oops, very low calc and alk

Beemo · 06/06/2006, 05:14 PM

my calcium and alkaline test kits came today, i figured i must be fine since ive been doing weekly 10% water changes with IO.
ive never added anything to the tank except an occasional kent nano buffer, the tank is 10 gallons. i purchased seachem reef advantage calcium and reef alk builder, i didnt add anything until my test kits came.
holy moses im practically zero!! i cant believe my tank is even alive, it must be some kind of miracle...okee heres the results

calcium, 40ppm
alk 1.7 (its in the lowest range on the kit)
ph 8.3 (phew)
specific gravity 1.025
amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0 (yet another miracle)

inhabitants...
candycane, lookin good
yellow polyps, spreading doing fine
zoa's..blossoming all over the place
red mushrooms, shrivled
watermelon mushrooms are fine
hairy mushroom, just one head doing fine, the others died months ago
moon favia looks good
toadstool grew out of control
shrimps, hermits, snails and 2 small oc' clowns all doing well
crustations molt about 3 times a month

how on earth is my tank still alive?
i just added some calcium, only 1/4 tsp, it says 1 tsp per 40 gallons so i hope this is correct
tomorrow ill add the alk builder

how long and how many doses will it take to brings things up to normal? and from what i see calc should be 400ppm...oh the agony

bertoni · 06/06/2006, 06:03 PM

Those look like testing errors to me. I don't think it's easy to drive calcium that low. What brand of test kits are you using?

Beemo · 06/06/2006, 06:09 PM

calcium is aquarium pharm
and alkaline is red sea

the calcium said to add one drop until it went from pink to blue, after my second drop it was dark blue
i have coriline algae on the glass but not much on the rocks, the tank is still young, about 6 months

Beemo · 06/06/2006, 06:23 PM

ok i retested, i did it wrong, i didnt know i had to shake the bottle between drops
for it to turn the dark blue it took 24 drops which made the calcium 480
the alk test i think i did semi right since i got a similiar reading than the first time, i got 1.7 which now puts it right at the beginning of normal
dang i feel alot better now
lol
while im here, do you think i need to add iodine?

bertoni · 06/06/2006, 06:30 PM

I wouldn't add iodine to a tank. There's no demonstrated utility and iodine can be poisonous.

I would add enough baking soda to raise the alkalinity to at least 2.5 meq/L, and probably more like 3.5. This calculator might be useful:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

After that, B-Ionic or another two-part is a good way to get started with regular calcium and alkalinity dosing.

1SickReefer · 06/06/2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

while im here, do you think i need to add iodine? [/B]

Do you have a test kit for Iodine? If you cant test for it you should not dose it. This goes for everything in a reef tank.

Read these article for more on Iodine. I do not dose it personally

Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Iodine in Reef Tanks 2: Effects on Macroalgae Growth
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2003/chem.htm

Beemo · 06/06/2006, 06:35 PM

thnx for the links

no i didnt buy an iodine test kit nor did i buy iodine
i think ill skip that if you say its not needed
so alk buffer and calcium is all i need to add correct?
the calcium has stronum and magneisum in it allready
i just thought the mushrooms needed iodine

bertoni · 06/06/2006, 07:02 PM

If you do water changes regularly, you should be fine, IMO.

Beemo · 06/06/2006, 07:03 PM

well thats why i decided to add calc and alk because i wanted to ease up on the water changes
im going to try monthly now instead of weekly

bertoni · 06/06/2006, 08:10 PM

That sounds fine to me.

06/06/2006, 05:14 PM	#1
Beemo Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 910	oops, very low calc and alk my calcium and alkaline test kits came today, i figured i must be fine since ive been doing weekly 10% water changes with IO. ive never added anything to the tank except an occasional kent nano buffer, the tank is 10 gallons. i purchased seachem reef advantage calcium and reef alk builder, i didnt add anything until my test kits came. holy moses im practically zero!! i cant believe my tank is even alive, it must be some kind of miracle...okee heres the results calcium, 40ppm alk 1.7 (its in the lowest range on the kit) ph 8.3 (phew) specific gravity 1.025 amonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 (yet another miracle) inhabitants... candycane, lookin good yellow polyps, spreading doing fine zoa's..blossoming all over the place red mushrooms, shrivled watermelon mushrooms are fine hairy mushroom, just one head doing fine, the others died months ago moon favia looks good toadstool grew out of control shrimps, hermits, snails and 2 small oc' clowns all doing well crustations molt about 3 times a month how on earth is my tank still alive? i just added some calcium, only 1/4 tsp, it says 1 tsp per 40 gallons so i hope this is correct tomorrow ill add the alk builder how long and how many doses will it take to brings things up to normal? and from what i see calc should be 400ppm...oh the agony

06/06/2006, 06:03 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Those look like testing errors to me. I don't think it's easy to drive calcium that low. What brand of test kits are you using? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/06/2006, 06:30 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I wouldn't add iodine to a tank. There's no demonstrated utility and iodine can be poisonous. I would add enough baking soda to raise the alkalinity to at least 2.5 meq/L, and probably more like 3.5. This calculator might be useful: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html After that, B-Ionic or another two-part is a good way to get started with regular calcium and alkalinity dosing. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/06/2006, 07:02 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If you do water changes regularly, you should be fine, IMO. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/06/2006, 08:10 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That sounds fine to me. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/06/2006, 06:09 PM	#3
Beemo Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 910	calcium is aquarium pharm and alkaline is red sea the calcium said to add one drop until it went from pink to blue, after my second drop it was dark blue i have coriline algae on the glass but not much on the rocks, the tank is still young, about 6 months

06/06/2006, 06:23 PM	#4
Beemo Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 910	ok i retested, i did it wrong, i didnt know i had to shake the bottle between drops for it to turn the dark blue it took 24 drops which made the calcium 480 the alk test i think i did semi right since i got a similiar reading than the first time, i got 1.7 which now puts it right at the beginning of normal dang i feel alot better now lol while im here, do you think i need to add iodine?

06/06/2006, 06:35 PM	#7
Beemo Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 910	thnx for the links no i didnt buy an iodine test kit nor did i buy iodine i think ill skip that if you say its not needed so alk buffer and calcium is all i need to add correct? the calcium has stronum and magneisum in it allready i just thought the mushrooms needed iodine

06/06/2006, 07:03 PM	#9
Beemo Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 910	well thats why i decided to add calc and alk because i wanted to ease up on the water changes im going to try monthly now instead of weekly