Cal & Alk non stop up and down

[Sphinxj13]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some input/advice. My Calcium and Alk are constantly all over the place and as soon as I feel like I get the doser dialed back in one goes haywire again. I'm dosing brs dry powder for both according to the mix instructions but I'm starting to think that the mixes are completely inconsistent. I've never had issues in the past with it and tend to keep my alk at 9.3 and calcium I try to keep around 420. Maybe my doser is wrong or not working correctly or the mixes are off and now I'm at a loss. My current levels now are cal: 330 alk: 15.7 nothing is clearly been a drastic change since all sps and LPS seem happy. Anyone have issues with brs mixing? Suggestions for different brand to dose? TIA

 

[Lavey29]

If you have such a variation then the first think I would check for the tank is salinity and calibration of your tool. Alk and cal need to be dosed in same amounts but it is based off alk consumption. What is your magnesium?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium moves very slowly. If it is bouncing around, I suspect test error.

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some input/advice. My Calcium and Alk are constantly all over the place and as soon as I feel like I get the doser dialed back in one goes haywire again. I'm dosing brs dry powder for both according to the mix instructions but I'm starting to think that the mixes are completely inconsistent. I've never had issues in the past with it and tend to keep my alk at 9.3 and calcium I try to keep around 420. Maybe my doser is wrong or not working correctly or the mixes are off and now I'm at a loss. My current levels now are cal: 330 alk: 15.7 nothing is clearly been a drastic change since all sps and LPS seem happy. Anyone have issues with brs mixing? Suggestions for different brand to dose? TIA

Have you checked magnesium?

 

[Sphinxj13]

Tank salinity is 1.026 and mag is 1170. I'm using well at least I thought approx. 160ml of alk and 80ml of cal per day. I just tested all 3 using salifert. Nothing is changing rapidly.

 

[Lavey29]

Tank salinity is 1.026 and mag is 1170. I'm using well at least I thought approx. 160ml of alk and 80ml of cal per day. I just tested all 3 using salifert. Nothing is changing rapidly.

Your mag is low and probably contributing to instability.

 

[Sphinxj13]

Your mag is low and probably contributing to instability.

I can see that having an effect but that much of a difference?

 

[Lavey29]

I can see that having an effect but that much of a difference?

Well it's the buffer that helps maintain the balance with alk and cal. You need to stop dosing and do a good size water change to start bringing your alk down along with cal and mag up. You will probably need to dose mag to get it to 1350. I would then not dose any alk or cal until you alk comes down to 8 or 9. May need multiple water changes. I would ditch the powder mix. Get some bionic alk and cal liquid dose and determine what your alk consumption is and work from there.

 

[Sphinxj13]

Well it's the buffer that helps maintain the balance with alk and cal. You need to stop dosing and do a good size water change to start bringing your alk down along with cal and mag up. You will probably need to dose mag to get it to 1350. I would then not dose any alk or cal until you alk comes down to 8 or 9. May need multiple water changes. I would ditch the powder mix. Get some bionic alk and cal liquid dose and determine what your alk consumption is and work from there.

Okay, and I started dosing mag tonight, ill do a little each day. It's liquid cal and alk bc I mix it up which is why I was thinking there was an issue with the batch since I'm pretty ocd about having the correct measurements.

 

[bushdoc]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some input/advice. My Calcium and Alk are constantly all over the place and as soon as I feel like I get the doser dialed back in one goes haywire again. I'm dosing brs dry powder for both according to the mix instructions but I'm starting to think that the mixes are completely inconsistent. I've never had issues in the past with it and tend to keep my alk at 9.3 and calcium I try to keep around 420. Maybe my doser is wrong or not working correctly or the mixes are off and now I'm at a loss. My current levels now are cal: 330 alk: 15.7 nothing is clearly been a drastic change since all sps and LPS seem happy. Anyone have issues with brs mixing? Suggestions for different brand to dose? TIA

I've been using BRS/Pharma 2 part for years and never had problems with consistency of their products.
I had following issues with dosing though:
blocking of dosing tubing due to precipitation ( as I immersed end of tubing in sump water), precipitation due to dosing in low flow area of the sump, air entrapment by dosing pump due to faulty assembly, errors made by myself using Apex OSC calculator

 

[Sphinxj13]

I've been using BRS/Pharma 2 part for years and never had problems with consistency of their products.
I had following issues with dosing though:
blocking of dosing tubing due to precipitation ( as I immersed end of tubing in sump water), precipitation due to dosing in low flow area of the sump, air entrapment by dosing pump due to faulty assembly, errors made by myself using Apex OSC calculator

Definitely have to check that out on mine since I've noticed that in the past. Thanks for the help.

 

[Lavey29]

Okay, and I started dosing mag tonight, ill do a little each day. It's liquid cal and alk bc I mix it up which is why I was thinking there was an issue with the batch since I'm pretty ocd about having the correct measurements.

Well use what you have confidence in and I realize the powder is mixed into a liquid dose but I have more confidence in a factory generated pre mixed solution and an accurate doser with good wifi app for monitoring. I think you will get back into balance in the near term but you need to identify the cause that made your parameters out of balance. Be sure you are using a quality salt mix and dosing according to what the salt mixes at for alk and cal. Some like lower alk salt mix others prefer higher level.

 

[Lavey29]

Okay, and I started dosing mag tonight, ill do a little each day. It's liquid cal and alk bc I mix it up which is why I was thinking there was an issue with the batch since I'm pretty ocd about having the correct measurements.

Well use what you have confidence in and I realize the powder is mixed into a liquid dose but I have more confidence in a factory generated pre mixed solution and an accurate doser with good wifi app for monitoring. I think you will get back into balance in the near term but you need to identify the cause that made your parameters out of balance. Be sure you are using a quality salt mix and dosing according to what the salt mixes ay for alk and cal. Some like lower alk salt mix others prefer higher level.

 

[Dburr1014]

I can see that having an effect but that much of a difference?

Absolutely will cause problems in stability.
I like to keep mag minimum 1350. Mine is up to 1500ish with my caRx

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think that a better way to think of magnesium (testing of which is notoriously inaccurate) is that lower magnesium increases apparent demand for calcium and alkalinity.

 

[Sphinxj13]

I think that a better way to think of magnesium (testing of which is notoriously inaccurate) is that lower magnesium increases apparent demand for calcium and alkalinity.

Definitely a good way to think of it which I never thought of and always thought "wow it's crazy how much alk I'm dosing"