krazekajin
Active Member
I did a waterchange not 36 hours ago. I will have to use kent supercalcium or liquid calcium in a drip mode for a while in order to slowly raise my calcium.
Please help me with my ALk and Calcium Levels. Please please Please
- Thread starter krazekajin
- Start date
ifirefight
Active Member
Originally Posted by KrazeKajin
so firefight,
Am I correct in my understanding. Raise just my calcium up to 400 or balanced with my alk and then I can use my kalk dripper to maintain?
Yes Just calcium. And then you can use KALK, but like I said you will need to tinker with the amount of kalk to find the proper amount to drip to keep levels where you want. Weberian wrote..I would assume he is not going to get to 400 Ca with additives alone. He is going to have to do a water change.
Calcium & Alkalinity Chart
[hr]
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
That is not correct...Well that is partially correct. He will have no problem getting his levels up to and over 400 ppm.. Everything HAS to be balanced . ALK,PH and Calcium. There are lots of good articles in the archives. I am not trying to be a smart a$$..just trying to help.
so firefight,
Am I correct in my understanding. Raise just my calcium up to 400 or balanced with my alk and then I can use my kalk dripper to maintain?
Yes Just calcium. And then you can use KALK, but like I said you will need to tinker with the amount of kalk to find the proper amount to drip to keep levels where you want. Weberian wrote..I would assume he is not going to get to 400 Ca with additives alone. He is going to have to do a water change.
Calcium & Alkalinity Chart
[hr]
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
[hr]
360
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
[hr]
370
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
[hr]
380
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
[hr]
390
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
[hr]
400
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
[hr]
410
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
[hr]
420
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
[hr]
430
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
[hr]
440
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
[hr]
450
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
[hr]
460
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
[hr]
470
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
[hr]
480
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
[hr]
490
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
[hr]
500
That is not correct...Well that is partially correct. He will have no problem getting his levels up to and over 400 ppm.. Everything HAS to be balanced . ALK,PH and Calcium. There are lots of good articles in the archives. I am not trying to be a smart a$$..just trying to help.
ifirefight
Active Member
Originally Posted by KrazeKajin
I did a waterchange not 36 hours ago. I will have to use kent supercalcium or liquid calcium in a drip mode for a while in order to slowly raise my calcium.
Yes.
I did a waterchange not 36 hours ago. I will have to use kent supercalcium or liquid calcium in a drip mode for a while in order to slowly raise my calcium.
Yes.
pontius
Active Member
the range for alk in a saltwater aquarium is 5-11 degrees dkh, with the number ideally being toward the top end of that range. but at 5.6, you are not in imminent danger of having a crash. I would recommend C-Balance over any of Kent's calcium products. C-Balance will get your calcium up to a good level and if you still aren't satisfied with the alk, use a buffer. your alk is NOT *too* low, you are just at the lower end of the preferred range.
I have good success in the past with Kalkwasser, but it becomes an aggravation setting up a drip on an almost nightly basis. so I switched to C-Balance and I have not noticed any difference.
I have good success in the past with Kalkwasser, but it becomes an aggravation setting up a drip on an almost nightly basis. so I switched to C-Balance and I have not noticed any difference.
krazekajin
Active Member
Thanks for all of the advice.
I have started a calcium only drip in order to get my calcium level to balance with my Alk level. I will post when that is done and then I am going to continue my kalk drip and see what happens. I am trying to keep a very good log of my testing so that people can see what I am doing and how it affected my tank.
I have started a calcium only drip in order to get my calcium level to balance with my Alk level. I will post when that is done and then I am going to continue my kalk drip and see what happens. I am trying to keep a very good log of my testing so that people can see what I am doing and how it affected my tank.
ifirefight
Active Member
Update Kraze.................. :notsure:
ifirefight
Active Member
That was fast.... 1 minute BEFORE my post.... you must be a mind reader. :joy:
krazekajin
Active Member
Well, I do see dead people. HE He
Anyway here is what has happened so far. Started Kalk Drip.
Day One: Cal at 270, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Two: Cal at 310, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Three: Cal at 320, Alk at 7, Ph at 8.2 (PH was measured before my lights came on so that might be my night time drop)
Now I have stopped the kalk drip and am dripping a gallon of top off water with Kent Liquid Calcium. I will see what that does to my calcium levels over the next couple of days. I am shooting to get my calcium to balance with my existing Alk level.
