Calcium Dosing Question

[wwarriner]

I'm dosing 30cc of each part of the Bionic 2 part calcium TWICE per day just to keep my calcium levels going below 440-460. If I only dose once per day then it drops down to 360-380. Do you think its time for a calcium reactor? I'm looking at Geo reactors right now.

[JimD]

Thats a lot of difference. What do you have thats using so much calcium every 12 hours?

[glennr1978]

How's your Mg level? Your tank will require much more Ca and Alk to stay balanced if Mg is low.

I'm interested to know what you've got in that sucker too??? I've got basically the same water volume in my system as you do, w/ a good ammount of SPS and a clam. My tank only requires 25ml of B-Ionics daily. In my tank CA is 460, dkh is 10, and Mg is 1450. Those reading are at 1.026.

I made a very simple little DIY dosing pump system for two part that is waaaay easy to do, cost next to nothing to build, and has worked extremely well for me for over 6 months now. PM me for details.

[JimD]

Why not post your device publicly so we can all benefit? Id like to see it.

[glennr1978]

I guess I could...

give me a few minutes.

[glennr1978]

DIY 2 part dosing pump system posted in the DIY forums. enjoy!!

[wwarriner]

I don't really have that much in there. I've got 21 corals, some frags and some mini colonies, no clam, and around 45-50 pounds of LR. I'm also dosing Bionic Mg to keep my Mg up as well. I have noticed my frags growing a lot faster that I'm not letting the Calcium levels drop below 440.

[glennr1978]

Do you have a Mg test kit? Low Mg is still my guess.

[Joshua]

What's your Alk at? If it's through the roof your Ca will tend to drop rapidly. Also is that Mg test kit pretty old? If so could be giving you false readings. IME it's pretty rare to have low Mg levels so I would look more toward the Alk being too high.

[wwarriner]

I just tested everything and I am currently at:

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 440
Alk 10
Mg 1140

I know that Mg should be in the 1300 range but would Mg being 140ppm lower be causing that much calcium loss?