Calcium question

[Roasreef]

My tank is a 93 cube , 20 g sump ,
I have been checkin my alk and cal , mag . Everyday for the last couple weeks , so i can setup my dosing pumps , so my calcium is been kind of weird, sometimes its been 450-500 , and next couple days , i cant even read the chart , so I dose 50 ppm in the morning . And check at night when inusualy check parameters , and my calcium is high that i cant even read the chart and i use all the fluid in the syringe , is this normal, i used red sea test kits ..

 

[Highgrade]

What Salt do you use? Sounds like you're dosing more calcium than your tank is consuming.

 

[Roasreef]

What Salt do you use? Sounds like you're dosing more calcium than your tank is consuming.

Red sea , not really , only dose wheny calcium was low on my teat kit , is it normal for the tank one day to b low , then back to normal parameters

 

[Highgrade]

Red sea , not really , only dose wheny calcium was low on my teat kit , is it normal for the tank one day to b low , then back to normal parameters

If you stop dosing completely and eliminate water changes along with testing daily for roughly 3-4 days how much calcium is used up daily? On a tank your size depending on the coral consumption and a steady ALK I would say its more likely in the consumption range of 20-30ppm a day. Is your ALK stable. Possibly some precipitation going on?

 

[Roasreef]

If you stop dosing completely and eliminate water changes along with testing daily for roughly 3-4 days how much calcium is used up daily? On a tank your size depending on the coral consumption and a steady ALK I would say its more likely in the consumption range of 20-30ppm a day. Is your ALK stable. Possibly some precipitation going on?

My alk is actually been consume about .5 dkh every other day , so im been trying to keep it at 8 dkh , i do water 20 g water change every 2 -3 weeks

 

[Highgrade]

My alk is actually been consume about .5 dkh every other day , so im been trying to keep it at 8 dkh , i do water 20 g water change every 2 -3 weeks

Higher the CA the lower the ALK.

 

[Roasreef]

I see , so its normal for one day to be low and the next day back to normal levels , is this something corals do ?

 

[Highgrade]

I see , so its normal for one day to be low and the next day back to normal levels , is this something corals do ?

Key is stability. Especially with SPS. If your CA, ALK and MG are stable you'll have better success. Anything over 450 PPM with CA is going to drop your ALK. The ALK swings will kill your corals faster than CA swings.

 

[dave57]

If your mg isn't in range (low) you won't be able to maintain your ca levels. if your ph is low your alk will be fluctuating too. Make sure you're dosing equal parts ca/alk. Try doing a water change and get your levels were you want them to be then begin your dosing, remember equal parts. Start slow test daily for a week make changes as needed but no sudden increases.. for example you're dosing 30 ml daily don't increase by 50ml.. then test weekly it might take one week for your system to stabilize that's why I would suggest testing weekly.