Calcium and Alkalinity Levels??

[elm0]

I just started dosing my tank with Kent's 2 part Calcium buffer, and I'm unsure of what the proper levels of Calcium and Alkalinity are that i'm trying to obtain....do I stop dosing at a certain point, I've been dosing one in the morning and the other in the evening for right at a week now, before i started dosing my calcium was at 460 and my alkalinity was at 12, i just tested again yesterday and my calcium is at 620 and my alkalininty is at 16...are these too high?

Any advice would be helpful...thanks


Kenneth

[matt]

Calcium at 620 and alkalinity at 16dkh? I doubt it. Unless your ph is REALLY low you're well above the saturation rates of sea water. Better check the ph pronto, preferably with a probe, and while you're at it, maybe try a different calcium and alk test kit, like Salifert. If your readings are correct and your ph is anywhere normal I'd be pretty surprised. I'd like to know, anyhow. When you had Ca at 460 and dkh at 12 you were pretty close to ideal; a little higher than NSW level for calcium, and pretty high but not over the top for alk.

It kind of sounds like you could stand some reading on basic reef chemistry issues. You might check out articles written by Randy Holmes-Farley on Ca and alk maintainance; just go to the reef chemistry forum on reefcentral and find links to his articles. People have posted those links on tis board as well. Good luck!

[elm0]

Thanks for the info matt.....my PH has been between 8.2 and 8.4 for the last few weeks, long before i started testing or dosing the cal buffer, I've been testing with the AP liquid tests, they seem to be pretty accurate for all my other tests.
By the way, what is the cal and alk level in NSW?

[NaCl_H2O]

I agree with Matt, these readings seem unlikely.

How long has your tank been up? How often do you do a water change? Are you using RO or RODI water?

Depending on these answers, you could have high TDS (Total disolved solids) which caused even my Salifert Ca tests to read off the scale. I only got my Ca & Alk under control after masive water changes with an RODI.

[Reef69]

I wouldnt worry about the calcium too much, unless you have a full blown reef and clams and inverts that need it to molt. I stopped using the kalkwasser thingy and started using b-ionic, everything seems so much better, the calcium remains steady at 500..if you get a chance try it..

[elm0]

I agree with Matt, these readings seem unlikely.

How long has your tank been up? How often do you do a water change? Are you using RO or RODI water?

Depending on these answers, you could have high TDS (Total disolved solids) which caused even my Salifert Ca tests to read off the scale. I only got my Ca & Alk under control after masive water changes with an RODI.

The tank has been up for about 4 months i guess, fully stocked with LR and Sand for about 2 months, I've only done about 3 partial water changes in that time period, I've been using the "top off water" at Austin Aquariums, not sure what that is exactly or what the diff is between RO or RODI water. I have been using Red Sea salt...i dont know if that would have anything to do with it.
What should I do at this point....do I stop dosing, do i continue, I dont want to kill anything in my tank, I dont have any corals or clams yet but i do want a full reef tank eventually, i just want it in the best possible health before introducing those items to the tank

[Tim Marvin]

I beleive calcium solidifys and precipitates out of the water around 560-575. Kinda looks like a snow flurry. You need to take your water in and have it checked. Aquatek uses Tunze test kits which are very accurate and they will probably test it for free.
If your readings are still high add abunch of SPS frags, clams, caps, and other reef building corals. You can trade or buy them inexpensively off of other club members, or most of the LFS will allow you to have one for $50-$100 each.

[Brett Wilson]

Here is the stuff that matt was referring too...

The chemisty forum on RC:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=112

The CA/Alk articles:

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2004/chem.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

Calcium and Alkalinity Balance Issues
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-...ature/index.htm

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement (Aragamight; Liquid Reactor)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ly2002/chem.htm

The Relationship Between Alkalinity and pH.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/chem.htm

The Chemical & Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification in Corals
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm

Calcium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm

Alkalinity
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm

[NaCl_H2O]

Here is the stuff that matt was referring too...

WOW :o :o :o

Kinda like Penthouse for reefers!!!

[Brett Wilson]

WOW

Kinda like Penthouse for reefers!!!

hey man, maybe you should think about getting a keyboard cover! LMAO

[DeAngelove]

Hey Kenneth -

Yeah... I would agree with Matt & Tim and recommend taking some water into AquaTek and having them test your water for you, as well. Sometimes the testing can be kind of tricky, especially if you just recently started in the hobby... and its always better to be certain before you do anything drastic to your tank.

I believe "your tank" has been up for about 6 months, instead of four, if I remember correctly.

Anyhow... HTH.

Regards,
DAB


I just started dosing my tank with Kent's 2 part Calcium buffer, and I'm unsure of what the proper levels of Calcium and Alkalinity are that i'm trying to obtain....do I stop dosing at a certain point, I've been dosing one in the morning and the other in the evening for right at a week now, before i started dosing my calcium was at 460 and my alkalinity was at 12, i just tested again yesterday and my calcium is at 620 and my alkalininty is at 16...are these too high?

Any advice would be helpful...thanks


Kenneth

[RobertG]

hey man, maybe you should think about getting a keyboard cover! LMAO

ROFLMAO !!!!! :cry2: Your getting great advise! Good Luck

[GaryP]

I sorta thought it was funny that paper on the purity of calcium chloride showed that the cheapest stuff (Dowflake) was no worse than the more expensive supplements.

I have been using Dowflake for a few months and have been very happy with the results.

Gary