Trouble keeping Levels up

[jaustiniv]

I have a 55 gal with T-5 lights, Tide pool sump with carbon and Live rock rubble. I am having trouble keeping my KH and CA up to the levels that i would like. I would like CA to be 400 and dKH 8-9. Right now they run from 340-380 ca with dkh 5-7.

I dose Bionics 30ml Monday-Friday, with 30ml Tech M on Friday with 2 drops of iodine.

Corals: sps, lps, softies, zoos and palys.

Fish: Flame Angel, Mystery Wrasse, Yellow Tang, Manderine Goby, 2 Chromies, and 1 perc. Clown.

About 70-80 lbs of live rock in tank, 2" of live sand, blue leg hermits, snails galore.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My nitrates 0, Ammonia 0

[dapettit]

How often do test for Ca and KH? Are testing for magnesium? I have found this calculator very helpful:

reef chemisty calculator (http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html)

Should help calculate the amount you need to raise your Ca and KH.

[hobogato]

have you tested your magnesium? i see that you are adding tech M, but it may not be enough to keep your magnesium up. if your magnesium is low, it will be difficult to keep calcium and alkalinity up.

[apedroza]

I dose the b-ionic everyday and usually dose a little more than required, but my tank is heavily sps dominant. I usually add magnesium only when I see it falling.

[jaustiniv]

I have not tested the Magnesium. I will get something to do that. I get my ro/di water from AquaTech. I add 10ml of Magnesium for every 2.5 gal. I Top off each morning.

Could that be my problem, topping off each day?

[envy]

i have been dosing b-ionic for about 1 1/2 months and there has been a change in coral growth and color form my sps and lps. good product to use

[JimD]

Simple, just add more B-Ionic until you reach the desired results.

[matt]

Simple, just add more B-Ionic until you reach the desired results.

Yep.

[bluewalk20]

how about your ph

[stoneroller]

Why not use a less expensive product like Reefbuilder to get your alkalinity up then use B-ionic to maintain it? For example, assuming 55 gallon of water, to get from 5 to 9 dKH, you'd need 425 ml of B-ionic alk, according to the reef chemistry calculator. That's a lot to make up. Using, Reefbuilder you'd need 4.1 tsps. A lot cheaper if I am not mistaken. Anything wrong with this approach?

[bimmerzs]

Why not use a less expensive product like Reefbuilder to get your alkalinity up then use B-ionic to maintain it? For example, assuming 55 gallon of water, to get from 5 to 9 dKH, you'd need 425 ml of B-ionic alk, according to the reef chemistry calculator. That's a lot to make up. Using, Reefbuilder you'd need 4.1 tsps. A lot cheaper if I am not mistaken. Anything wrong with this approach?


Totally agree with this strategy, use reefbuilder to boost to desired level and b-ionic to maintain that level. Sounds like you need to recalculate your tanks consumption and ensure magnesium levels are three times your Ca level....within reason(~1380ppm)

Cheers,

[jaustiniv]

Thanks for all the advice! You Maastards are great!