Alk dropped with calcium dosing?

[alten78]

Good evening all!

I dose BRS 2 part via a bubble magus, alk is always dead on and I test it every other day with a Hanna Checker which comes out to 7.5. Calcium I'm a little more laxed on, once every week or two but it usually is around 420. Well it must've drifted down more than I thought and was 360 this morning. I brought it up to 410 with two separate doses, once this morning and once a few minutes ago. After so, I tested my alk which showed 5.6. Tested again and it was 5.4.

My demand isn't that much and I know I was at 7.5 two days ago, does dosing that much calcium bring alk down that much? Obviously I want it back to is usual 7.5 so would dosing it back up that quickly do harm?

 

[g5flier]

The calculator on BRS recommends not more then 1.4 increase in a day. Personally I wouldn’t go more then 1. Then make sure it’s stable, that’s the most important as long as it’s within the recommended range. If you have SPS go even slower.

 

[alten78]

The calculator on BRS recommends not more then 1.4 increase in a day. Personally I wouldn’t go more then 1. Then make sure it’s stable, that’s the most important as long as it’s within the recommended range.

Right, but if it dropped 2 because of dosing my thought would be to take it back up to that quickly because that is where it always is. I could definitely see not raising it quickly if i wanted to go from 7 to 9 but to me it makes sense to at least get it back to 7?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The alk did not likely drop that much just because you boosted calcium. If you believe the alk is currently that low and isn’t testing error, then raising it 1 or 2 dKH per day back to your target is fine. [emoji3]

 

[Gareth elliott]

Edit

 

[alten78]

The alk did not likely drop that much just because you boosted calcium. If you believe the alk is currently that low and isn’t testing error, then raising it 1 or 2 dKH per day back to your target is fine. [emoji3]

Thanks Randy. How much of a drop would be normal in this situation?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks Randy. How much of a drop would be normal in this situation?

Nothing special, really. The drop in alk would be similar to what you would see maintaining calcium and alkalinity it at that same higher level. There is certainly some precipitation in any tank at NSW levels or higher, but raising calcium from a low level to a normal level only takes a lower level of precipitation to a normal level.

 

[alten78]

Very strange that it was off so much since its been so stable for so long, ill double check all of my equipment and keep a closer eye on it. I thought for sure it dropped that much from dosing, thanks again!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Let us know what you find going forward.