Increased Alk and Calcium uptake

Scubajoe1 · 10/17/2018, 04:40 PM

So I recently noticed a huge uptake in calcium and alk. Forever my tank seemed to be using too little. maybe about 50 mL a day each for both Calc and Alk on Seachems fusion 1 and 2. I mean it was steady for months on end. I recently starting dosing nitrates to get those up to about 5 ppm from 0 and also increased ,y Radions by 2% across the board. I noticed my also which I usually run at 150 ppm was down to 117 and my Ca was 420 so not bad there. I bumped up my Alk over the last week to 100 ml a day and it;s still not budging over 130 in the afternoon when I read it. Will let it run there a few days and see where it settles at. I have a 180 gallon with moderate SPS population. 1) What do you think could have caused this increased need....I don't haver any reason to suspect it's precipitating out. 2) If you use fusion 1 and 2 in an SPS tank how big is the tank and how much are you using?

bertoni · 10/17/2018, 06:51 PM

SeaChem Fusion seems to be about twice the concentration of the DIY 2-part, so that consumption probably is reasonable, although towards the high end. The added nitrate and lighting might be encouraging more growth. Is there much coralline growth?

Scubajoe1 · 10/17/2018, 07:01 PM

A decent amount on the back wall....but not on front or sides as I scrape that off but not that much more coraline algae than a few months back. I will have to take come pics tomorrow when the lights are brighter

Uncle99 · 10/20/2018, 07:18 PM

I see no mention of Magnisum.
I trust you maintain at 1250-1350 ppm?

I have been dosing seachem fusion 1 and 2 for years, 70g mixed reef with some SPS and 3 Clams, and say 40 LPS.
I maintain Alk at 141 to 155 ppm with 4 ml per day.
I maintain CA at 420 -430 ppm with 3ml per day.
I maintain MG at 1360 ppm with 2.5ml per week.

Dosing seems a bit high, but each tank different.
Wow, even if I convert to match your 180, that's 10 times my consumption rate.

Could Mag have got out of the sweet spot? This could easily account fir the higher dosing as the ions would just come together and not be as available for growth?
Testing error?
Interesting post.....I hope others chime in here....

hkgar · 10/22/2018, 02:46 PM

Your SPS have probably settled in and are starting good growth. I have a 180 G heave SPS and use a calcium reactor pumping at 117 ml /min iith a dKH of 21. If I was dosing 2 part I would be dosing a little over 341 ml/day.

10/17/2018, 04:40 PM	#1
Scubajoe1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 409	Increased Alk and Calcium uptake So I recently noticed a huge uptake in calcium and alk. Forever my tank seemed to be using too little. maybe about 50 mL a day each for both Calc and Alk on Seachems fusion 1 and 2. I mean it was steady for months on end. I recently starting dosing nitrates to get those up to about 5 ppm from 0 and also increased ,y Radions by 2% across the board. I noticed my also which I usually run at 150 ppm was down to 117 and my Ca was 420 so not bad there. I bumped up my Alk over the last week to 100 ml a day and it;s still not budging over 130 in the afternoon when I read it. Will let it run there a few days and see where it settles at. I have a 180 gallon with moderate SPS population. 1) What do you think could have caused this increased need....I don't haver any reason to suspect it's precipitating out. 2) If you use fusion 1 and 2 in an SPS tank how big is the tank and how much are you using? __________________ Scubajoe 180 Gallon reef tank with coast to coast Herbie overflow. 60 Gallon sump with 9" filter sock. 36" lifereef skimmer, activated carbon filter. Emperor Aquatics 40W UV Sterilizer Current Tank Info: 180 gallon reed tank, coast to coast overflow, herbie overflow. Life reef sump and 36" life reef skimmer, GHL Doser 2, Neptune Apex reef controller, Auto topoff, Spectrapure RO system with a Tunze RO controller. activated carbon and no more GFO.

10/17/2018, 06:51 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	SeaChem Fusion seems to be about twice the concentration of the DIY 2-part, so that consumption probably is reasonable, although towards the high end. The added nitrate and lighting might be encouraging more growth. Is there much coralline growth? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/17/2018, 07:01 PM	#3
Scubajoe1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 409	A decent amount on the back wall....but not on front or sides as I scrape that off but not that much more coraline algae than a few months back. I will have to take come pics tomorrow when the lights are brighter __________________ Scubajoe 180 Gallon reef tank with coast to coast Herbie overflow. 60 Gallon sump with 9" filter sock. 36" lifereef skimmer, activated carbon filter. Emperor Aquatics 40W UV Sterilizer Current Tank Info: 180 gallon reed tank, coast to coast overflow, herbie overflow. Life reef sump and 36" life reef skimmer, GHL Doser 2, Neptune Apex reef controller, Auto topoff, Spectrapure RO system with a Tunze RO controller. activated carbon and no more GFO.

10/20/2018, 07:18 PM	#4
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I see no mention of Magnisum. I trust you maintain at 1250-1350 ppm? I have been dosing seachem fusion 1 and 2 for years, 70g mixed reef with some SPS and 3 Clams, and say 40 LPS. I maintain Alk at 141 to 155 ppm with 4 ml per day. I maintain CA at 420 -430 ppm with 3ml per day. I maintain MG at 1360 ppm with 2.5ml per week. Dosing seems a bit high, but each tank different. Wow, even if I convert to match your 180, that's 10 times my consumption rate. Could Mag have got out of the sweet spot? This could easily account fir the higher dosing as the ions would just come together and not be as available for growth? Testing error? Interesting post.....I hope others chime in here.... Last edited by Uncle99; 10/20/2018 at 07:38 PM.

10/22/2018, 02:46 PM	#5
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Your SPS have probably settled in and are starting good growth. I have a 180 G heave SPS and use a calcium reactor pumping at 117 ml /min iith a dKH of 21. If I was dosing 2 part I would be dosing a little over 341 ml/day. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels