Calicum went up pretty high don't know why?

Piranhapat · Jan 24, 2015

I'm been dosing for two years with two part doser. Calcium went to 600 where it usually 450. Alk level is 8.3. Been adding equal parts 65ml a day of Alk and Cal. Never add Mag where levels at 1350 steady. 30 SPS some medium and some frags. Also One 2inch clam. Question, I just made a new batch of Cal from BRS individual packs which are measure to make one gal. Is it possible the pack was stronger for one gal mix. Or is it possible the doser adding more than it measuring. When I hear doser come on It barely runs for 8 secs. So was just wondering why Cal went from 450 to 600 in few days. I test 2x a week. Both Cal and Alk...did I miss something? Now I going to mark top off jugs everyday and see if both are using same amount. Been two days and still disconnected CAl and levels still same. Used salifert test and two different boxes both reading same. Just tested my WC which calcium levels are 500. But the thing about that I haven't done in 3weeks. Any thoughts..?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 24, 2015

Did you track the rise, or was it a single point jump that might be testing error?

Such errors are extremely common, and unless you added a very large amount of calcium in those days, it was error.

Piranhapat · Jan 25, 2015

I tracked it by every week . I check Cal and Alk just about 2 times a week in the first check it went to 500 and 3 days later I tested again and
Levels went to 600. I used two different Calcium Salifert test. Both expire 2017 and 2019. My new WC tested 500. Which should test 450 says Seachem using they brand Reef Salt. It's been 2 days I stop dosing Cal. And still no drop in Cal. I just did 10 gal WC and tomorrow I'll test again. I guess I'll wait to levels are 400 and start the doser again and watch if more Cal is added by the doser. I wonder if the hose bands needs to be replace in doser. Randy, I did notice when I first starting dosing by hand I was using 90ml just to keep the levels right. Now the doser little under 65ml. Yet I have more coral and noticing I had to decrease on ML. Is it because the doser dose 8 days during the day. Where I used to dose once a day? Now I have to figure how CAL jump that high. And Alk is good.