Water Softener, Make up water & Kalk (Calcium hydroxide)

[jchmiel]

Ok,
75gal tank (100 gal of water total)
I have low calcium at about 350 and I cannot seem to get it up any higher. My input water is water softened and has a very low Calcium reading when fresh mixed with Instant Ocean mix at around 200. So I am currently dripping kalk from a 5gal bucket mixed 2tsp per gal with a little vinegar, 1 drip per second. I'm pondering putting a little Kalk into the fresh made up water for when I do water changes, so that the water change doesn't lower the Calcium. Also, should I consider putting it in the fresh make up water?
I have some stony corals that do need the calcium.
Attachment 242127

 

[bang guy]

Saltwater mixing up at 200ppm calcium is an indication that something is wrong. Either you're not mixing it correctly (list you procedure for me) or the source water has a very high alkalinity (easily tested). What is the ALK of the display tank?
Adding kalk to freshly made saltwater isn't a good procedure either. Just stick to the limewater drip.

 

[jchmiel]

By Alk im going to assume you mean KH. I'm pretty sure Alkalinity would be the PH. Correct me if I'm wrong. But here is it all anyways.
Tank:
Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.2
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 8dkh
Calcium: 350-360ppm
Fresh made R/O-D/I salt water:
Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.2
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 11dkh
Calcium: 200-220ppm
Mixing Salt unless there has been some other way. I just make the RO/DI water in a 5 gal buckets slowly shake in about 450ml of Salt mix in the flow of the powerhead in side. I make my salinity about 1.024. The incoming TDS of the Fresh RO/DI water is about 4 can't seem to remove that last bit. I usually wait a day or two before I use the made up water.
I used to use purple up from seachem and thay kept the Calc around 380-390 with a KH of 8dkh.
I'm making water to test now so I'm accurate.

 

[nanomantis]

Alkalinity is KH. Perhaps you should switch to a better salt... Even IO reef crystals is an improvement on their standard salt mix.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by jchmiel
http:///forum/post/3265245
By Alk im going to assume you mean KH. I'm pretty sure Alkalinity would be the PH. Correct me if I'm wrong. But here is it all anyways.
Tank:
Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.2
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 8dkh
Calcium: 350-360ppm
Fresh made R/O-D/I salt water:
Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.2
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 11dkh
Calcium: 200-220ppm
Mixing Salt unless there has been some other way. I just make the RO/DI water in a 5 gal buckets slowly shake in about 450ml of Salt mix in the flow of the powerhead in side. I make my salinity about 1.024. The incoming TDS of the Fresh RO/DI water is about 4 can't seem to remove that last bit. I usually wait a day or two before I use the made up water.
I used to use purple up from seachem and thay kept the Calc around 380-390 with a KH of 8dkh.
I'm making water to test now so I'm accurate.
I can't see anything wrong on your side. I've never had a batch of salt mix up that poorly so I was hoping it was an easy fix.

 

[jchmiel]

Alrighty,
Tested again and we are in a better position.
NEWLY TESTED Fresh made R/O-D/I salt water (4 hours mixed):
Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: 0
PH: 7.8-7.9
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 11-12dkh
Calcium: 340-360ppm
First time with bad results when I mixed I tested two 5 gal buckets that I made, twice, so 4 tests with same results. This one I tested twice same results looking better. I noticed a lower PH now, is that cause I just mixed it up?
Of course the problem still stands with low calcium. I'm gonna wait a little to see what happeneds over the next week or two. In the long run should I be doing something else to get my calcium lvls to where they need to be if they don't improve?

 

[bang guy]

I wouldn't worry too much about PH unless you're doing a very large water change (>50%).
A Calcium additive might be appropriate after your water changes. Test the display tank before dosing though. Calcium chloride would be perfect.
Next time you mix your water stir it by hand instead of the powerhead. Stir vigerously as you slowly pour the salt into cold water. It may not make a difference but it's worth the effort.