Overdosed Alk Slightly (4.5 meq/L)

FBNitro · 01/31/2009, 12:11 PM

Well I just added it an hour ago, and just tested at 4.5 meq/L (that's like 12.6dkH), I shouldn't be worried, correct?

No Calcium snowstorm or anything like that. CA is a little low at 350ish, but I don't think I'll run out and buy a dosing solution at the moment. (I dose Alk via Baking Soda)

Anyone agree/disagree with my assessment? Suggestions? Should I consider a 2 part additive etc? It's the tank in my signature.

Sk8r · 01/31/2009, 12:39 PM

It should fall soon. Test again this evening.
With lps, though, you will soon be seeing unhappiness with that 350 calcium. I'd suggest a water change at minimum, but boosting the calcium would be good. You will have to get a calcium supplement if you are running stony coral. Once you do, you should see rapid growth.

FBNitro · 01/31/2009, 12:44 PM

Will do. I was running Red Sea Coral Pro salt, but I haven't been able to find it locally, and I NEEDED salt (in Canada, shipping from the US here takes longer than I could wait at that time). All I could find within walking distance (snow at the time) was IO. So this has been a big adjustment for me as far as water maintenance goes.

Previously, I would be at 460 CA, and 2.5 meq/L, so it's all reversed now.

Mariner · 01/31/2009, 12:46 PM

That alk reading is nothing to worry about and it will come down soon enough. You do need to do something to boost calcium at the moment. And, if you haven't yet, I'd recommend doing some reading over in the Reef Chemistry forum here on RC. Check out these articles, especially the one on How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
and the one on An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System.
HTH,
Mariner

FBNitro · 02/01/2009, 12:30 PM

Okay here's my plan. I'm going to grab a Salifert Mg test kit (I don't have one) but based on what I read about IO salt, it's going to be low.

I'm going to grab a bottle of Kent Liquid Calcium and Tech-M. I used the calculator here: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html to figure out how much of what I need, and I'll dose it daily (and check it) over the next couple days to get it in line with ideal parameters.

Additionally, I'll do a water change with some better salt (assuming I can find something better). I'm pretty sure a place on the other side of town sells the Deltec D-D H2Ocean stuff and it has reasonable starting parameters.

What do you think of the plan? (Maybe I just should swap salts, that should bring everything up, albeit slowly)

jvr1102 · 02/01/2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FBNitro
Will do. I was running Red Sea Coral Pro salt, but I haven't been able to find it locally, and I NEEDED salt (in Canada, shipping from the US here takes longer than I could wait at that time). All I could find within walking distance (snow at the time) was IO. So this has been a big adjustment for me as far as water maintenance goes.

I used that salt and will never again its junk imo. I have been using H2Ocean Pro+ since then with great success

Previously, I would be at 460 CA, and 2.5 meq/L, so it's all reversed now.

FBNitro · 02/04/2009, 10:48 PM

So I've swapped salts, did a 2 gallon water change [around 20%] (on Monday), tested my Calcium today, and it has dropped further to 300. I've got another 2 gallons of water mixing so I'll do another change tomorrow.

Should I just dose it up or keep doing water changes with salt that has a higher Calcium content? After it gets back to normal ranges, I can't see myself dosing much, if at all once it's normal again, since I'm doing weekly water changes.

Bonneville08 · 02/04/2009, 10:54 PM

Just my opinion mind you, but if Alkalinity and Magnesium levels are normal, I would raise the Calcium with Calcium Chloride per manufacturer's instructions. But don't use it to maintain Calcium unless it is in a two part supplement.
At 300 ppm Calcium, you will have to change out a lot of water to get it up to 400 again with NSW levels in the new water.
Good luck

Mariner · 02/05/2009, 06:04 AM

You need to dose calcium to get it up -- immediately. Use the calculator and figure what it would take to get your calcium up 360 and dose at least that much today, then tomorrow dose enough to get it into the 400+ range. The calculator will tell you to only raise calcium by 20 at a time, but Randy Holmes-Farley has said that you can usually raise it by up to 100 at a time with no ill effects.
If you are going to keep stony corals (LPS and SPS) there's no way you can get around dosing both calcium and alkalinity regularly, unless you have a calcium reactor. You MIGHT get by without dosing regularly if all you have are softies with a few crabs or snails.
Calcium in my tanks drops by 20+ per day. I drip kalkwasser AND add calcium chloride and alk (Randy's DIY recipes) every day.
HTH,
Mariner

01/31/2009, 12:11 PM	#1
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	Overdosed Alk Slightly (4.5 meq/L) Well I just added it an hour ago, and just tested at 4.5 meq/L (that's like 12.6dkH), I shouldn't be worried, correct? No Calcium snowstorm or anything like that. CA is a little low at 350ish, but I don't think I'll run out and buy a dosing solution at the moment. (I dose Alk via Baking Soda) Anyone agree/disagree with my assessment? Suggestions? Should I consider a 2 part additive etc? It's the tank in my signature.

