Water chemistry help

P

pcannone

New member
I am having a hard time kepping up my water param.

Today I tested my water as follows:

Ca 320
Alk 2.2 meg/L
Mag 1100
pH 8.3
Nitrate, Phos are zero
My SG droped from 1.025 to 1.023

I've been seeing excess deposits of calcium carbonate on things like pumps and my pc light.

My 55G currently holds:
BTA about 10 inches wide always open.
Large leather coral always open
Torch coral
Xenia's
pipe organ, but losing half of it
Red mushroom, about the size of a quarter

I do have green hair algae, I'm trying to get rid of. I daily dose the two-part C-Balance (2 tsp). The reef chemistry calculator, says high doisng amounts to get Ca to 420 and Alk to 3.0. I'm thinking about using Randy's Recipe #2. Then continue with the C-Balance.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciate and maybe a dosing paln as well.

Thanks
 
The easiest way to get starting dosing calcium and alkalinity generally is a 2-part, like B-Ionic or similar products, or a DIY version. For the moment, some baking soda and a calcium chloride product, like Turbo Calcium, would help get alkalinity and calcium back to reasonable levels.

The SG will drop if saltwater is replaced by freshwater, or if there's a measurement error. Are you using a hydrometer? If so, be careful about bubbles, and general inaccuracy. You might want to calibrate it:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm
 
Should I dose the baking soda and Turbo Calcium all in one day/dose, or over multiple days/doses?

Yes I use a hydrometer from Instant Ocean. Thanks for the article I look forward to reading it.
 
The calcium should be boosted in two doses over a couple of days to about 420 ppm.

What target alkalinity do you want to reach? You can boost it by 1 meq/l in a day if you want.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13758260#post13758260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
The calcium should be boosted in two doses over a couple of days to about 420 ppm.

What target alkalinity do you want to reach? You can boost it by 1 meq/l in a day if you want.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming I should raise one before the other. Which should I do first, Ca of Alk?

The target Alk would be about 3.0 meg/L? Is that enough or should it be higher?
 
Also, if you can get your Mg up that will make it easier for you to raise your alk and cal.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13759296#post13759296 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
The order probably doesn't matter. :)
Click to expand...

Since my mag is only 1100. What is the easiest of your recipes to make with less negative impact on my 55G?
 
pc, you might want to get a refractometer to make sure your s.g. is where you want it.

Swing Arm hydrometers are not very accurate from my experience.

The amount of salt you mix greatly determines how much calcium, alkalinity and magnesium you add to your tank in each water change. :)
 
Since my mag is only 1100. What is the easiest of your recipes to make with less negative impact on my 55G

Easiest to make with less negative impact is MAG flake alone. Using Epsom salt and MAG flake together is a bit better, at least long term, but takes a bit more time to use both.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13761523#post13761523 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Since my mag is only 1100. What is the easiest of your recipes to make with less negative impact on my 55G

Easiest to make with less negative impact is MAG flake alone. Using Epsom salt and MAG flake together is a bit better, at least long term, but takes a bit more time to use both.
Click to expand...

First of all, thanks for everybody's help.

Randy-
As always I appreciate your expertise. I was reading your article on DIY Mag. Below is a quote from the article. Is it something I should be concerned about since I have to increase my Ca as well, by either a DIY recipe or C-Balance?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php#14

"2. Using MAG flake only, dissolve 8 cups magnesium chloride hexahydrate in one gallon of water, and use that to supplement magnesium in amounts determined using this linked online calculator, with the entry "Randy's Recipes 1 and 2 Versions A and B," and ignore for this purpose what those designations mean. This recipe is adequate, but not quite as balanced as #3 below. This choice is not a good way to go if calcium is supplemented by calcium chloride, because together they will force chloride excessively high."

Also, since I acn not find the Dow Flake in my area for the DIY Ca, is their a another DIY recipe you have? I would liek to boost my Ca, Alk, and Mag with a DIY recipe, then possibly continue with the C-Balance or the Recipe.

Thanks
 
You can buy calcium chloride and magnesium chloride from Bulk Reef Supply or Buckeye Field Supply. :)

If you make a DIY, I'd definitely incorporate the Epsom salt (from a drug store or Bulk Reef) into the recipe as I advise in the two part DIY recipe article. :)
 
Sorry for all the questions. I thought I understood it, but obviously I don't.

I was looking at the two-part package (Ca, Alk, and Mag) http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Calci.../The-Total-Two-Part-Package/product_info.html This seems to be pretty straight forward, with their calculator for $60 (plus s/h, whatever that is). Does this seem to be the way to go. I'm confused about whether I need the Mag Sulfate or not.

I think it goes like this... If I buy the two-part (above) or any two-part, and increase to my parameters then daily dose. I don't need the sulfate. If I don't use the two-part (above) and only dose Mag chloride, then I do need the sulfate. Is this correct or am I missing something.
 
If you buy the two part package from them, you get magnesium sulfate as part of it. If you buy materials elsewhere, you'll have to get it yourself like at a drugstore. :)
 
Ok, I got it now the Mag contains both the Mag Chloride and Mag Sulfate.

They have two packages of the two-part. One kit makes approx 1 gallon of dosing. The other two-part has 7 pounds of Ca chloride, etc. How many gallons of dosing will that make?

Thanks again.
 
I'm not sure what's in the kits. Do you mean 7lb of calcium chloride and 7 pounds of baking soda? Or 7 llbs total?

It's about 500 g (a bit over 1/2 lb) of calcium chloride per gallon for recipe 1, and half that for recipe 2. So 7 lbs of calcium chloride will make a bit over 6 gallons of recipe 1.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13765329#post13765329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
I'm not sure what's in the kits. Do you mean 7lb of calcium chloride and 7 pounds of baking soda? Or 7 llbs total?

It's about 500 g (a bit over 1/2 lb) of calcium chloride per gallon for recipe 1, and half that for recipe 2. So 7 lbs of calcium chloride will make a bit over 6 gallons of recipe 1.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's 7 lbs of each calcium chloride, mag chloride, mag sulfate, and Soda ash. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Calci.../The-Total-Two-Part-Package/product_info.html

So in other words, I will be set for a very long time (approx 6 gallons worth) since I don't have that my corals.
 
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