Calicium and alkalinity consumption

Swaefa · Jan 19, 2018

I am relatively new to the hobby, just over a year. Currently running two tanks a 70 gallon and 80 gallon. In the 70 gallon I have primarily zoas 90%. The other tank, 80 gallon, has primarily LPS 90%.

Currently the zoa tank consuming 45ml of alkalinity and 75ml of calicium. The other tank is consuming 100ml of alkalinity and 140ml of calicium.

Everything I have read says I should be dosing equal parts. But when I test the respective levels the results indicate I should dosing these amounts.

Am I doing something wrong.

NaH20nerd · Jan 19, 2018

Interested in the answers you get. I have a similar situation, except my tank consumes more Alkalinity than calcium.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 20, 2018

What exactly are you adding and what are the levels currently?

How long have you monitored the levels to say this is the right dose?

Swaefa · Jan 20, 2018

All supplements are ME Coral calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. No trace elements are being added.

The 70 gallon tank levels are as follows:
phosphate 0.05 Hanna ULR
nitrate 0.00 Red Sea
alkalinity 8.9 Hanna
calcium 395 Aquaforest
magnesium 1370 Aquaforest
pH avg 8.21
temp avg 77.7

Reduced alkalinity dosage to 45ml on 1/9 when alk tested at 9.8
Increased calcium dosage to 75ml on 1/9 when cal tested at 400

The 80 gallon tank levels are as follows:
phosphate 0.04 Hanna ULR
nitrate 0.00 Red Sea
alkalinity 8.2 Hanna
calcium 410 Aquaforest
magnesium 1320 Aquaforest
pH avg 8.33
temp avg 77.7

Increased alkalinity dosage to 100ml on 1/14 when alk tested at 8.1

Reduced calcium dosage to 140ml on 1/14 when cal tested at 405

Also I have noticed a lot of what looks like carbonate precipitation on the heaters.

Current salt is Red Sea blue bucket.

Other than minor adjustments to dosing levels it has been +/- 5ml on the smaller tank and +/- 10ml on the larger tank for the past 12 months. At no time have I dosed in equal parts. Have always dosed significantly more calcium. Alkalinity is dosed at night over 11 hours and calcium is dosed during the day over 11 hours. Magnesium for both tanks 45ml and 33ml per day dosed over a 24 hour period.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 20, 2018

So that’s the explanation. The ME coral products, at least the gallon sizes, are not designed (or at least not properly designed) to be a two part with equal volume dosing. The alk part is more potent than the calcium part, which is why you are needing less of it.

Swaefa · Jan 21, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
So that’s the explanation. The ME coral products, at least the gallon sizes, are not designed (or at least not properly designed) to be a two part with equal volume dosing. The alk part is more potent than the calcium part, which is why you are needing less of it.

Just left the ME Coral website and checked on the one gallon containers of alkalinity. The website states the alkalinity is shipped in concentrate from. The buyer is instructed to top off with RODI water. This would explain the alkalinity being more potent if it was not diluted.

However, I have not purchased the one gallon containers. I have been purchasing the dry powder that mixes 4 gallons of liquid either calcium or alkalinity. Both the ME Coral calcium and alkalinity containers state the materials should be dosed in equal parts.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 21, 2018

I did my calculations based on the claimed potency of the final product. I expect what you made is similarly unbalanced, despite the claim, but I will double check it later.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 21, 2018

I double checked, and the recipe that you used is not a balanced two part. I did not actualyl see where they said to dose the parts equally, but the product is not properly designed for that.

I'll show here wheat I mean:

A properly designed two part should have a little bit more alkalinity than calcium, maybe 5-10%, depending on what assumption are made relating to the incorporation of magnesium in place of calcium.

That said, here's what ME has for the product you used:

https://mecoral.com/product/me-alkalinity-powder-4-gal/
"In order to raise Kh .10 dkh or from 8.00 to 8.10 in 100 gallons of aquarium water, add 5 ml."

https://mecoral.com/product/me-calcium-powder-4-gal/
"Quick guide: In order to increase Ca 10 ppm (400-410) in 100 gallons of aquarium water, add 100 ml or 3.4 fl oz of liquid solution."

So adding 100 mL of each part to 100 gallons gives:
10 ppm calcium
2 dKH of alkalinity

An exactly balanced ratio of calcium to alkalinity to form calcium carbonate is:
10 ppm calcium
1.4 dKH of alkalintiy

So this product is adding 43% more alkalinity than is required to exactly make calcium carbonate. hence it is substantially imbalanced in relation to equal parts dosing.