Alk being used but calcium not?

[slythy]

So i have been tracking alk and calcium with my trident for a few months and got to the point where I know if I dose 4ml of alk (brs 2 part kit) a day I can stay stable at 8.00 alk. Calcium seems to go up when i dose and isnt super conistant. I havent seen it reliably drop in my spread sheet over the last month or so. I have a bunch of SPS frags, some euphilia and other LPS.

Thanks,

 

[CasperOe]

So i have been tracking alk and calcium with my trident for a few months and got to the point where I know if I dose 4ml of alk (brs 2 part kit) a day I can stay stable at 8.00 alk. Calcium seems to go up when i dose and isnt super conistant. I havent seen it reliably drop in my spread sheet over the last month or so. I have a bunch of SPS frags, some euphilia and other LPS.

Thanks,

Do another test using a test kit and compare with your Trident to verify your results!

-qte-
One key fact to understand about calcium and alkalinity is that if one level is out of range, the other will move in the opposite direction. For example, if your calcium level is 500ppm or more, your alkalinity will likely test quite low. If your alkalinity tests over 13 dKH, your calcium will most likely be below 380.
-uqte-

One does not move without the other one; it is just a matter of being able to test and identify it correctly. You could consider an ICP as well if you want to be sure!

 

[slythy]

g able to test and identify it correctly. You could

I would have assumed they didnt have an inverse relationship... which is why when i dose Alk, Cal goes up... I figured the reason you dosed 2 part is because they get consumed at a reasonably close rate.

 

[CasperOe]

I would have assumed they didnt have an inverse relationship... which is why when i dose Alk, Cal goes up... I figured the reason you dosed 2 part is because they get consumed at a reasonably close rate.

The net consumption is about 18-20 ppm of calcium for each 1 meq/L (2.8 dKH) of alkalinity

I found this very helpful also click

As for the Trident; get yourself a couple of test kits just to verify the results you're getting. Auto testers are great, but I wouldn't trust them blindly! I run a KH Keeper Plus from Reef Factory but I still manually tests once per week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Alk can be depleted by rising nitrate. Is nitrate rising?

The calcium depletion may be too small to easily detect even if it is being used at the proportional rate. I recommend adding it unless the calcium is already too high.

 

[slythy]

Alk can be depleted by rising nitrate. Is nitrate rising?

The calcium depletion may be too small to easily detect even if it is being used at the proportional rate. I recommend adding it unless the calcium is already too high.

im dosing nitrates/phos because my fuge will take it down to zero. So if anything nitrate should be dropping.

i dont want to go over 500 on calcium. I know its not too high it just seems high lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

im dosing nitrates/phos because my fuge will take it down to zero. So if anything nitrate should be dropping.

i dont want to go over 500 on calcium. I know its not too high it just seems high lol

If you are dosing nitrate, that will be adding alkalinity. It's OK to not dose calcium for a while if it is high, but if it is actually where you want it, then I'd dose it as the dosing should keep it there.

 

[I.AM.MR.MIKE]

I just got fooled by the Trident again myself. I had noticed a month ago Calcium began rising so I thought my water changes were compensating and I shut my Calcium doser off till recently when Calcium began to drop again. My calcium reagent was around 25% when Calcium began to rise. I have been back to dosing around 10ml a day for the last week and my reagent was under 10%. I just changed reagent and calibrated. I then tested my tank and Calcium was reading 310. It was reading 440 before the change and calibration. Mag went up about 90 points after the reagent change and calibration. Dang it... So I have been running with low Calcium for a month due to a faulty reading. I tested manually and the calibrated readings from Trident after the Reagent change are correct. I am beginning to understand my slow growth issues compared to before I bought the Trident. I had much better success prior to the Trident. I trust the Alk reading with the Trident but the Ca has done this to me many times and I keep forgetting not to trust it for Ca.