 0.0 (Low)
Stronium 22.9 (High)
Magnesium 1325 (Good) I test at 1500
Iodine 0.04 (Good)
Copper 0.01 (Good)
Alkalinity 1.9 meq/L or 5.0 dKH (Low) I test at 6.0 to 8.6
I spoke to Aquarium Water Testing service and they explained that the calcium was a reading of usable calcium, not total calcium which home tests measure. A 30 minutes conversation later they advised me to to raise Calcium using Calcium Chloride products.
Aug 5
What's going on with the tank chemistry:
Recent history of the tank shows I have had
High calcium (490+)
Low dKh (~7.0ish)
High Magnesium (1500+)
Undetectable Phosphates, Nitrates
So for the moment, let's take these levels as natural for my tank since I did not dose anything.
I had taken to adding buffer to raise the dKh and it worked (although I added it sporadically). Zeph suggested starting KALK because it works to maintain parameters, and to balance out 2 of them: Calc and Alk. My first gallon of KALK+2 didn't change the parameters in any direction. In hindsight, perhaps it was maintaining the existing parameters from fluctuating (keep in mind my tanks natural levels as mentioned above). Indeed many who read my thread and sources online suggest KALK is for people with the opposite problem: those that can't maintain calcium to appropriate levels. So I stopped KALK and went back to buffer which works for me as mentioned.
The trouble happened on July 27 when a 32oz of buffer solution got dumped in a 12 hour period in the tank. The dKH skyrocketed to 15. At this point I started my second gallon of KALK+2. Now keep in mind, I believe what KALK does is maintain your tanks parameters. The water for my water changes was Oceanic salt, not my usual Red Sea Coral PRO.
While everything in the tank looked happy, both at 15dKH and now, what resulted in the next few days was that the calcium dropped to 300 (!!), and dKH has been doing a slow but steady decline as well.
So why didn't KALK "maintain" the levels as before? I don't know much about all this chemistry business but it is possible that such a high level of dKH precipitated or "ate" or whatever the calcium to 300.
From the little I know, the 3 components of a reef tank: calcium, alk, mag have to be in balance. Everybody here can argue what the "right" balance is. For the sake of argument, and because this is my tank, the right balance for me is what I listed above.
Aug 5th levels
Calcium 300
dKH 7.6
Magnesium 1350+
Plan of Action:
5Gallon water change using my usual Red Sea Coral Pro salt
Stop KALK and get back to buffer.
Goal for 2 weeks (I'm travelling again): Maintain dKH at 10.
Aug 5: Coral health could not be better, honestly. I even see color coming back in some of the SPS that was showing signs of browning. Not out of the woods yet but I need to fix the calcium first.
Today:
Re-cap: My tank went from 490+ calcium to the 200-300 range in a very short amount of time. I did not change my salt mix or add new coral. I have a lot of coralline and SPS but equal if not more amounts of softies and LPS. The major fall in calcium happened on July 27 when 32oz of buffer got dumped all at one into the tank sky rocketing the dKH to 15. This caused the calcium what was previously always recorded at the 490+ range to fall to the 300 range.
I did a large water change and recorded I was back to my baseline of Calcium 470- on August 6. However that appears to be short lived also. On Aug 25 calcium measured at 250, dkh at 6.1 (10 days without waterchange)
So in went KALK into the ATO and I also started supplementing Part A, calcium supplement. Calcium has been at 300 but dkh is at 8.3. The KALK dosage is 3teaspoons in 2 G of water. My tank uses 1-1.5G of top off daily.
During all of this, let's talk about corals.
My zoanthids and palys are booming!
Some of the SPS are not happy. Some LPS are not happy. I see reduced polyp extension and the coral is not fluffy like it used to be. My HH brain coral is my indicator of tank happiness and it has not been really pleased for at least 10 days now. The same 10 days that I have been dosing KALK.
Initially I had high Calcium and low dKH (in the 7.1 range) and the article said not to dose KALK when this particular imbalance occurs (Zone 4)
"Many commercial alkalinity supplements will also be fine for this purpose, as long as no significant calcium is added. In general, I don’t prefer those that contain substantial borate. The alkalinity component of the two-part calcium and alkalinity additive systems would be OK. You CANNOT use limewater or a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor to correct this problem. Any of the balanced calcium and alkalinity additive systems will move you parallel to the line at the left edge of the zone, while you want to move over to it, and cross it."
Initially when I refused to use KALK I was pounced on.
Then when I used a mild solution using a drip I was mocked.
Yeah I've been using 3tsp in 2 gallons in my ATO since the last week of August. Want to see my lovely KALK results?
I AM SO MAD!
My open brain coral, mancina, has been with me for a year. I look to this coral as in indication of the health of my tank.
Before KALK - all nice and fluffy. After KALK - tightly wound up and grumpy
However it is not all doom and gloom in the tank. The Z's and P's are very happy. I've had more polyp growth in the last 10 days than I have in the last 2 months.
And there are plenty of SPS that are doing just dandy
So. in conclusion, I have some questions
Is KALK helping me or not?
Why are my corals ****ed off?
What can I do besides more of Part A to get my Calcium back to the 400's?
If my water change gets my calcium high enough, should I be doing more frequent changes, like twice a wekk?
What can cause such a rapid absorption or decline of calcium in the water?
Thank you in advance for your help
Kat
Last edited:
