calcium consumption

truepercs · May 2, 2017

45 gallon mixed reef (mostly sps)

I have been monitoring Alk daily, calcium and magnesium every other day. After reading about nitrate dosing. I have also been dosing potasium nitrate (manually). I now monitor both nitrates and phosphates every other day.

The coral have responded favorably to nitrates. However I am approaching this slowly. I am not sure what I want to target nitrates at yet. (I have been watching coral reactions and to see how phosphates are affected at this point. I am now dosing 3ml a day after some initial higher doses up to 10ml-which was performed until corals started to color up).

I don't have any concerns at the moment however I do have a question. All aquariums are different regarding consumption. I just want to make sure I am not over looking anything.

In order to keep parameters in check my calcium doses are 12 ml daily versus alk doses being at 8.0 ml daily. (6 doses throughout day)
Magnesium is about 2 teaspoons every 4 days(manually).

Currently nitrates are .25 and phosphates are .06

I use instant ocean, I have been doing 4-5 gallons lately once a week, these water changes are to suck up bubble algae. Seems as though this is a downside to bringing up nitrates, bubble algae seems to like the additional nitrates as well

I really have not seen much of an Alk swing from any of the water changes...

Salifert test kits- ALK,Calc, and Mag
Red Sea pro-Nitrates
Hanna- Phosphorous checker

Should there be concerns regarding calcium being used more than Alk?

Thanks!

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 2, 2017

I'm not sure what you are dosing exactly, so I can't say if it should be balanced, but there are two things that will impact your apparent demand:

Normal IO is overbalanced to alkalinity compared to calcium, so using it for water changes will skew the demand to more calcium.

Dosing nitrate will add some alkalinity. Not that much, but again it is skewing the demand toward more calcium.

So overall I wouldn't worry about it as long as you aren't changing doses every day to adjust.

truepercs · May 2, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I'm not sure what you are dosing exactly, so I can't say if it should be balanced, but there are two things that will impact your apparent demand:

Normal IO is overbalanced to alkalinity compared to calcium, so using it for water changes will skew the demand to more calcium.

Dosing nitrate will add some alkalinity. Not that much, but again it is skewing the demand toward more calcium.

So overall I wouldn't worry about it as long as you aren't changing doses every day to adjust.

I tried to provide all details but... still missed something.
The dosing types- ESV 2 part...
and Reef Advantage magnesium crystals.
Stump remover for Nitrates

I have not had to adjust doses much, only a tweak here and there (generally up slightly, which I think is a good thing)

Thank you Randy...