I am amazed at the lack of hobbiest and LFS knowledge of this. I had asked these questions for a while and until I got a hold of that article nothing was making much sense. I am a member of the Toledo Reef Club and I am going to try and present a talk on this now that I can understand it. I am making an excel spreadsheet of my testing levels so that when I get a few weeks into this, I can post the spreadsheet so that others can see what I did and how it affected my levels.
Anyway here is what has happened so far. Started Kalk Drip.
Day One: Cal at 270, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Two: Cal at 310, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Three: Cal at 320, Alk at 7, Ph at 8.2 (PH was measured before my lights came on so that might be my night time drop)
Now I have stopped the kalk drip and am dripping a gallon of top off water with Kent Liquid Calcium. I will see what that does to my calcium levels over the next couple of days. I am shooting to get my calcium to balance with my existing Alk level.
I am amazed at the lack of hobbiest and LFS knowledge of this. I had asked these questions for a while and until I got a hold of that article nothing was making much sense. I am a member of the Toledo Reef Club and I am going to try and present a talk on this now that I can understand it. I am making an excel spreadsheet of my testing levels so that when I get a few weeks into this, I can post the spreadsheet so that others can see what I did and how it affected my levels.
ifirefight
Active Member
Originally Posted by KrazeKajin
Well, I do see dead people. HE He
Anyway here is what has happened so far. Started Kalk Drip.
Day One: Cal at 270, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Two: Cal at 310, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Three: Cal at 320, Alk at 7, Ph at 8.2 (PH was measured before my lights came on so that might be my night time drop)
Now I have stopped the kalk drip and am dripping a gallon of top off water with Kent Liquid Calcium. I will see what that does to my calcium levels over the next couple of days. I am shooting to get my calcium to balance with my existing Alk level.
I am amazed at the lack of hobbiest and LFS knowledge of this. I had asked these questions for a while and until I got a hold of that article nothing was making much sense. I am a member of the Toledo Reef Club and I am going to try and present a talk on this now that I can understand it. I am making an excel spreadsheet of my testing levels so that when I get a few weeks into this, I can post the spreadsheet so that others can see what I did and how it affected my levels.
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! I think you realize my advise... I said only raise calcium.... NOW you understand why.Weberian do you see my point now?????
Well, I do see dead people. HE He
Anyway here is what has happened so far. Started Kalk Drip.
Day One: Cal at 270, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Two: Cal at 310, Alk at 5.6dkh, PH at 8.4
Day Three: Cal at 320, Alk at 7, Ph at 8.2 (PH was measured before my lights came on so that might be my night time drop)
Now I have stopped the kalk drip and am dripping a gallon of top off water with Kent Liquid Calcium. I will see what that does to my calcium levels over the next couple of days. I am shooting to get my calcium to balance with my existing Alk level.
I am amazed at the lack of hobbiest and LFS knowledge of this. I had asked these questions for a while and until I got a hold of that article nothing was making much sense. I am a member of the Toledo Reef Club and I am going to try and present a talk on this now that I can understand it. I am making an excel spreadsheet of my testing levels so that when I get a few weeks into this, I can post the spreadsheet so that others can see what I did and how it affected my levels.
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! I think you realize my advise... I said only raise calcium.... NOW you understand why.Weberian do you see my point now?????
ifirefight
Active Member
I would love to hear your speech... Hopefully you can enlighten other hobbiest on this subject.
weberian
Member
He dripped kalk, a balanced approach, like I said.
He did not post if he upped the kalk amount, however. Did he mix more kalk or increase the drip rate?
I drip kalk with a 2 liter bottle, every day, and it does not increase my levels as much a his did. I got a 10 ppm increase in Ca over one week. (unfortunately the spoon I use to measure kalk only says "just a pinch" so it's hard to tell exactly how much kalk I'm using - I use 2 spoons of that each time)
For your information, I use the same article as you guys. I really found it to be an excellent guide. Also, I have enjoyed this discussion with you guys. We just have small differences in our approach, that's all.
I am glad you are having a talk about that article to teach others. Good job.
He did not post if he upped the kalk amount, however. Did he mix more kalk or increase the drip rate?
I drip kalk with a 2 liter bottle, every day, and it does not increase my levels as much a his did. I got a 10 ppm increase in Ca over one week. (unfortunately the spoon I use to measure kalk only says "just a pinch" so it's hard to tell exactly how much kalk I'm using - I use 2 spoons of that each time)
For your information, I use the same article as you guys. I really found it to be an excellent guide. Also, I have enjoyed this discussion with you guys. We just have small differences in our approach, that's all.
I am glad you are having a talk about that article to teach others. Good job.
krazekajin
Active Member
update:
after about twelve hours of my calcium only drip with a drip rate of about a drop every two seconds, I retested my levels.