01/31/2009, 12:39 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	It should fall soon. Test again this evening. With lps, though, you will soon be seeing unhappiness with that 350 calcium. I'd suggest a water change at minimum, but boosting the calcium would be good. You will have to get a calcium supplement if you are running stony coral. Once you do, you should see rapid growth. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/31/2009, 12:46 PM	#4
Mariner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: North Alabama Posts: 3,952	That alk reading is nothing to worry about and it will come down soon enough. You do need to do something to boost calcium at the moment. And, if you haven't yet, I'd recommend doing some reading over in the Reef Chemistry forum here on RC. Check out these articles, especially the one on How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme and the one on An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System. HTH, Mariner __________________ DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER. ~The perception is that perception is reality, but the reality is that it isn't. Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef; 135g mixed reef

02/04/2009, 10:54 PM	#8
Bonneville08 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Goodyear, AZ Posts: 513	Just my opinion mind you, but if Alkalinity and Magnesium levels are normal, I would raise the Calcium with Calcium Chloride per manufacturer's instructions. But don't use it to maintain Calcium unless it is in a two part supplement. At 300 ppm Calcium, you will have to change out a lot of water to get it up to 400 again with NSW levels in the new water. Good luck __________________ Edge you mah cating myself Check out my gallery if you desire. Current Tank Info: 50 gallon mix of soft, LPS and SPS, two croceas, two maximas, a few fish, turf filter with skimmer, MH and PC lighting, chiller, Calcium Reactor and wave2k.

02/05/2009, 06:04 AM	#9
Mariner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: North Alabama Posts: 3,952	You need to dose calcium to get it up -- immediately. Use the calculator and figure what it would take to get your calcium up 360 and dose at least that much today, then tomorrow dose enough to get it into the 400+ range. The calculator will tell you to only raise calcium by 20 at a time, but Randy Holmes-Farley has said that you can usually raise it by up to 100 at a time with no ill effects. If you are going to keep stony corals (LPS and SPS) there's no way you can get around dosing both calcium and alkalinity regularly, unless you have a calcium reactor. You MIGHT get by without dosing regularly if all you have are softies with a few crabs or snails. Calcium in my tanks drops by 20+ per day. I drip kalkwasser AND add calcium chloride and alk (Randy's DIY recipes) every day. HTH, Mariner __________________ DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER. ~The perception is that perception is reality, but the reality is that it isn't. Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef; 135g mixed reef

01/31/2009, 12:44 PM	#3
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	Will do. I was running Red Sea Coral Pro salt, but I haven't been able to find it locally, and I NEEDED salt (in Canada, shipping from the US here takes longer than I could wait at that time). All I could find within walking distance (snow at the time) was IO. So this has been a big adjustment for me as far as water maintenance goes. Previously, I would be at 460 CA, and 2.5 meq/L, so it's all reversed now.

02/01/2009, 12:30 PM	#5
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	Okay here's my plan. I'm going to grab a Salifert Mg test kit (I don't have one) but based on what I read about IO salt, it's going to be low. I'm going to grab a bottle of Kent Liquid Calcium and Tech-M. I used the calculator here: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html to figure out how much of what I need, and I'll dose it daily (and check it) over the next couple days to get it in line with ideal parameters. Additionally, I'll do a water change with some better salt (assuming I can find something better). I'm pretty sure a place on the other side of town sells the Deltec D-D H2Ocean stuff and it has reasonable starting parameters. What do you think of the plan? (Maybe I just should swap salts, that should bring everything up, albeit slowly)

02/04/2009, 10:48 PM	#7
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	So I've swapped salts, did a 2 gallon water change [around 20%] (on Monday), tested my Calcium today, and it has dropped further to 300. I've got another 2 gallons of water mixing so I'll do another change tomorrow. Should I just dose it up or keep doing water changes with salt that has a higher Calcium content? After it gets back to normal ranges, I can't see myself dosing much, if at all once it's normal again, since I'm doing weekly water changes.