Dosing alot more calcium

[Chinook]

My tank takes alot more as calcium for some reason, i just moved tanks and it was the same in my old set up as well. It takes the folowing amounts, i'm using randy's recipe#1, is there a reason behind this? coraline algea is starting to grow on rocks and glass and my corals are doing great even after my resent ALK overdose . i've never dose equal parts even when i was using C-balance.
112ml CA
65 ml ALK

 

[Chinook]

I added another 40 ml last night on top of what i already dose wanted to raise it from 375, checked this morning and it seemed almost my calcium wet down a bit. Seems something is off here, think it's precipitating as i add it? if i slow it down to the same amount as the ALK added it wll drop fast though

 

[Chinook]

and i dose 25ml a day of vinigar

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

More than likely it relates to a salt mix with low calcium relative to alkalinity, or to not mixing up a two part that is exactly balanced for some reason.

There is no mechanism that uses substantial calcium and not alkalinity.

 

[Chinook]

More than likely it relates to a salt mix with low calcium relative to alkalinity, or to not mixing up a two part that is exactly balanced for some reason.

There is no mechanism that uses substantial calcium and not alkalinity.

Ok guess it is what it is. Thanks randy

 

[Chinook]

Should i start just dosing equal amounts and see what happens ? Seems I can't it up past 375 . Yesterday was at 375 so I added 40 mL's , checked today and it was the same. Have done this a few nights in a row. If I stop dosing it drops pretty fast.just can't seem to get the level up there. And I'm dosing 40 ml more than the alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Should i start just dosing equal amounts and see what happens ? Seems I can't it up past 375 . Yesterday was at 375 so I added 40 mL's , checked today and it was the same. Have done this a few nights in a row. If I stop dosing it drops pretty fast.just can't seem to get the level up there. And I'm dosing 40 ml more than the alk.

If you are making calcium corrections, I would not use equal volumes of the alk part or alk will get too high.

 

[Chinook]

No I would bring my calcium equal to my alk, weird how my tank consumes alot more calcium.

 

[Downbeach]

I would get a second opinion on the Ca test. What test kits? What is your alk reading at these times? Mg?

 

[Chinook]

My mag is 1300
Kh 8.4

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No I would bring my calcium equal to my alk, weird how my tank consumes alot more calcium.

It doesn't. It cannot. There is a different explanation of some sort, such as testing error, imperfect balance of the two parts, or water changes with a low calcium mix.

 

[Chinook]

Ok

 

[Chinook]

My calcium will not pass the 370 mark. With a kh 8.4, sal 1.026 , mag of 1300 this should be ok right ?is there a table at wich kh level the calcium will be balanced

 

[ksc]

You have to be testing incorrectly, mixing the Ca solution incorrectly, or you have a bad test kit. Is there someone else who can test your water?

 

[Chinook]

Yes going to bring in a sample to my lfs because the amount I have put in it should be ALOT higher. I just adjust my ca doser to be equal with my ALk.

 

[Chinook]

I have been adding 400g of anhydrous calcium chloride to 1 gallon of water.

 

[Chinook]

Wondering if maybe my magnesium test is wrong and it low right now and is why my calcium won't raise past that point. A new tank with all new water should be at ok levels though one would think

 

[mcarroll]

@Chinook try testing before you dose (as normal, I assume) as well as about 30 minutes to an hour as well.

If the numbers and doses all line up, then you know you can look elsewhere for the apparent discrepancy in calcium use.

Record salinity along with your test measurements every time too. (If you don't already.)

 

[Chinook]

The last week I would test then add extra and test again but it never goes up . I just changed my dosing from 110ml/day to 65ml which is the same as my alk il see what happens.

 

[mcarroll]

If you test, add (based on the Chemistry Calculator) according to the test results, wait an hour after dosing is complete, then test again, but DO NOT GET THE EXPECTED INCREASE, then you have a problem with your dosing solution, or a problem with the way you are testing. (Or maybe you aren't dosing the quantity you think you're dosing.)