trish&dave
Member
OK, we have read about the relationship for calcium: ph, alk, and magnesium levels. As in my previous "test kit" post, we do not have magnesium test and are looking for recommendations on the test kit.
We just tested for calcium, alk, and ph: 400, ~2.3, and 8.2. I use approximate because our test kit is Red Sea and our Alk chart goes from 0-1.6=low (yellow color to light green), 1.7-2.8=normal (light green to light blue), and 2.9-3.6=high (light blue to dark blue). Our green falls in the middle of the normal. Calcium for red sea goes in steps from 400-450 and it changed on the 4th drop.
Our concerns: Tank started on 1/4/08. We started testing for calcium on 1/10 it was 350 and Alk was 3.6. We have been adding Kent Calcium reactor (evenings as directed for tank size) and purple up, one cap in am and pm (56 gallon tank) since 1/10. We did this until 1/29 when calcium increased to 400 and alk was still on the high side at 2.9.
-On 2/4 we tested again and calcium was 450, alk dropped to 2.2. We then added Red Sea buffer, strontium and iodine (way less than recommended).
-On 2/9 we tested again: calcium 450, alk was again around 2.2 (half way between the "normal"), ph has been consistant around 8.2 (again, another complaint on red sea it is hard to determine the purple).
-On 2/10 we added kent pro buffer per instructions (1 1/2 cap for 56 gallon), purple up, and seachem Iodide and stronium (1 cap) in the AM (I know, we do not have test kit and should not add this, but my reading has suggested adding this is OK as long as you do not over do it).
-On 2/11 we decided to stop adding purple up.
Now here we are on 2/14 with a drop in calcium and still a low alk. Any suggestions?????????? Reading the post "another way to look at calcium...", the atm comparison, suggest that clumping of sand is one sign to be concerned about the buffering and overall "balance". We are seeing that now, but also added power heads on 2/9 that have been blowing sand.
Sorry for the long post, just do not want to deal with the consequences of a calcium crash! Thanks for the advise, we are trying to learn, but all the information is sometimes an overload and you are better off just asking!
We just tested for calcium, alk, and ph: 400, ~2.3, and 8.2. I use approximate because our test kit is Red Sea and our Alk chart goes from 0-1.6=low (yellow color to light green), 1.7-2.8=normal (light green to light blue), and 2.9-3.6=high (light blue to dark blue). Our green falls in the middle of the normal. Calcium for red sea goes in steps from 400-450 and it changed on the 4th drop.
Our concerns: Tank started on 1/4/08. We started testing for calcium on 1/10 it was 350 and Alk was 3.6. We have been adding Kent Calcium reactor (evenings as directed for tank size) and purple up, one cap in am and pm (56 gallon tank) since 1/10. We did this until 1/29 when calcium increased to 400 and alk was still on the high side at 2.9.
-On 2/4 we tested again and calcium was 450, alk dropped to 2.2. We then added Red Sea buffer, strontium and iodine (way less than recommended).
-On 2/9 we tested again: calcium 450, alk was again around 2.2 (half way between the "normal"), ph has been consistant around 8.2 (again, another complaint on red sea it is hard to determine the purple).
-On 2/10 we added kent pro buffer per instructions (1 1/2 cap for 56 gallon), purple up, and seachem Iodide and stronium (1 cap) in the AM (I know, we do not have test kit and should not add this, but my reading has suggested adding this is OK as long as you do not over do it).
-On 2/11 we decided to stop adding purple up.
Now here we are on 2/14 with a drop in calcium and still a low alk. Any suggestions?????????? Reading the post "another way to look at calcium...", the atm comparison, suggest that clumping of sand is one sign to be concerned about the buffering and overall "balance". We are seeing that now, but also added power heads on 2/9 that have been blowing sand.
Sorry for the long post, just do not want to deal with the consequences of a calcium crash! Thanks for the advise, we are trying to learn, but all the information is sometimes an overload and you are better off just asking!
