Question, my dKh is steadily dropping after water changes and I am in a situation to where I feel I can not buffer it. First off my issue is my calcium is always high (455 t0 460) and my magnesium is low unless I add BRS magnesium adjustment mix, magnesium is holding at 1350 with 3 ml per day dosed. If I do not dose it, it will steadily drop down into the 1200 range. I do 4 gal. water changes per week with Instant Ocean Reef Salt, this salt has a higher calcium than the regular I.O. , all the dosing I do is Red Sea no pox at 4 ml per day, and the 3 ml per day of BRS magnesium mix. I was dosing All For Reef, but it has been over 3 months since I stopped doing it. I do manually dose 40 ml every seven days of Microbactor clean. This is what I have been doing during and after my cyano and dino issues that plagued me about 4 to 5 months ago. My parameters have been stable, will list my parameters below, but back to my question. I can change salt mixes to the regualr I.O. mix which would drop my calcium added during my water changes. I do know to gradually change the salt mix with blending. I can if needed to maintain the calcium and magnesium with AFR or other means (kalkwasser or 2 part) to keep my levels up. It pains me to have steady nutrient levels and then have an alkalinity issue. so basically I need to know how to maintain my alkalinity without boosting my calcium.
my testing parameter's today, all have been steady except the dKh drops between water changes.
7/29/25
phos - .17
nitrate - 10
dKh - 9.7 dropping until next water change
ph - 8.0
mag - 1350
calcium - 460
Jimmy I have no real need to monitor my numbers but I have and still test infrequently.
You can mix reef crystals and regular IO and get something in between.
I've done that for years and will do it every once in a while now.
I also use red sea blue bucket to moderate numbers as well especially if changing water weekly.
I use liquid alkalinity from me coral and it only raises calcium a hair while boosting alk very well.
With alk up so goes ph up but only for a bit.
Nothing wrong with calcium at 460.
I used to use Kent marine salt which tested out at 540. My favorite salt of all time and never had an issue
I'd try a change mixing the 2 IO brands and see how it goes.
Hope that helps.
