Ca and Alk help

Johmanda · Jul 15, 2013

46g bowfront has been set up just shy of one year. Water looks good and corals seem happy. That being said the Ca and dKH numbers are low. Should I be dosing with the 2 part stuff to raise those levels?
pH = 8.0
SG = 1.025
Ca = 360
dKH = 89.5
Phosphate = 0
Nitrate = 0
Temp = 80.7F

I am using RO/DI water for top off and WC.
The corals are: Frogspawn, Alveopora, Goniopora, Leather, Candy Cane, Colt, Mushrooms, Zoas. There are 2 Pajama Crdinal Fish, 1 Flame Hawkfish, 1 Lawnmower Blenny and Emerald Crabs + Hermit Crabs for CUC

Aquaph8 · Jul 15, 2013

Your a little low on calcium, Im assuming your DKH is suposed to be 8.95?

Johmanda · Jul 15, 2013

Well - on the dKH it took 5 drops of solution 2 to change the color. API test kit. I think the formula is to multiply the # of drops by 17.9 to get the true measurement of ppm?

Aquaph8 · Jul 15, 2013

Correct which is about 5dkh. In that case yes your low on both. I would slowly bring them up with two part. If you have any specific questions about dosing two part please do post them up and I'd be glad to help. I reccomend to bring your calcium up in increments of 50ppm per day and your Alk no more than one dkh per day. Dose the two parts separately, 20-30 minutes apart works well. It's always best to spread your dose out and do little doses throughout the day. Hope this helps

Johmanda · Jul 15, 2013

Thank you. I will start it tomorrow. The directions say to do it before the lights come one. How long after dosing should I test the water again - 24 hours?

Aquaph8 · Jul 15, 2013

What brand are you using? I've never heard that before, Infact most people dose all throughout the day. I usually just test the following day before my next dose, that way it gives you an idea of where your at.

Aquaph8 · Jul 15, 2013

Try this out, might save you a few bucks

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Good article for understanding calcium/Alk

Chemistry and the Aquarium

Chemistry calculator

'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV'

Johmanda · Jul 15, 2013

Those articles look good. I will be using Ocean's Blend - won it in a raffle. I will keep you posted on how things go.

mcarroll · Jul 16, 2013

Dosing at night is typical - particularly for alkalinity.

At night, once photosynthesis stops and respiration begins here is more CO2 in the water to "absorb" the alk dose and prevent a pH spike. (In kind, you are also preventing too much a pH drop after lights-out.) If you are dosing without a dosing pump or manual dripper, this is highly recommended. (In fact, a DIY dripper is really recommended if at all possible...."dump it in" is the least conservative approach, although you can make it work.)

BTW, you will need to know the concentration and/or dosing rate to make a given change in ppm's.

What you are looking for will usually be written something like:
"1 mL will raise 1 gallon of water by 3.7 ppm"

...without that you really can't dose correctly (safely)...and many brands do not include that info for some reason.

(FWIW, if this is an issue and you buy commercial reagents again, consider Brightwell Calcion and Alklin8.3....package instructions are both useful and educational...)

You can sorta figure this out through testing, but only within the accuracy of your home test kits....so it's much preferred for the mfgr to tell you the dosage rate.

-Matt

P.S. There are a lot more options and considerations with DIY reagents...definitely keep in mind, but I would wait until you are good and comfortable with testing and dosing already as well as all the info linked earlier about making your own before you worry about using DIY reagents. Also, YMMV, but expense is usually minimal even with commercial reagents at the beginning so you don't actually get that much out of switching at this point anyway.

Aquaph8 · Jul 16, 2013

That makes sense, good info.

Johmanda · Jul 16, 2013

Thank you both - great information. This is my first reef tank so I'm learning everything new. I'm a pretty smart cookie at following instructions and testing. I know my test kits aren't the best. I do have the Red Sea test kit but I'm not yet comfortable with the manipulation of the drip syringes. I'll get there though. I have a great local source for information but I think it's always good to see what others are doing and recommending.

beaslbob · Jul 16, 2013

I like the diy two part referenced above.

There is also a good stickie here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-forum/39332-do-yourself-two-part-links.html

once you get rid of the free stuff you won consider these:

calcium chloride available from redimic concrete places. about $20 for a 50 pound bag. Also there is a more concentrated from brand name something like cal chlor which comes in 25 pound bags for $9 or so. It is anhydrous( no water) and 92-96% pure. (compair to ingredients in kent trubo cal).

baking soda from gorcery store (sodium bycarbonate for alk)

epsom salts for mag and part the the magnesium part of the diy 2 part. (drug store 5 pounds for a few bucks)

mrs wages pickling lime as a substitute for kalk. I put a teaspoon in my 1 gallon top off.

magnesium chloride as the other part of the magnesium dosing. This one is harder to obtain but is used as ice melter. I get mine from an industrial supplier

Johmanda · Jul 20, 2013

Ok so here's where we are now:
Ca = 420
dkH =6
pH = 7.8
Mag = 1360

Mag. tested with Red Sea others with API

Did the 2 part Ocean's Blend dosing on Tuesday - 25 mls. each part given 1 hour apart. Also used 5 ml. IO Ca Booster on Wed. as Ca still tested low.

With the Alk. and pH still low what do y'all suggest I do. I do have a pH Buffering product that I had to use in the 240 FO as it's pH was quite low.

CubanPete · Jul 20, 2013

BE CAREFUL CHASING THE PH!!! Lol. I just found out the hard way. I have a thread about my tank crashing and was doin just that. I've heard ph is important, but mag and alk are more so. If those two are right, calk an ph will fall into place where they are supposed to be. There's a lot of good info in mine as well.