Is it possible...probably real easy answer

[Dilan Patel]

I have been struggling to get my alk to 8 but my calcium to 420 without dosing the solutions differently. Is it that I cannot do that and if I have like 8 dkh the calcium will be around 370 or is it possible?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Entirely possible.

 

[CastAway]

According to my calculator, a balanced calcium at 8dKH is 417. Therefore, wouldn't a single balanced additive work?

Tagging along. Interested...

 

[GoPitt88]

I'm planning on dosing Kalkwasser soon. My dKH was very low (4.0), so I'm slowly raising it, and once I get to about 8.5 or 9.0, I'll measure my calcium. It's really high right now (490), so when my Alk is 9 and calcium is at least 450, I'll start mixing Kalkwasser in my ATO water. Hoping that's my solution to steady Alkalinity and Calcium.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'm planning on dosing Kalkwasser soon. My dKH was very low (4.0), so I'm slowly raising it, and once I get to about 8.5 or 9.0, I'll measure my calcium. It's really high right now (490), so when my Alk is 9 and calcium is at least 450, I'll start mixing Kalkwasser in my ATO water. Hoping that's my solution to steady Alkalinity and Calcium.

I would retest. Alk and cal should drop relative to each other unless you are dosing on and not the other.
Kalk will increase both.

 

[GoPitt88]

I would retest. Alk and cal should drop relative to each other unless you are dosing on and not the other.
Kalk will increase both.

Yeah, I'm only dosing for Alkalinity right now using Sodium Bicarbonate. I'm mixing some RO/DI with 1.5 teaspoons of Sodium Bicarbonate, then slowly putting in the tank at a high flow area each morning. I'll adjust so I'm between 8 and 9 dKH. I've noticed that I'm losing about 0.8 dKH per day (I have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank w/ 14 corals, 4 SPS, 4 LPS, mushrooms, and leathers). Once I'm steady between 8 and 9, I'll make sure my calcium and magnesium is good. If so, then I'll start dosing Kalkwasser in my ATO water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have been struggling to get my alk to 8 but my calcium to 420 without dosing the solutions differently. Is it that I cannot do that and if I have like 8 dkh the calcium will be around 370 or is it possible?

Sorry, I don't really understand the question.

You can have virtually any calcium and, independently, any alkalinity, within the normal ranges for reef tanks.

How you get there will depend on what you intend to dose.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

+1 on retesting. What method are you using now? Unless you were dosing purely calcium before, your numbers don't seem to add up...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm planning on dosing Kalkwasser soon. My dKH was very low (4.0), so I'm slowly raising it, and once I get to about 8.5 or 9.0, I'll measure my calcium. It's really high right now (490), so when my Alk is 9 and calcium is at least 450, I'll start mixing Kalkwasser in my ATO water. Hoping that's my solution to steady Alkalinity and Calcium.

Are you the same person as Dilan Patel, the OP?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Ha ha holy cow. Good catch Randy.

 

[Dilan Patel]

No that is not me. I use BRS two part but cannot seem to get the levels to stale like they used too. SO that just made me wonder this question. I am at around 9dkh and about 390ish calcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No that is not me. I use BRS two part but cannot seem to get the levels to stale like they used too. SO that just made me wonder this question. I am at around 9dkh and about 390ish calcium.

OK, and what levels are you targeting?

 

[Dilan Patel]

8dkh with 420 calcium

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So add just the calcium part, and let the alk decline by consumption.