Calcium problems BRS 2 Part dosing

[GeoHawk]

Awhile back I had some major problems with keeping my calcium and alkalinity up, so I invested in BRS dosing pumps, RKL, and I have been dosing BRS 2 part recipe 1. My alkilinity and PH have improved significantly and I have had some improvement in coral color (but some are still brown). My problem is this, my calcium seems to stay low even though I dose just as much calcium as I do alkilinity. I didn't add the full amount of Mg that BRS suggests when finishing the first gallon, because my Mg was 1350. I know I need to raise it some, but Im not convinced that this is why my CA is so low.

What should I do?

CA (salifert) 300
KH (Salifert) 12.1
MG (Salifert) 1290
Nitrate (Nutrafin) 0

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

What type of salt are you using and how often to you change your water?

 

[OceanMinded]

dont dose your calcium the same time you dose alk. They should be dosed seperatlym bout an hour after eachother.

 

[Just Jared]

Im no expert.....but if you raise your mag to 1350 and drop your alk to around 9 your cal should even out.... do this all SLOWLY!! my opinion....

 

[GeoHawk]

Thanks everyone. I am using Red Sea coral pro salt, water changes about once a month. I dose Ca and Alk 30 minutes apart.

 

[GeoHawk]

Im no expert.....but if you raise your mag to 1350 and drop your alk to around 9 your cal should even out.... do this all SLOWLY!! my opinion....

Do you suggest adding less alk and more ca to do this. I will raise the mag over the next week.

 

[Aquaph8]

Im no expert.....but if you raise your mag to 1350 and drop your alk to around 9 your cal should even out.... do this all SLOWLY!! my opinion....

I agree

 

[Just Jared]

I suggest adding NO alk!! Till you get your mag and cal up. Find a reef calculater to see how much cal and mag you need to add to get your numbers up. It should also tell you how much you can safely add daily. I use 2 part from BRS so i use the calculater on their website. There might be one on here...? Good luck!!

 

[-Logzor]

I think the most important question here is: Are you having any calcium precipitate on your pumps, heaters, or walls of your sump?

If the answer is yes, then there is an underlying issue. Let us know.

 

[GeoHawk]

I suggest adding NO alk!! Till you get your mag and cal up. Find a reef calculater to see how much cal and mag you need to add to get your numbers up. It should also tell you how much you can safely add daily. I use 2 part from BRS so i use the calculater on their website. There might be one on here...? Good luck!!

Will do thanks!

 

[GeoHawk]

I think the most important question here is: Are you having any calcium precipitate on your pumps, heaters, or walls of your sump?

If the answer is yes, then there is an underlying issue. Let us know.

Im not sure if this is calcium preciptate, but when I pulled my sponge off my return pump last month I noticed it was crusty, but I figured this was from the alk. Not sure though, never used to happen until I switched to BRS 2 part.

 

[Fieroguy19]

I agree with the others...your alk is higher than most people would run and in order to keep your alk that high you would have to keep your mag at least 1400ppm if not more. It would be easier to let your Alk drop to between 8-10dkh and raise your mag a little. Then it will be easy to raise your Calcium back up.

 

[GeoHawk]

Thanks guys Ill let you know how it goes

 

[VegasRick]

I agree for the most part with what is being said. Let you alk drift down to where you want it but keep adding ca to get it where you want it at the same time. Once you get them where you want it determine your consuumption of each and use the reef calc to determine what amounts of each you need to

My understanding is that unless your Mg drops down to around 900 you can still maintain ca and alk levels with out issue. I keep my Mg around 1350 and have had my alk go as high as 15 without causing precipitation, any more than usual anyway. I have seen nothing that says raising Mg above NSW levels 1280 - 1350 will allow higher levels of alk

 

[GeoHawk]

How to you calculate your consumption per day. I have just been adjusting the time that the timers have been running and trying to get it to even out. Is there a way of telling an exact amount?

 

[RacinRevo0818]

I would first get your parameters stable by using reef calculator. Then say cal 420 and alk at 10. Well wait 2 or 3 days and measure again. Say cal 400 and alk is at 9.5 in three days. So divide your numbers by 3 then using calculator should get you pretty close. Dose and test again in three days and adjust as needed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[lpslover]

I've got the same issue. All my LPS eat through more calcium than Alk and Mg. My solution has been to set the two part to maintain the Alk and Mg. Then do a weekly additional dose based on test results. For example, if I'm 40ppm shy of my target Calcium value I'll dose enough additional calcium that day to make up the 40ppm difference. The BRS calculator makes this easy. Lately I've actually been using kalk for this once weekly adjustment. Then I can get the nice buffer balance reset as well as the needed additional calcium.

 

[beaslbob]

+1 to above.

You also might check out the diy two part stickie at the top of the forum. And for that matter use the calculator in the other stickie as well.

my .02

 

[GeoHawk]

I let my alk come down slowly and have raised Ca. Levels are now Alk 10 dkh, Ca 425. My new problem is that since I have let the alk come down my ph on my RKL reads 8.00. What do I do about the PH? I will recheck ca/alk in a few days and make adjustments to the dosing.

 

[Fieroguy19]

Don't worry about the pH so much. You shouldn't be adjusting your levels based on pH anyways. There are plenty of people with pH at 7.8 that have no problems with their tank. If you want to raise your pH then plumb your skimmer intake outside so it gets fresh air. Just try to keep your levels stable now.