Why does my tank use so much cal/alk

[reefpeeper]

So I finally purchased a doser. It has been about 1-2 months with it running. I am currently adding 70ml of each tp keep my cal at 400 and alk at 8.4. Tank is only a 34g with 20g sump. I have a few acro frags that are not to big and about 3 good sized montis. Why must I have to add so much?

 

[tupes]

What are you using to test with and What salt are you using?

 

[Vpham]

do u see any coralline on rocks and glass? they r another source of taking away ur cal/alk beside corals.

 

[reefpeeper]

I use red sea test kits and red sea coral pro salt. 5g a week water change. Yes some coralline but not tons. Just seems weird to use 70ml

 

[nhrsutton]

I too have a 34 gallon but dose 40ml a day at night. I use reef crystals and have all sps. I would cross check with another brand of test kit. I would think dosing that much must be spiking your ph too. Check that. Also calibrate your dosers. You might just think you are adding 70 ml when in reality it is much less. Also what specifically are you dosing? That can make a difference in quantity?

 

[jduck]

What are your tanks water parameters? and what numbers are you trying to get to?

1. I would first look at testing the next batch of fresh mixed saltwater. There are tons of different salt mixes out there. You should try and find one that mixes up to the numbers you are trying to achieve (reduces the amount of dosing).
Red Sea Coral Pro: 35.0 ppt ALK 12.3 – 12.7 CAL 455 – 475 MAG1360 – 1420. These numbers are higher than you would want to run your tank at, but they boost your numbers back up during a water change. Some people can just depend on water changes depending on the demand of the tank. Which leads me to the next item.

2. Measure your water parameters, Stop dosing for a couple days. Measure again. Then use one of the reef calculators to determine how much you should be dosing. Remember to divide by the number of days you didn't dose to get the daily dose.

3. What are you dosing? DIY Recipe 1/2, esv, or some other brand. Remember that they all have different concentrations. Did I read it right 70ml of each daily???

 

[evolved]

2. Measure your water parameters, Stop dosing for a couple days. Measure again. Then use one of the reef calculators to determine how much you should be dosing. Remember to divide by the number of days you didn't dose to get the daily dose.

+1000 to this

I am willing to bet you are grossly overdosing, and it's precipitating out, causing the need to dose even more. It's a progressive event and one which will cause you much grief if not corrected.

 

[reefpeeper]

What are your tanks water parameters? and what numbers are you trying to get to?

1. I would first look at testing the next batch of fresh mixed saltwater. There are tons of different salt mixes out there. You should try and find one that mixes up to the numbers you are trying to achieve (reduces the amount of dosing).
Red Sea Coral Pro: 35.0 ppt ALK 12.3 – 12.7 CAL 455 – 475 MAG1360 – 1420. These numbers are higher than you would want to run your tank at, but they boost your numbers back up during a water change. Some people can just depend on water changes depending on the demand of the tank. Which leads me to the next item.

2. Measure your water parameters, Stop dosing for a couple days. Measure again. Then use one of the reef calculators to determine how much you should be dosing. Remember to divide by the number of days you didn't dose to get the daily dose.

3. What are you dosing? DIY Recipe 1/2, esv, or some other brand. Remember that they all have different concentrations. Did I read it right 70ml of each daily???

My tank params are:
Cal 400
Alk 8.4
Ph 8.2-8.3
Mag 1350
Salinity .026

I am trying to get my cal a little higher. Around 420 or so. I am using brs 2 part. I have stopped dosing in the past and my params dropped so much. That is basically how I dound I needed 70ml/ day. I will try stopping again and see what happens.

 

[Vpham]

I use brs 2 parts before in my 120g, somehow I never able to keep cal/alk stay where I want , so I went different route, of course I use a calculator in their site.
I use Kent kalwasser mix in line with top off...that seems to work for me.

 

[Eckolancer]

That does seem kinda high I have mostly sps but smaller frags, but my sand less bottoms is covered in coraline as well as all ceramic rocks covered. I dose 63ml/day alk and 58ml/dal cal and monthly add a couple pumps of mag from the BRS 2 part. Keeps my mag at 1400 alk at 8.5 cal at 450. I don't do water changes so nothing extra getting added in.

 

[reefpeeper]

That does seem kinda high I have mostly sps but smaller frags, but my sand less bottoms is covered in coraline as well as all ceramic rocks covered. I dose 63ml/day alk and 58ml/dal cal and monthly add a couple pumps of mag from the BRS 2 part. Keeps my mag at 1400 alk at 8.5 cal at 450. I don't do water changes so nothing extra getting added in.

What size tank do u have

 

[Eckolancer]

108 with 40 gallon DIY sump

 

[mic209]

Are you seeing calcium build up inside your pumps and on your heater? I was having this same problem, dosing almost 100ml over a 24 hour period with BRS 2 part and BRS dosing pumps, my tank is only 25 gallons. I wasn't trying to raise my ca and alk (or chasing numbers, like I was accused of doing), this is what was needed to keep my CA and ALK stable at around 420 ca and 9.5 ALK. I got to that dosage after a few weeks of my parameters dropping. I kept this dosage as my parameters were stable, but I was getting bad calcium buildup on my pumps and heater. I finally got fed up with my pumps seizing up every month, so one day I stopped dosing entirely. I measured my ALK and CA over 3 days without dosing and averaged how much it was dropping, According to the BRS calculator, I was only needing 45mls a day. I programmed my doser to dose only 45ml of each part and tested for a week, I was shocked that my CA and ALK was barely dropping. I adjusted my dosing pumps accordingly and I'm up to about 55ml of each part. I haven't had a problem with CA buildup on my pumps, CA and ALK is rock steady and I can't remember the last time a pump seized up on me. So stop dosing, test, test and test some more and then start dosing again at the bare minimum of what keeps yours parameters steady.

 

[hart24601]

Are you seeing calcium build up inside your pumps and on your heater? I was having this same problem, dosing almost 100ml over a 24 hour period with BRS 2 part and BRS dosing pumps, my tank is only 25 gallons. I wasn't trying to raise my ca and alk (or chasing numbers, like I was accused of doing), this is what was needed to keep my CA and ALK stable at around 420 ca and 9.5 ALK. I got to that dosage after a few weeks of my parameters dropping. I kept this dosage as my parameters were stable, but I was getting bad calcium buildup on my pumps and heater. I finally got fed up with my pumps seizing up every month, so one day I stopped dosing entirely. I measured my ALK and CA over 3 days without dosing and averaged how much it was dropping, According to the BRS calculator, I was only needing 45mls a day. I programmed my doser to dose only 45ml of each part and tested for a week, I was shocked that my CA and ALK was barely dropping. I adjusted my dosing pumps accordingly and I'm up to about 55ml of each part. I haven't had a problem with CA buildup on my pumps, CA and ALK is rock steady and I can't remember the last time a pump seized up on me. So stop dosing, test, test and test some more and then start dosing again at the bare minimum of what keeps yours parameters steady.

Fantastic advise right there!