PH 8.3
Alk 5.6 dkh
Calcium 330.
Thus my calcium has risen from 270 to 330 while my alk has stayed the same. I have increased the drip rate to one per second.
So far all is good.
after about twelve hours of my calcium only drip with a drip rate of about a drop every two seconds, I retested my levels.
PH 8.3
Alk 5.6 dkh
Calcium 330.
Thus my calcium has risen from 270 to 330 while my alk has stayed the same. I have increased the drip rate to one per second.
So far all is good.
krazekajin
Active Member
I am using AP tests. I can not account for that other than that was when I was using a kalk drip which would raise my alk. but more likely it was because I messed up on the test.
pandafish
Member
what salt are you using if you have good levels in your salt water mix up you shouldn't need to be rescuing your tank like that. I think that article recommends that you strive for your levels to drop gradually together then water change. if you are having to correct the individual elements then the mix up you are using is off from the get go or you have something in your tank that is depleting specific elements. For example things like Hair algae will help your DKH drop quickly in turn if you can keep your DKH up the hair algae should not thrive. Remember everything in the tank is dependent of something else.
test your make up water and see where you are starting before you add to your tank.
test your make up water and see where you are starting before you add to your tank.
krazekajin
Active Member
I am going to get the salifert test.
I use IO salt. I think everything was a little off because I was not doing anything. I was only performing water changes. now that I am wanting to get into SPS, I began to test everything closely. By keeping a detailed log, I will be able to see if something is off.
My hypothesis is that once I get my alk and calcium balanced, then a daily Kalk drip will maintain the proper levels.
however, if after balancing my cal and alk, I find that one or the other is being depleted and unbalancing the equation then I can begin to find out the culprit.
I use IO salt. I think everything was a little off because I was not doing anything. I was only performing water changes. now that I am wanting to get into SPS, I began to test everything closely. By keeping a detailed log, I will be able to see if something is off.
My hypothesis is that once I get my alk and calcium balanced, then a daily Kalk drip will maintain the proper levels.
however, if after balancing my cal and alk, I find that one or the other is being depleted and unbalancing the equation then I can begin to find out the culprit.
krazekajin
Active Member
After dripping an entire gallon of Kent Liquid Calcium (the only thing I could buy locally) over the course of a day and a half, my calcium levels have risen to 350ppm.
My alk is still at 5.6dkh, but my PH has dropped to 8.0. Is this normal. I am hoping that when I get everything balanced out that starting a kalk drip will compenstate for the PH drop and help keep my ph steady.
My alk is still at 5.6dkh, but my PH has dropped to 8.0. Is this normal. I am hoping that when I get everything balanced out that starting a kalk drip will compenstate for the PH drop and help keep my ph steady.
ifirefight
Active Member
Originally Posted by KrazeKajin
After dripping an entire gallon of Kent Liquid Calcium (the only thing I could buy locally) over the course of a day and a half, my calcium levels have risen to 350ppm.
My alk is still at 5.6dkh, but my PH has dropped to 8.0. Is this normal. I am hoping that when I get everything balanced out that starting a kalk drip will compenstate for the PH drop and help keep my ph steady.
I hope thats a typo....I added a whole gallon of liquid calcium. But you are right on the verge of zone 2...actually you are on the line. Remember with your alk at 5.6 dkh the "balanced" calcium is 400. So you are close. PH can rise and fall depending on time of day,CO2 buil-up etc..etc.. I know you know that though.
After dripping an entire gallon of Kent Liquid Calcium (the only thing I could buy locally) over the course of a day and a half, my calcium levels have risen to 350ppm.
My alk is still at 5.6dkh, but my PH has dropped to 8.0. Is this normal. I am hoping that when I get everything balanced out that starting a kalk drip will compenstate for the PH drop and help keep my ph steady.
I hope thats a typo....I added a whole gallon of liquid calcium. But you are right on the verge of zone 2...actually you are on the line. Remember with your alk at 5.6 dkh the "balanced" calcium is 400. So you are close. PH can rise and fall depending on time of day,CO2 buil-up etc..etc.. I know you know that though.
krazekajin
Active Member
Well, not really a typo, let me clarify.
I added a whole gallon of top off water with two capfuls of liquid calcium in it. That is what I meant. So hopefully that clarifies it up.
Does Kalk balance PH as well as Alk and Calcium?
I added a whole gallon of top off water with two capfuls of liquid calcium in it. That is what I meant. So hopefully that clarifies it up.
Does Kalk balance PH as well as Alk and Calcium?