Just started dosing ALK

[tobster]

I just started dosing alkalinity a few weeks ago because I noticed it was down to 5.9.
I slowly brought it up to 8.5.
By using a Hanna checker I calculated that my tank is using roughly 18 mil a day Red Sea liquid alkalinity to maintain 8.5.
My calcium hasn’t much at all and I thought it would lower it when I started dosing alk?
Am I doing something wrong or is this normal? Calcium was around 430 when I checked a few days ago with Red Sea test.
Magnesium was at 1360 with Red Sea test.
I do have a bad algae outbreak right now and I’m not sure if that matters or not?
Tank is year and half old.

 

[PharmrJohn]

This may help....

Thread 'Alk and Mg relationship' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/alk-and-mg-relationship.209932/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium always moves far more slowly when it is consumed at the expected ratio to at, which is about 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alk. Thus, our tests do not readily detect calcium drops associated with only a few dKH drop in alk.

Accumulating nitrate will also consume alk and not calcium. 50 ppm of nitrate produced will deplete 2.3 dKH of alk and no calcium.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

do you have corals in your tank, and what kinds?

 

[tobster]

Calcium always moves far more slowly when it is consumed at the expected ratio to at, which is about 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alk. Thus, our tests do not readily detect calcium drops associated with only a few dKH drop in alk.

Accumulating nitrate will also consume alk and not calcium. 50 ppm of nitrate produced will deplete 2.3 dKH of alk and no

Calcium always moves far more slowly when it is consumed at the expected ratio to at, which is about 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alk. Thus, our tests do not readily detect calcium drops associated with only a few dKH drop in alk.

Accumulating nitrate will also consume alk and not calcium. 50 ppm of nitrate produced will deplete 2.3 dKH of alk and no calcium.

I am dealing with a bad algae outbreak, see photos. Should I stop dosing ALK until this is corrected? I show 5ppm NO3 but I’m sure it’s much higher because the algae is consuming it.
Also, if I should keep dosing alk, would I need to start dosing the calcium in smaller doses to keep it from dropping?

 

[tobster]

do you have corals in your tank, and what kinds?

Yes it’s a mixed reef. I have soft, LPS and acros. The acros are just frags, nothing big.
8 acros, 2 birdnest, montis, 3 torches, hammers, acans.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am dealing with a bad algae outbreak, see photos. Should I stop dosing ALK until this is corrected? I show 5ppm NO3 but I’m sure it’s much higher because the algae is consuming it.
Also, if I should keep dosing alk, would I need to start dosing the calcium in smaller doses to keep it from dropping?

The algae is not spurred by alk (so dose it), and the nitrate effect only applies to accumulating levels. Algae or anything else using nitrate releases back exactly the alk consumed to make it, so nitrate is not the explanation and it’s just that calcium moves slowly and is hard to reliably detect for small changes.

Yes, you may need to starting using a method that also adds calcium.

 

[tobster]

The algae is not spurred by alk (so dose it), and the nitrate effect only applies to accumulating levels. Algae or anything else using nitrate releases back exactly the alk consumed to make it, so nitrate is not the explanation and it’s just that calcium moves slowly and is hard to reliably detect for small changes.

Yes, you may need to starting using a method that also adds calcium.

Thanks for explaining

 

[rishma]

Familiar algae troubles. Do you test phosphate?

I have had hair algae outbreaks like that in the past. There are many ways to deal with it but I found carbon dosing and nutrient management to be helpful in getting it under control and eventually beating it.

 

[tobster]

Familiar algae troubles. Do you test phosphate?

I have had hair algae outbreaks like that in the past. There are many ways to deal with it but I found carbon dosing and nutrient management to be helpful in getting it under control and eventually beating it.

Yes I do test phosphate with Hanna ulr. Last I checked about a week ago it was showing.03 even with all the algae.
I’ve been using gfo and rox carbon as well as manual removal. It comes back fairly quickly though.
I have some chaeto in QT to try and start a refugium in a week or so.
I’m hoping that will help also.

 

[rishma]

Yes I do test phosphate with Hanna ulr. Last I checked about a week ago it was showing.03 even with all the algae.
I’ve been using gfo and rox carbon as well as manual removal. It comes back fairly quickly though.
I have some chaeto in QT to try and start a refugium in a week or so.
I’m hoping that will help also.

You are doing all the right things. I’ve personally had better luck with carbon dosing so bacteria can out compete the algae, but there are no silver bullets. Just keep at it. Best of luck.