Calcium & alkalinity help needed

[ridomart]

After a 20% water change my calcium is 400 by a salifert test. what should I do now? How do I get 450 cal at the same time 2.9 alk ? (Bang Guy) ?

 

[ridomart]

Alk is 3.31

 

[catawaba]

you can raise your alk with sodium bicarb aka baking soda.
pH will take care of itself.
Calcium isn't too low, but if you want higher, you'll have to supplement it. But not at the same time as the alk. or you'll get a precipitate--calcium carbonate. aka TUMS

 

[catawaba]

If your coral load is low, your numbers are fine.

 

[ridomart]

Have; 12 mushrooms, 2 ric's, 2 sps,1- sponge,1- pagoda cup, 1 flower pot 2 monti's,sun coral, 1 torch, 1- candy cane (4 ) heads,4- diff zoo's, 1- favia, & a brain. I've got 12 new corals comming in wed or thur.

 

[catawaba]

Size of tank?
Circulation?
Lights?

 

[ridomart]

120 gal long, 3 inch sand bed, 160 # lr, 18,000 gal hr, 2-250 MH 2-10,00 VHO's

 

[albfishin']

Originally Posted by RiDoMart
After a 20% water change my calcium is 400 by a salifert test. what should I do now? How do I get 450 cal at the same time 2.9 alk ? (Bang Guy) ?
What is your ph? Aren't higher concentrations usually ok (3.2-4.5)???

 

[dejaco]

I see you asked for BangGuy and he has always been a great help to me!
Also check in the archives for a chart on alk/calcium by reefnut!

 

[ridomart]

value anybodys opinuon, i'm at a loss. had problems with cal from day 1, changed salt.

 

[catawaba]

I think your levels are fine with what you've listed.
You could switch salts but then you may end up with stronger deviations.

 

[grubsnaek]

I HAVE TO KNOW
what in the sam hell are you useing to move 18,000 gph.
please tell!!

 

[murph145]

i keep my Calcium at 400-420 and my alk at 8.0-9.0 dkh and i have a high load of corals so i think ur fine if u wanna raise it a lil just go get some 2 part addatives and follow the directions

 

[cjml]

Originally Posted by grubsnaek
I HAVE TO KNOW
what in the sam hell are you useing to move 18,000 gph.
please tell!!

Yes I was wondering about that also..... :notsure:

 

[fender]

Your numbers are pretty good. Natural Sea Water runs from 410 to 420.
As stated above try a 2 part additive and bring both up in balance and then maybe use a kalkwasser drip to keep it where you want it.
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0

[hr]
0.0

[hr]
0

[hr]
360
--0.5

[hr]
1.4

[hr]
25

[hr]
370
--1.0

[hr]
2.8

[hr]
50

[hr]
380
--1.5

[hr]
4.2

[hr]
75

[hr]
390
--2.0

[hr]
5.6

[hr]
100

[hr]
400
--2.5

[hr]
7.0

[hr]
125

[hr]
410
--3.0

[hr]
8.4

[hr]
150

[hr]
420
--3.5

[hr]
9.8

[hr]
175

[hr]
430
--4.0

[hr]
11.2

[hr]
200

[hr]
440
--4.5

[hr]
12.6

[hr]
225

[hr]
450
--5.0

[hr]
14.0

[hr]
250

[hr]
460
--5.5

[hr]
15.4

[hr]
275

[hr]
470
--6.0

[hr]
16.8

[hr]
300

[hr]
480
--6.5

[hr]
18.2

[hr]
325

[hr]
490
--7.0

[hr]
19.6

[hr]
350

[hr]
500

 

[grubsnaek]

please i have to know. what are you using for that much gph.

 

[ridomart]

Sorry, 3,400. Don't know why I typed 18 K. %-maxi 1200= 1500, 1- mag12 = 1200-return, 1-mag 7=750 skimmer 750

 

[grubsnaek]

thank you i didnt think you were lying, just couldnt figure out how you did it.
any way 3400 is still very solid, you cant imagine how baffled i was to read that. thank you for your response

 

[ridomart]

Thanks grubsnack. I was in a hurry & probably just grabed a number, been a while since I've figured out the turn over. Thanks all , think everything is under control now.