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View Full Version : Anybody else dosing B-Ionic way out of balance?


rocketeer
Mon, 15th Apr 2013, 08:24 PM
I've got a 240 gal. reef inhabited by mostly softies. Calcium readings are 480 for API, 475 for Salifert, and 400 for Nutrifin. Alk readings are 2.82 Meq/L for API and 2.75 for Salifert, still a little low but improving. Things seem to be pretty much in equilibrium. I'm dosing 150 ml/day for Alk and 42 ml/day for Cal. I've tried many test kits and done tests at LFSs.

That's more than 3 times as much Alk solution as Cal solution. Is that normal?

Jack
rocketeer
Mon, 15th Apr 2013, 08:41 PM
Mg is 1275 ppm>
electricrcplane
Mon, 15th Apr 2013, 10:20 PM
I have the same issue. I dose a lot more alk than calcium.
alton
Tue, 16th Apr 2013, 06:09 AM
I had to go back a few years to find this one

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?31063-Serious-Reef-help-please/page5&highlight=bowl+marbles
Big_Pun
Tue, 16th Apr 2013, 08:02 AM
I had to go back a few years to find this one

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?31063-Serious-Reef-help-please/page5&highlight=bowl+marbles


lol look at all those "old salties" even Dan(bigscobra) is there wow
electricrcplane
Tue, 16th Apr 2013, 09:36 AM
My calcium/magnesium levels are spot on. I do a 10 gallon water change weekly and my ph has stabilized at around 8.10. I have a hard time going above that due to the biopellets no matter how much alk I dose.
rocketeer
Tue, 16th Apr 2013, 10:00 PM
Sooo... marbles in a bowl would imply that if my Ca was too high, I would not be able to raise my Alk. Ok, that's fine. But, is 400 to 480 high? I thought it was just ok. It seems I should still be able to fit some Alk in there, since it's pretty low. At my current dosing levels, Ca is staying pretty constant and Alk is slowly increasing. I would reduce my Ca dosing gladly if it is 480, but what if it's really 400? Should I buy a fourth test kit? I had other test kits give low readings as well. Ok now I'm just complaining.

So what you're saying is that my tank isn't using three times as much Alk as Ca. It's just not able to absorb the Alk and it's taking on some other form somewhere. If it was precipitating out, I would think it would take an equal amount of Ca with it. And I didn't think that would happen unless my ca was over 500 or something.

Any ideas? BTW, I'm changing out 30 gal, or about 12% per week with Oceanic.

Jack