dosing question/help

ncfishguy

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my calcium is perfect but my alk is low is it normal to have to dose more alk than calcium or should always dose same amount of each and what usually causes alk to be low and not calcium
 
I had this same issue. I was told to get Alk up and not worry about calcium until it drops. You don't want to raise alk quickly. What was your alk and what is it now?
 
750? Thats a hard number to believe, whats your water change schedule? I believe basic mixes like IO are around 12 or 1300 and do you dose mag?
 
Water Change every week but never dosed mag just started dose calc and alk
 
Something isn't right. Your salt gravity needs to be 35-36ppm or 1.025 or 1.026 SG.
Calcium 380-430ppm
Mag 1200-1300
Alk 7-12dkh
pH 8.2-8.5

Mix up some fresh water at 1.025 or 1.026 and test the following Cal, Alk, Mag and pH. Need to make sure your salt mix isn't off.

Then perform a water change, if it is where it needs to be.

Then do the tedious testing of display tank water parameters. IF all of the above is off, you need to invest in dosing. Either 2 part like seachem fusion or BRS 2 part dosing. Get some magnesium as well.

Also make sure you are testing correctly. If your calcium is normal, you should be able to multiply the calcium x 3 to get magnesium unless your tank is using a bunch of it. Non the less, something is wrong. Follow testing instructions verbatim.
 
I think the magnesium number is in error. It doesn't get that low, even after long times (years) of no dosing.

Low alk and normal calcium is the first sign of needing to dose both calcium and alk. Most salt mixes start with higher than typical tank calcium, and it is slower than alk to decline on a % basis, even when used proportionally.
 

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