Calcification and stray voltage

[Cornerboy]

Dr. Randy

Since I started dosing 2 part I have had growing problems with calcification over the glass and both my display and sump and with my olitee sand hardening. The water stays clear but it's all over the glass Etc. There's noticable build up after 1 day and after 3 days you can't see through the glass. I'm dosing 20 to 25 mL of alkalinity on the even hours and dosing about 20 to 25 mL of calcium on the odd hours. the total water volume in the system is about 90 gallons with tons of live rock and sand with corals that should produce moderate+ demand and are doing well. My parameters have been as follows:

Dkh 10 +/- 1
Ca. 420-500
Mg. 1350-1450

One factor that may contribute from an electrical standpoint is that my sump is about 25 ft away from my display tank. The build-up first appeared in the sump where I'm dosing but now its everywhere.

The knowledgeable staff at the lfs were baffled but one said a friend of his had a similar problem they tried to solve for months and once they put an electrical ground in the system it resolved.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Dan

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't believe stray voltage will have any effect one way or the other on abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate. That said, adding a grounding probe along with all circuits of GFCI is a good idea for other reasons.

However, abiotic preciptiation is a very common issue because even normal seawater at 7 dKH is supersaturated with calcium carbonate, and when the pH, alk, or calcium even transiently goes higher, precipitation can go even faster. Once it is going well for any reason, the fresh calcium carbonate surfaces act as seed crystals for additional precipitation.

Thus, the way to solve it is to break the cycle by letting the fresh CaCO3 surfaces get clogged with magnesium, phosphate, organics, bacteria, etc., while stopping dosing of alk for a bit. Then restart, perhaps at a lower alk (say 7 dKH), a few days to a week later.

 

[Cornerboy]

You sir, are a genius!! I shall begin my war against the dreaded seed crystals by attacking their supply lines today. Many many thanks!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Good luck!

 

[mrtian97]

Hi Randy,
I have similar issue (but mainly in the sump where I dose my 2 parts), I am dosing throughout the day in small qty using DOS pump for a total of 230mL CaCl solution and 240mL of Sodium Carbonate solution.
My Alk level only 7 (+/- 1) and my Ca level is 400-435, and pH 7.8-8.1.

Any suggestions how to reduce this calcification , which mainly on the bottom of my sump and glass of the sump.

Thanks