Do i always dose calcium with alk?

[Herby’s reef]

So I have a question that may be stupid, but I seem to find conflicting answers everywhere I look. I have recently upgraded my tank from 50 gallon to 130 gallon. I kept all the old live rock and added around 80 lbs of dry rock. The new tank has been up for around 3 months and all parameters are stable except for alkalinity. I top off with kalkwasser, and my calcium remains stable around 410, but I have to add 100 to 200 ML of brs 2 part per day to keep the dkh around 8 to 9. To be clear, I am only adding the alkalinity part of the 2 part because my calcium is normal. Am I doing the correct thing? Should I be adding equal doses of calcium even though it is normal? My coraline algae is growing like crazy and I have read this can use alot of alk. I have mostly lps tank with 2 small clams. Ph runs 8 to 8.3, 0 ammonia o nitrite. Phosphate and nitrates undetectable. Everything in tank looks great.

Thanks in advance!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What BRS product is it? And how are you testing.
That does sound like a lot

 

[Herby’s reef]

It's the brs soda ash I am dosing. Testing with api Kh test.

Thanks,
David

 

[Potatohead]

Verify both your calcium and alkalinity levels with a second (salifert or red sea) test kit. What you're saying is happening doesn't really make any sense so we should make sure it's actually happening for certain before taking action.

Edit - Verify magnesium as well

 

[five.five-six]

What is the resolution onthe API KH test kit?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What is the resolution onthe API KH test kit?

Test two or three times and compare results.
And understand it only gets you in the ball park. 8ish. 9ish. Etc.

 

[Herby’s reef]

What is the resolution onthe API KH test kit?

I'm not sure. Would this be written on the bottle? The kit is only a few weeks old and does not expire until 2022 if that is what you are asking, but I don't see a resolution on it.

Thanks

 

[Herby’s reef]

Verify both your calcium and alkalinity levels with a second (salifert or red sea) test kit. What you're saying is happening doesn't really make any sense so we should make sure it's actually happening for certain before taking action.

Edit - Verify magnesium as well

I figured I needed to do this so I have one on order. I am not close to a lfs, so will have to wait a few days for these test kits to come in.

Thanks!

 

[Herby’s reef]

Test two or three times and compare results.
And understand it only gets you in the ball park. 8ish. 9ish. Etc.

I just tested 3 times and got kh of 7ish all three times. I have always used api and had stable results until recently. Maybe my new kit has bad reagents. We will see when new kits come in.

Thanks
David

 

[five.five-six]

Test two or three times and compare results.
And understand it only gets you in the ball park. 8ish. 9ish. Etc.

So the API only reads in whole numbers not in tenths or hundredths? For instance, a Salifert test will give a reading of 8.37 but a API will give a reading of 8 ish?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So the API only reads in whole numbers not in tenths or hundredths? For instance, a Salifert test will give a reading of 8.37 but a API will give a reading of 8 ish?

Correct.
And understand that in all tests there is some amount of error. Some drops are bigger than others I guess. Lol.
But, IMO , precision is not always needed depending on application and preference.
8ish is fine , 5ish maybe not so much. And 8.1 vs 8.6 , is not a huge concern for me personally.

 

[five.five-six]

You aren’t counting drops, you are reading the amount dispensed from a syringe. 8ish is fine for maintenance but can prove troublesome when troubleshooting.

 

[Herby’s reef]

I ordered the red sea kit from Amazon and it should be here Friday. I will update you guys on results as soon as I get them.

Thanks!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You aren’t counting drops, you are reading the amount dispensed from a syringe. 8ish is fine for maintenance but can prove troublesome when troubleshooting.

With api? It’s counting drops.
I trouble shoot a lot of tanks. And a .5 or .9 rarely makes a difference and is within range of most all test kits margin of error
This is off topic.

 

[Herby’s reef]

I have a salifert magnesium kit and magnesium is running 1480

 

[five.five-six]

With api? It’s counting drops.
I trouble shoot a lot of tanks. And a .5 or .9 rarely makes a difference and is within range of most all test kits margin of error
This is off topic.

With Salifert and the better test kits like Red Sea, you are not counting drops. Drop size doesn’t matter.


Hopefully a new test kit will shed some light because saturated limewater dosing is a balanced supplement and it makes this issue very curious.


1480 is good mg Are you supplementing MG?

 

[Herby’s reef]

I did dose a little mag a week ago, but I do not routinely dose it. I only dose when I notice it dropping.

 

[five.five-six]

I did dose a little mag a week ago, but I do not routinely dose it. I only dose when I notice it dropping.

That’s an indication of consumption. Your corals are doing well it take it.

 

[Herby’s reef]

Corals and clams all look great except for my elegance. It is new and I think it probably had ECS. The other corals are growing and fully open every day.

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So I have a question that may be stupid, but I seem to find conflicting answers everywhere I look. I have recently upgraded my tank from 50 gallon to 130 gallon. I kept all the old live rock and added around 80 lbs of dry rock. The new tank has been up for around 3 months and all parameters are stable except for alkalinity. I top off with kalkwasser, and my calcium remains stable around 410, but I have to add 100 to 200 ML of brs 2 part per day to keep the dkh around 8 to 9. To be clear, I am only adding the alkalinity part of the 2 part because my calcium is normal. Am I doing the correct thing? Should I be adding equal doses of calcium even though it is normal? My coraline algae is growing like crazy and I have read this can use alot of alk. I have mostly lps tank with 2 small clams. Ph runs 8 to 8.3, 0 ammonia o nitrite. Phosphate and nitrates undetectable. Everything in tank looks great.

Thanks in advance!

At the rate of alk addition, you are consuming about 7 ppm of calcium per day. It may take a while to see that change with a kit, and water changes may also be propping it up.

I'd personally dose the calcium unless the calcium unless it is already too high (500+ ppm), and if anything, yours is on the low side.