Calcium wont rise

[Mrtakeoff53]

Take a water sample to your LFS or maybe have another local reefer come test your water. That is just strange. Maybe do an ICP test as well. Also, 7.7 isn’t bad for alk. I had a lot of success at 7.5-8.5. I wouldn’t stress too much about it and chase the numbers. Get some solid second tests done and then move out with a plan after you have more info

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did a 30 gallon water change and calcium stayed at 500. Alk went to 9.0. The next day alk went right back to 7.7. Doesn't matter how much alk I add the next day it seams to be right back down to 7.7. I know my corals aren't consuming that much. I have not dosed calcium in weeks. Any ideas??

Calcium at 500 ppm is fine and some salt mixes start that high. Have you measured your new salt water?

Alk nearly always drops "faster" on a percentage basis than calcium because they are typically used in a fixed ratio, and seawater has a huge reservoir of calcium and not much alkalinity.

How big of water changes are you doing?

How much alkalinity, in dKH per day, are you adding? It could be the balanced calcium drops wouldn't easily be noticed with a kit.

FWIW, 7.7 dKH is perfectly fine.

 

[broberts]

Calcium at 500 ppm is fine and some salt mixes start that high. Have you measured your new salt water?

Alk nearly always drops "faster" on a percentage basis than calcium because they are typically used in a fixed ratio, and seawater has a huge reservoir of calcium and not much alkalinity.

How big of water changes are you doing?

How much alkalinity, in dKH per day, are you adding? It could be the balanced calcium drops wouldn't easily be noticed with a kit.

FWIW, 7.7 dKH is perfectly fine.

Randy

Currently dosing 100 -120 alk a day. Not currently dosing any calcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy

Currently dosing 100 -120 alk a day. Not currently dosing any calcium.

What is that in dKH per day in your system? need to know the product and tank volume to get it.

 

[broberts]

What is that in dKH per day in your system? need to know the product and tank volume to get it.

Randy. I am trying to bring it up by 1 dkh per day or 120ml of alk a day. Still testing 7.3-7.7 everyday. I still have not dosed any calcium. Calcium is still around 510. I did another waterchange today 20 gallons of reef crystals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy. I am trying to bring it up by 1 dkh per day or 120ml of alk a day. Still testing 7.3-7.7 everyday. I still have not dosed any calcium. Calcium is still around 510. I did another waterchange today 20 gallons of reef crystals.

If you want to bring it up, and dosing 1 dKh per day is just meeting the demand, then dosing more seems reasonable, but I'll also note that 7.3-7.7 dKH is perfectly fine.