So I've started dosing...

[Dom]

The rate of Calcium and ALK consumption in my tank has come to a point where it can no longer be sustained at proper levels through water changes alone.

I've been dosing Red Sea Foundation B along with Kalkwasser to get those numbers up.

Ca= 300
KH= 8.2
pH= 8.2

I'm dosing Foundation B, 25ml daily to maintain ALK of 8.2. But my Ca sits in the 300-350 range, no matter how much Kalkwasser I add over a 24 hour period. I've tried doubling the quantity of Kalkwasser powder per gallon when preparing a mix, but the Ca level holds steady.

I feel there is another parameter off which has caused Ca to hit this ceiling.

Guidance is appreciated.

Dom

 

[Biglew11]

Foundation A is for calcium
Foundation B is for alkalinity
Kalkwasser does both at equal levels.

Sounds like you should does ca, foundation A to get your ca levels to where you want them.
Then you can either replace evaporated water with kalkwasser, if you cant add enough to keep your levels up you will need to dose 2part. Alkalinity and calcium, usually at equal levels.

Also what is your magnesium at? Should be between 1300 1400ppm. Magnesium too low can let alkalinity and calcium precipitate.

 

[shwareefer]

I think kalk is more of a maintainer than a raiser. You can adjust it up with calcium chloride. You should also share your mag level as Biglew11 said and salinity is important to know as well.

 

[Dom]

I think kalk is more of a maintainer than a raiser. You can adjust it up with calcium chloride. You should also share your mag level as Biglew11 said and salinity is important to know as well.

Salinity is 35ppt.

I'll run a mag test and post.

I'm not a big fan of Kalkwasser.

So you're suggesting Foundation A & B for calcium and ALK?

 

[Dom]

Parameter update:

Salinity: 35ppt
pH: 8.2
Ca: 300
KH: 8.2
Mg: 1500

 

[shwareefer]

Parameter update:

Salinity: 35ppt
pH: 8.2
Ca: 300
KH: 8.2
Mg: 1500

Hmmm, old or bad calcium test kit?

 

[Pistondog]

The rate of Calcium and ALK consumption in my tank has come to a point where it can no longer be sustained at proper levels through water changes alone.

I've been dosing Red Sea Foundation B along with Kalkwasser to get those numbers up.

Ca= 300
KH= 8.2
pH= 8.2

I'm dosing Foundation B, 25ml daily to maintain ALK of 8.2. But my Ca sits in the 300-350 range, no matter how much Kalkwasser I add over a 24 hour period. I've tried doubling the quantity of Kalkwasser powder per gallon when preparing a mix, but the Ca level holds steady.

I feel there is another parameter off which has caused Ca to hit this ceiling.

Guidance is appreciated.

Dom

What @Biglew11 said, foundation a and b
And a link to the red sea foundation recipe

FOUNDATION ELEMENTS - Red Sea Reef Care Program

FOUNDATION ELEMENTS - Red Sea Reef Care Program - Defines and maintains the correctly balanced levels of Calcium, Alkalinity & Magnesium

www.redseafish.com

 

[Dom]

Hmmm, old or bad calcium test kit?

Quite possibly. I'll look. I hate to go out and buy new reagent only to have the same issue.

 

[Thor2j]

No way calcium is at 300 with regular water changes. You have a bad test kit.

 

[Dom]

No way calcium is at 300 with regular water changes. You have a bad test kit.

... And my water changes are regular.

But my frags have grown to be monsters so, it is reasonable that the calcium requirements would increase beyond what a water change could provide.

 

[FishyFishFish]

There is a limit to the saturation level of Kalk solution. Doubling the amount of powder won't make it any stronger if it is already fully saturated - you would need to increase the volume of liquid to maintain your levels just by using Kalk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Try the calcium kit on some new salt water.

As folks have indicated, kalkwasser can NEVER be used to give a big calcium rise, because for every 20 ppm you boost calcium, alk will rise by 2.8 dKH. Thus alk will goo through the roof for anything but a very small calcium correction.

 

[Dom]

Try the calcium kit on some new salt water.

As folks have indicated, kalkwasser can NEVER be used to give a big calcium rise, because for every 20 ppm you boost calcium, alk will rise by 2.8 dKH. Thus alk will goo through the roof for anything but a very small calcium correction.

Yes... that has been my experience.

 

[Dom]

I think it is wise that I go out and get new reagent for all of my test kits as I have found some to be expired.

I'm surprised that expired reagent would have this impact on my test results. Frankly, I thought it was more about the manufacturer controlling the rate at which customers come back to buy more.

 

[Cell]

When I was using kalk, I had to supplement calcium.

 

[Biglew11]

out of date reagents may still be accurate, storage plays a great roll. if they were exposed to moister they will be inaccurate. if they remained very dry they may test accurately. you can test the 2 against each other to see if they measure the same or not.

The main thing to think about is whenever you have a test result that seems extreme, high or low, always double check again another test kit or 2.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When I was using kalk, I had to supplement calcium.

That's a little unusual since kalkwasser tends to oversupply calcium relative to alkalinity.

 

[FishyFishFish]

That's a little unusual since kalkwasser tends to oversupply calcium relative to alkalinity.

Earlier you said ‘Kalk can never be used to give a big calcium rise’ and now this post mentions that Kalk tends to oversupply calcium.

I’m obviously missing something (probably something obvious).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Earlier you said ‘Kalk can never be used to give a big calcium rise’ and now this post mentions that Kalk tends to oversupply calcium.

I’m obviously missing something (probably something obvious).

Yes, your missing the magnitude of the effects.

Kalkwasser supplies exactly 20 ppm of calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity. That is also the exact ratio of calcium to alk in pure calcium carbonate.

Thus, if you use it to give 50 ppm boost to calcium, you'll get (whether you want it or not) a 5.6 dKH boost to alkalinity. Rarely is that sort of alk boost needed or desirable.

But as calcium is used in the tank to make calcium carbonate (by corals, corraline algae, abiotic preciptiation, and all other processes), a small portion of the calcium is swapped out of the precipitating calcium carbonate and replaced with magnesium and strontium.

Thus, the consumption ratio in a reef tank is closer to 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity used to deposit calcium carbonate.

Consequently, calcium can slowly rise (over a period of months) since it is being used more slowly than it is added (when kalkwasser is used to meet the alk demand).

If your dosing 1.4 dKH per day (a reasonable kalk dose), then the rise is roughly 1 ppm calcium per day. Water changes will blunt the rise.

 

[FishyFishFish]

That is a great description, thanks

That explains why I’m not needing to dose any calcium!