Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
02-18-2001, 02:06 PM
|
#1
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
Calcium depleted and don't know why
While doing my routine tank maintenance I discovered my Ca has dropped down to 230. Alkalinity was 12dKH. I've been buffering with Kent Pro Buffer dKH for the last couple of months trying to get the alkalinity up. My Ca has always been around 450. I don't even have any stonies in the tank right now, with the exception of a slipper so what could have happened to the Ca?
I've never used anything but kalk for Ca and am under the impression that it will only maintain levels but will not actually raise levels. If this is true are there any suggestions to raise it with one of the other products out there? Which one?
Thanks,
Troy
|
|
|
|
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
02-18-2001, 08:10 PM
|
#2
|
|
Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,155
|
Supposedly thats true, I was using the B-Ionic in small amount twice weekly and drippin kalk. It seemed to keep things in check till I ran out. You might wann try ramping it up with turbo calcium, FWIW
------------------
I dont advocate holding marine creatures for ransom but......since you asked 
Doug, plank owner
http://hellreef.homestead.com/index.html
www.thereeftank.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000001.html |
|
|
|
|
02-20-2001, 01:58 AM
|
#4
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
Thanks Doug,
Any ideas on what could have happened to my levels? It is a fairly new Salifert test kit, the last time I tested for Ca, about three weeks ago, it was in the 460 range. I would think the test kit is good but you never know.
Troy |
|
|
|
|
02-20-2001, 09:21 AM
|
#5
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
I have not had a surge in coralline, if anything I've had a drop off. What do you mean by "yoyo alk/Ca thing"? I did manage to bring my alk up from 8.5-9 dKH to 12dKH. Is there a connection?
Troy
|
|
|
|
|
02-21-2001, 10:26 PM
|
#6
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
I came home to cloudy water. Lisa removed the carbon and about a half hour later the tank just went cloudy. I would hazard a guess that calcium precipatated but I honestly don't have a clue. The water cleard within approximately 30 minutes. Can anyone wager a guess on what is going on?
Troy
|
|
|
|
|
02-21-2001, 10:40 PM
|
#7
|
|
Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,155
|
Check out this article, it kinda explains the inter relationship. Aalso there are a few good articles archived if they havent disapeared http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/calcium.shtml
[ 02-21-2001: Message edited by: Doug1 ]
__________________
Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
|
|
|
|
|
02-22-2001, 08:19 AM
|
#8
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
Thanks for the link Doug (what are you trying to say  ) alas I read that article in the past and am still a "dummy" .
I will keep trying to figure this out.
Troy |
|
|
|
|
02-22-2001, 08:35 AM
|
#9
|
|
TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
|
I'm posting this for smpolyp; he's having password trouble:
Green Lantern You are right the cloudy is the percip of your calcium. With the extra additions of your buffers you have precipitated out your calcium. Although with a dkh of 12 will equal to a 4.2857 meg/l. That may seem high, but your magnesium could be low. With the levels given it prob. is not that low but your mag maybe 1100-1200 ppm. Or your salinity maybe low. I would say when you add your buffers you should add your cal. This way you can balance it out. Test after your additions (about 1 hr) to see if you have the right mix. If you would not like to deal with the extra testing and balancing you may want to go with what Doug1 says and try a two-part.
__________________
 "A BRW Original"
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow... 
|
|
|
|
|
02-22-2001, 03:37 PM
|
#10
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
Thanks Alice for your time and smpolyp for the advice. I'll try your advice and post back with my results. |
|
|
|
|
02-22-2001, 04:05 PM
|
#11
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Posts: 17
|
Greenlantern,
Have you thought of changing the water? Unless your saltwater supply is deficient in calcium hardness, which is very unlikely, water change(s) should solve your problem. In the semi-open system I am trying, two kinds of coral as well as sea anemones and tube worms, and all the other live rock crowd, are living and in many cases visibly growing.
The only water quality management I do is 10% daily water change. I remove detritus and crop algae at the same time, but it all goes out with the daily water. Then I add 10% new water, usually I make saltwater twice a week. The experimental aquarium water hardness, on a Hagen test, is 110ppm. This is a good level, and the nitrite is <0.3ppm.
I know that marine aquarists for some reason try to avoid water changes, but that is the way of the sea- renewal through change. Soon I hope to optimize this system, so that it most closely follows the conditions of tropical seawater. |
|
|
|
|
02-22-2001, 06:09 PM
|
#12
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada
Posts: 425
|
Hi John,
I do water changes frequently though nothing like 10% a day. I've been doing 12 gallons on a 75 gallon tank weekly. I am definately not opposed to water changes. I can't remember off hand what Ca levels are in saltwater mixes (240ppm?) but I'm fairly sure they don't come close to recommended levels in reef tanks. Sounds like an interesting system you're running.
|
|
|
|
|
