Hi Calcium & High Alk

chocolateblnt · 11/14/2006, 01:39 AM

I finally got some salifert tests ... I was using some other crap before and it turns out my levels are out of whack.

Ca - 500
Alk in dKH - 10

How do I bring these 2 down? Just water changes? Wait?!

Boomer · 11/14/2006, 09:30 AM

What kind of salt are you using ? Do you add anything to make it that high ? Just let it come down by itself... wait.

chocolateblnt · 11/14/2006, 11:31 AM

I am using coralife salt ...

I accidently overdosed because my other test kits were hard to read. So I guess I'll just wait ...

Boomer · 11/14/2006, 02:12 PM

Yes just let it wait.

chocolateblnt · 11/14/2006, 02:15 PM

Will my alk decrease in conjunction with the ca ... ? Thanks Boomer!

Boomer · 11/14/2006, 02:33 PM

More than like no. The Alk will drop faster, so keep a closer eye on that

A tank with a high Alk demand may drop 1 -1.5 dKH / day with lots of hard corals. Some of that Alk will go to neutralizing acids and not just hard corals and coralline algae. If the corals, coralline and say calcium deposits on the glass, heater and pump, if you get any of that, drops the Ca++ 20 ppm, the Alk will drop 2.8 dKH just from that. And any added acid neutralizing and other reactions will make it drop more than that 2.8.

This will go into greater detail

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm

chocolateblnt · 11/14/2006, 03:05 PM

Thanks again ... at the moment I only have 1 SPS coral ... a few mushrooms and some zoo's. So I don't think ca & alk usage isn't that high. I want to get my levels perfect before I start stocking few more. Thanks for the info I will read up on it. I'll also keep an eye on that alk

Boomer · 11/15/2006, 10:36 AM

Your're Welcome

DrBDC · 11/15/2006, 10:57 AM

FWIW, more water changes will try to keep it where it's at because coralife runs about 480-500ca and 10-11 dKh.

chocolateblnt · 11/15/2006, 12:55 PM

wow really? That is pretty high ... did you check this by simply making water and salt?

DrBDC · 11/15/2006, 01:10 PM

That's pretty much what everyone tests it at. It's been awhile since I've used it (approx 1 year). dKh is about that on the majority of salt mixes and many keep thier tanks at that. 2.5-4 meg/liter is the standard recommended which is 7-11.1ish. I keep mine about 10 myself. Many will keep it up to 14 even although that's pretty high IMO. IO runs around 11 but a low ca of around 360-380. Reef crystals run around 440 and 11. And the whopper of calcium Oceanic was running 600+ last I tried it but with only 7 on dKh. I hope that has changed over time but I've never heard of anyone mentioning a change.

Salt mix choice is a hot topic around here!

but you'll find many stick with the IO and just bump the ca and magnesium up a little or go with the reef crystals.

chocolateblnt · 11/15/2006, 01:13 PM

Yea ... I just came up on 2 buckets of coralife salt mix for free so it will be some time before I switch salts. I guess I just need more SPS and LPS to eat up the excess calcium ... and definitely stop dosing for the moment. I don't have many corals right now ... I am trying to get all my levels sorted out.

Anyway thanks for all the info DoC!

11/14/2006, 01:39 AM	#1
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	Hi Calcium & High Alk I finally got some salifert tests ... I was using some other crap before and it turns out my levels are out of whack. Ca - 500 Alk in dKH - 10 How do I bring these 2 down? Just water changes? Wait?!

11/14/2006, 09:30 AM	#2
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	What kind of salt are you using ? Do you add anything to make it that high ? Just let it come down by itself... wait. __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

11/14/2006, 02:12 PM	#4
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	Yes just let it wait. __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

11/14/2006, 02:33 PM	#6
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	More than like no. The Alk will drop faster, so keep a closer eye on that A tank with a high Alk demand may drop 1 -1.5 dKH / day with lots of hard corals. Some of that Alk will go to neutralizing acids and not just hard corals and coralline algae. If the corals, coralline and say calcium deposits on the glass, heater and pump, if you get any of that, drops the Ca++ 20 ppm, the Alk will drop 2.8 dKH just from that. And any added acid neutralizing and other reactions will make it drop more than that 2.8. This will go into greater detail A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

11/15/2006, 10:36 AM	#8
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	Your're Welcome __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

11/14/2006, 11:31 AM	#3
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	I am using coralife salt ... I accidently overdosed because my other test kits were hard to read. So I guess I'll just wait ...

11/14/2006, 02:15 PM	#5
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	Will my alk decrease in conjunction with the ca ... ? Thanks Boomer!

11/14/2006, 03:05 PM	#7
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	Thanks again ... at the moment I only have 1 SPS coral ... a few mushrooms and some zoo's. So I don't think ca & alk usage isn't that high. I want to get my levels perfect before I start stocking few more. Thanks for the info I will read up on it. I'll also keep an eye on that alk

11/15/2006, 10:57 AM	#9
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	FWIW, more water changes will try to keep it where it's at because coralife runs about 480-500ca and 10-11 dKh. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

11/15/2006, 12:55 PM	#10
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	wow really? That is pretty high ... did you check this by simply making water and salt?

11/15/2006, 01:10 PM	#11
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	That's pretty much what everyone tests it at. It's been awhile since I've used it (approx 1 year). dKh is about that on the majority of salt mixes and many keep thier tanks at that. 2.5-4 meg/liter is the standard recommended which is 7-11.1ish. I keep mine about 10 myself. Many will keep it up to 14 even although that's pretty high IMO. IO runs around 11 but a low ca of around 360-380. Reef crystals run around 440 and 11. And the whopper of calcium Oceanic was running 600+ last I tried it but with only 7 on dKh. I hope that has changed over time but I've never heard of anyone mentioning a change. Salt mix choice is a hot topic around here! but you'll find many stick with the IO and just bump the ca and magnesium up a little or go with the reef crystals. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

11/15/2006, 01:13 PM	#12
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	Yea ... I just came up on 2 buckets of coralife salt mix for free so it will be some time before I switch salts. I guess I just need more SPS and LPS to eat up the excess calcium ... and definitely stop dosing for the moment. I don't have many corals right now ... I am trying to get all my levels sorted out. Anyway thanks for all the info DoC!