Cal, Alk and KH

UnderCoverDork · 03/14/2007, 05:04 PM

i just purchased a Salifert KH/ALK profi test and a two little fishes CAL test kit.

here are my results..

CAL - 380ppm

ALK - 3.09 meq/L

KH - 8.6 dKH

My PH is 8.4

are these levels good for my sps and zoa reef tank? if so how would i maintain them? kalkwasser? calcium 2 part buffer? i own both

thanks for the help

UnderCoverDork · 03/14/2007, 05:08 PM

is there a calculator i could use that lets me know what i need?

redFishblue · 03/14/2007, 05:12 PM

You can use the calculator in the following link to keep your parameters steady.
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/chemcalc.html

You might want to bump up your calcium up a little.
I keep mine around 420-450.

bertoni · 03/14/2007, 05:35 PM

Those levels are fine. Either a 2-part or a kalkwasser drip would be fine as supplementation schemes. I use both on a number of tanks, since limewater cannot always meet the demand for calcium and alkalinity.

UnderCoverDork · 03/14/2007, 05:40 PM

do i need to add more of one part to just raise the CAL? like for example part A

bertoni · 03/14/2007, 05:42 PM

Many people like to keep calcium in the 400-450 ppm range, and adding just the calcium portion would be fine for that. I've done that myself many times.

UnderCoverDork · 03/14/2007, 06:09 PM

the calculator said i needed to add 28 tsp of part A to reach my desired CAL level of 450ppm. Said to add 1/3 one day then 1/2 half the next day...is this ok to add that much at once?
after i do that do i just add equal part every morning at the same time?

thanks for all the help!

ahullsb · 03/14/2007, 06:37 PM

Yes you can add that much at once. I've raised mine from 380 to 450 with no problems. Do half one day and half the other if you'd feel better about it. The speed at which your calcium diminishes is different for every tank. Just test every day or two and watch how quickly it comes down. After a week or so you should have a pretty good idea about how much to add. I only add A and B every two days or so.

Stinkyfish1 · 03/14/2007, 09:20 PM

You might want to try using Purple Up. It has a buffer (Argo Milk), adds calcium, magnesium, and iodine all in one bottle! Use Kent liquid calcium to get the water to the desired level. Then use the directed amount of Purpe Up everyday. I have tryed all the A&B stuff and Purple Up is much better.

When you do your 10-15% water change the KH will rise some so after the water change it is nessessary to use a pure calcium such as Kent (the one in the yellow bottle) to get it back up to the desired level then use Purple Up to maintain it.

If you need to buff up the KH, use Kent's KH builder (powder). You probably won't need to do this though with using Purple Up and regular water changes.

Using kalkwasser in your top off water helps to.

bertoni · 03/14/2007, 11:27 PM

The problem with Purple Up is that the buffer and calcium are in the form of finely-powdered calcium carbonate, and thus aren't useful to the animals in our tanks, although they might fool a test kit until the powder falls out of suspension.

mwwhite · 03/15/2007, 10:41 AM

I'm with bertoni. Stinkyfish1 - that's a lot of chemicals. DIY for Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium are effective and cheap. Water changes take care of the lesser trace elements (Stronium, Iodide/Iodine, etc.). DIY can be used independently to raise Ca, Alk, or Mg, returning to balanced dosage afterwards. No need for a cupboard full of (pricy) chemicals.

03/14/2007, 05:04 PM	#1
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	Cal, Alk and KH i just purchased a Salifert KH/ALK profi test and a two little fishes CAL test kit. here are my results.. CAL - 380ppm ALK - 3.09 meq/L KH - 8.6 dKH My PH is 8.4 are these levels good for my sps and zoa reef tank? if so how would i maintain them? kalkwasser? calcium 2 part buffer? i own both thanks for the help

03/14/2007, 05:12 PM	#3
redFishblue Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 641	You can use the calculator in the following link to keep your parameters steady. http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/chemcalc.html You might want to bump up your calcium up a little. I keep mine around 420-450. __________________ it's always darkest before it's totally black

03/14/2007, 05:35 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Those levels are fine. Either a 2-part or a kalkwasser drip would be fine as supplementation schemes. I use both on a number of tanks, since limewater cannot always meet the demand for calcium and alkalinity. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/14/2007, 05:42 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Many people like to keep calcium in the 400-450 ppm range, and adding just the calcium portion would be fine for that. I've done that myself many times. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/14/2007, 06:37 PM	#8
ahullsb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: sacramento, ca Posts: 2,729	Yes you can add that much at once. I've raised mine from 380 to 450 with no problems. Do half one day and half the other if you'd feel better about it. The speed at which your calcium diminishes is different for every tank. Just test every day or two and watch how quickly it comes down. After a week or so you should have a pretty good idea about how much to add. I only add A and B every two days or so. __________________ Andy Sacramento, CA Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef w/20 gallon sump/ER135/ 75 pounds of live rock, 4 in sandbed, 2 b&w ocellaris clowns, yellow watchman/pistol, rosy scaled wrasse, Mystery wrasse, Copperbanded Butterfly, Lighting 48" outer orbit 2 150 mh/ 4 t5 actinics

03/14/2007, 05:08 PM	#2
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	is there a calculator i could use that lets me know what i need?

03/14/2007, 05:40 PM	#5
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	do i need to add more of one part to just raise the CAL? like for example part A

03/14/2007, 06:09 PM	#7
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	the calculator said i needed to add 28 tsp of part A to reach my desired CAL level of 450ppm. Said to add 1/3 one day then 1/2 half the next day...is this ok to add that much at once? after i do that do i just add equal part every morning at the same time? thanks for all the help!

03/14/2007, 09:20 PM	#9
Stinkyfish1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reno NV Posts: 81	You might want to try using Purple Up. It has a buffer (Argo Milk), adds calcium, magnesium, and iodine all in one bottle! Use Kent liquid calcium to get the water to the desired level. Then use the directed amount of Purpe Up everyday. I have tryed all the A&B stuff and Purple Up is much better. When you do your 10-15% water change the KH will rise some so after the water change it is nessessary to use a pure calcium such as Kent (the one in the yellow bottle) to get it back up to the desired level then use Purple Up to maintain it. If you need to buff up the KH, use Kent's KH builder (powder). You probably won't need to do this though with using Purple Up and regular water changes. Using kalkwasser in your top off water helps to. __________________ 120 half cylinder fowlr setup for the most part, a few easy to keep corals Current Tank Info: I have one tank as of right now 40g tall, 20g sump, reef octopus skimmer, 150w 14k Sunpod, JBJ 1/10 chiller, 300w Hydor inline heater, ViaAqua calcium reactor controlled by Milwaulkee PH controller, Ocean Pulse wavemaker

03/14/2007, 11:27 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The problem with Purple Up is that the buffer and calcium are in the form of finely-powdered calcium carbonate, and thus aren't useful to the animals in our tanks, although they might fool a test kit until the powder falls out of suspension. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/15/2007, 10:41 AM	#11
mwwhite Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Land O Lakes, FL Posts: 690	I'm with bertoni. Stinkyfish1 - that's a lot of chemicals. DIY for Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium are effective and cheap. Water changes take care of the lesser trace elements (Stronium, Iodide/Iodine, etc.). DIY can be used independently to raise Ca, Alk, or Mg, returning to balanced dosage afterwards. No need for a cupboard full of (pricy) chemicals. __________________ gwen Current Tank Info: 150 Mixed reef (gone now)