Calcium and Alk consumptions always changing

[Travis Stewart]

I feel like I am always changing my dosing amounts because my levels are getting too high or too low when it comes to alk and calcium. I wouldn’t say I am chasing numbers but test regularly and seems like they vary a lot. Thoughts or reasons behind this?

 

[Travis Stewart]

Bump

 

[Bayareareefer18]

How much fluctuation are you seeing?

 

[Travis Stewart]

How much fluctuation are you seeing?

well not really fluctuating back and forth or even quickly but will be very stable at 430 for a week then the next week or week and half later 375 or it will be 475...alk sometimes same way but from 7-9

 

[rmurken]

I’m going through something similar and trying to understand what might be behind it, although the tank is fine so not sweating it. Has anything changed for you?

My data points are:

- Alk swing between 7.9-9.5

- pH fell while Alk was rising (8.1 down to 7.7)—opened a window, pH went back to normal.

- Skimmer overflowed once recently

- Been playing with photoperiod, intensity, and white/blue balance

- Had been maintaining Alk at low 8s/high 7s with modest kalk drips, but once the Alk started to rise seemingly on its own, I stopped.

- Phosphate has been 0 for a long time. Started to rise and I replaced PhosGuard. It came down from .014 to .006, but has not budged no matter how much I change out the PhosGuard. This doesn’t bother me.

 

[Travis Stewart]

I’m going through something similar and trying to understand what might be behind it, although the tank is fine so not sweating it. Has anything changed for you?

My data points are:

- Alk swing between 7.9-9.5

- pH fell while Alk was rising (8.1 down to 7.7)—opened a window, pH went back to normal.

- Skimmer overflowed once recently

- Been playing with photoperiod, intensity, and white/blue balance

- Had been maintaining Alk at low 8s/high 7s with modest kalk drips, but once the Alk started to rise seemingly on its own, I stopped.

- Phosphate has been 0 for a long time. Started to rise and I replaced PhosGuard. It came down from .014 to .006, but has not budged no matter how much I change out the PhosGuard. This doesn’t bother me.

my pH has been stable but only thing I can think of is my corals are using a lot for growth. Tank is happy and corals are too but I hate having to adjust amount I’m dosing. Makes me feel like I’m chasing numbers.

 

[rmurken]

my pH has been stable but only thing I can think of is my corals are using a lot for growth. Tank is happy and corals are too but I hate having to adjust amount I’m dosing. Makes me feel like I’m chasing numbers.

How much can you expand your time window; i.e., even if you see daily fluctuation in rate, do the numbers stabilize if you just look week to week? My stuff is all over the place from day to day but when it’s normal it averages out to .2/day.

 

[SliceGolfer]

Something I’ve noticed in my tank is if I keep my hands out of the tank, Alk consumption is stable or increases. Put my hand in, move something, mount a coral, etc, Alk consumption is stable at best, but usually is lower afterwards for a week. I am experimenting with wearing a full length nitrile glove and forceps when I have to put a hand in. Changes always result in a stall on Alk consumption.

 

[Travis Stewart]

How much can you expand your time window; i.e., even if you see daily fluctuation in rate, do the numbers stabilize if you just look week to week? My stuff is all over the place from day to day but when it’s normal it averages out to .2/day.

thats a good question. I will keep my testing up for a week and update.Good thoughts

 

[Travis Stewart]

How much can you expand your time window; i.e., even if you see daily fluctuation in rate, do the numbers stabilize if you just look week to week? My stuff is all over the place from day to day but when it’s normal it averages out to .2/day.

thats a good question. I will keep my testing up for a week and update.Good thoughts

 

[Travis Stewart]

Something I’ve noticed in my tank is if I keep my hands out of the tank, Alk consumption is stable or increases. Put my hand in, move something, mount a coral, etc, Alk consumption is stable at best, but usually is lower afterwards for a week. I am experimenting with wearing a full length nitrile glove and forceps when I have to put a hand in. Changes always result in a stall on Alk consumption.

great info and great idea. Will you please share your results?

 

[Travis Stewart]

So I never have had low magnesium but I did this time. I should have checked that out before assuming not. This is what is probably affecting my calcium. I added enough to get this back in range so will update everyone when it’s stable and see if that helps my calcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I feel like I am always changing my dosing amounts because my levels are getting too high or too low when it comes to alk and calcium. I wouldn’t say I am chasing numbers but test regularly and seems like they vary a lot. Thoughts or reasons behind this?

likely testing issues and over corrections. My advice is to make changes very slowly and based mostly on alk testing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I never have had low magnesium but I did this time. I should have checked that out before assuming not. This is what is probably affecting my calcium. I added enough to get this back in range so will update everyone when it’s stable and see if that helps my calcium.

Magnesium at any level will not cause fluctuations in alk and calcium, the worst it can do is cause increased demand for both in a fixed ratio to each other.

 

[Travis Stewart]

likely testing issues and over corrections. My advice is to make changes very slowly and based mostly on alk testing.

alk is good (8-9) ran two different cal tests with same results and confirmed with new salt batch.

 

[Travis Stewart]

Magnesium at any level will not cause fluctuations in alk and calcium, the worst it can do is cause increased demand for both in a fixed ratio to each other.

so thoughts with cal being low and not wanting to rise with stable alk within appropriate range?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

alk is good (8-9) ran two different cal tests with same results and confirmed with new salt batch.

I’d make a one time correction to 420 ppm, then dose calcium proportionally to alk, not by constant calcium testing.

 

[ScottB]

I (still) dose ESV two part at 240ml for each part daily (across two systems). Yes, I know, it is time for CaRx. Next project. Promise.

Anyway to my point (IMHO disclaimer inserted):
a) Assuming two-part dosing, test ALK fairly often especially if there is any "noise" going on. Any kind of changes and you should be testing the next few days. If ALK is stable, then spread them out a little. 3-6-9 days if ur feeling frisky.
b) Because I dose equal A+B (and use IORC), I test Ca and Mg... maybe once per month. And they are always a tad high.
c) If you are one the high ALK players, then test ALK all the time.
d) Use the spare time you freed up by not testing Ca and Mg (or NO2 or ammonia) so often and test NO3 and PO4 (Hanna). So many problems I read here relate to nutrient (except in old reefs or with old reefers).

 

[Travis Stewart]

I (still) dose ESV two part at 240ml for each part daily (across two systems). Yes, I know, it is time for CaRx. Next project. Promise.

Anyway to my point (IMHO disclaimer inserted):
a) Assuming two-part dosing, test ALK fairly often especially if there is any "noise" going on. Any kind of changes and you should be testing the next few days. If ALK is stable, then spread them out a little. 3-6-9 days if ur feeling frisky.
b) Because I dose equal A+B (and use IORC), I test Ca and Mg... maybe once per month. And they are always a tad high.
c) If you are one the high ALK players, then test ALK all the time.
d) Use the spare time you freed up by not testing Ca and Mg (or NO2 or ammonia) so often and test NO3 and PO4 (Hanna). So many problems I read here relate to nutrient (except in old reefs or with old reefers).

thanks for your reply. Having very stable alk as I have been testing almost daily since I noticed low calcium. I also dose esv and have never had low calcium. Tank looks solid and would never have guessed totest calcium except it was due as I try to test every 2 weeks or so and like you also said test alk 1-2 times a week.

 

[Scorpius]

If your system is 1yr or less old things are gonna swing.