Dosing, I don't seem to get it

[rayn]

I am working on getting my QT/frag tank to the correct parameters, but am definitely having issues.

40b with 3 clownfish, small zoa colony, two small acan colonies, gsp, and a meat coral making a slight come back. Flow is by a mp40 and mp10. Phosguard in a reactor to control phosphate, which is not perfect but +-.03. Nitrates are registering 0. Remora HOB skimmer. Lights are black box led. Temp is steady at 80 degrees. Salt is a mix of IO and RC.

Now the issue. Mag is steady at 1450, but I can not keep alk or cal up at all. I am dosing a seemingly large amount daily of 20ml just to hold Alk at 8.4 and cal at 340. If I miss a day levels drop majorly.

There is some grunge in the tank, but working on cleaning it out with water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't see you list anything in that tank that consumes much calcium or alkalinity, and you are dosing about the equivalent of about 1 dKH per day (which is low for a reef tank, but not typical for just the creatures you list).

Is there coralline growing in this tank?

 

[rayn]

There is a small amount of coralline growth. Some on the rocks and I believe the beginning of some on the glass, I am watching it rather then scraping it off to see how it turns out. If you like at the pic, the rock to the bottom left of the pic, the bright spots on the rock are coralline.

The meat coral was doing poorly before. I wrongfully assumed my water changes of 15-20 weekly were enough to maintain levels. Once I started checking and dosing the meat coral has came back considerably. Before it was barely hanging over the skeleton base.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Perhaps the coralline is cause the demand. Certainly in a tank with a lot of it the demand can be bigger than you have now.

Unless you see problems with excessive precipitation of calcium carbonate on pumps and heaters, I'd just dose what you have been, plus make a correction of calcium to 420 ppm over a few days.

This will help show much much calcium to use. If this is the BRS solution you are using, use the entry for Randy's Recipe 1.

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

 

[rayn]

Will do. I have been trying to raise levels slowly, but it just seems like to much to me, maybe I am wrong though.

It is the BRS I am using too.

I see no precipitation in the tank either.

 

[rayn]

I adjust some yesterday and did a water change. Tested now that I am home and cal is 380. Getting it to 420 I need 143ml!?

Still have to check alk yet tonight as well, cal adjustment seemed awfully high.