alk & Ca overdose

MOBlueDevil · 02/19/2020, 12:09 PM

My Alk & calcium dosing pump malfunctioned last night - dumped 3-4 gallons of each (Alk is baked baking soda in RO water). Tank is 400gallon total volume. Did 40gallon water change this morning, making new water - anticipate being able to do roughly 40 gallon water change a day until things settle down. Question is about the precipitate that is forming - tank was milky white (still is very cloudy) but I'm getting the expected Calcium Carb precipitate covering everything. Is there anything I should do about that or best to just leave it be?

Thanks,
Bryan

bertoni · 02/19/2020, 06:51 PM

You can leave it be. It will disappear on its own over time, as it's covered by coralline, algae, etc.

blowmecius · 02/19/2020, 09:59 PM

Water changes are just prolonging the precipitation. It will all eventually settle. There Wil be chalky residue everywhere but it will all disolve in a week or 2. If you have a sandbed, poke it occasionally so it doesn't become solid.

MOBlueDevil · 02/19/2020, 10:39 PM

thanks - water is already a lot clearer. Lost a Foxface a few hours ago, other fish look OK. Corals look surprisingly well. What a disaster. I think I'm going back to Kalkwasser - should have never broke up with Mrs Wages!

bertoni · 02/20/2020, 12:18 AM

I'm sorry to hear about the foxface. Corals usually come through this well enough.

MOBlueDevil · 02/20/2020, 06:24 PM

So far so good, just the foxface died - corals (mostly softies), anemones (BTAs) & other fish seem to have weathered it OK. Water looks much better, tank looks like it had a light snowfall overnight. I'm pretty relieved, really thought I was facing a total wipe when I saw that yesterday.

02/19/2020, 12:09 PM	#1
MOBlueDevil Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lees Summit Posts: 101	alk & Ca overdose My Alk & calcium dosing pump malfunctioned last night - dumped 3-4 gallons of each (Alk is baked baking soda in RO water). Tank is 400gallon total volume. Did 40gallon water change this morning, making new water - anticipate being able to do roughly 40 gallon water change a day until things settle down. Question is about the precipitate that is forming - tank was milky white (still is very cloudy) but I'm getting the expected Calcium Carb precipitate covering everything. Is there anything I should do about that or best to just leave it be? Thanks, Bryan

02/19/2020, 06:51 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You can leave it be. It will disappear on its own over time, as it's covered by coralline, algae, etc. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/19/2020, 09:59 PM	#3
blowmecius Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Maryand Posts: 177	Water changes are just prolonging the precipitation. It will all eventually settle. There Wil be chalky residue everywhere but it will all disolve in a week or 2. If you have a sandbed, poke it occasionally so it doesn't become solid. __________________ Homer no function beer well without.

02/20/2020, 12:18 AM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm sorry to hear about the foxface. Corals usually come through this well enough. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/19/2020, 10:39 PM	#4
MOBlueDevil Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lees Summit Posts: 101	thanks - water is already a lot clearer. Lost a Foxface a few hours ago, other fish look OK. Corals look surprisingly well. What a disaster. I think I'm going back to Kalkwasser - should have never broke up with Mrs Wages!

02/20/2020, 06:24 PM	#6
MOBlueDevil Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lees Summit Posts: 101	So far so good, just the foxface died - corals (mostly softies), anemones (BTAs) & other fish seem to have weathered it OK. Water looks much better, tank looks like it had a light snowfall overnight. I'm pretty relieved, really thought I was facing a total wipe when I saw that yesterday.