Can somebody explain this Ca/Alk puzzle plz?
 

Hi all,

My tank has been setup and running for two months now. It is a 72gal tank with 100+ lbs of lr, and a 4"+ aragonite dsp. I have 500W of light running on the system (mh and pc).

I used IO salt to fill up the tank and then did a 5gal water-change about a month ago.

I just did a test on Ca and Alk (using salifert test-kits) and the puzzle is, my Ca reads 410 and my dkh reads 8.3!!!

I have a couple of corals that probably are consuming Calcium such as:
Moon coral
Candy Cane
Branching Hammer
Elegance
xenia
gsp
finger leather
sebea Anemone
and I just purchased a bleaching Acro (trying to revive it) and a a small cap frag.

Now from what I understood from all of you is that IO doesn't have that much Ca in it to start with, and overtime, Ca should go down as animals consume it.

I haven't added anything in terms of additives. Could this high Ca and Alk levels be due to the aragonite sand-bed?

Can somebody explain as I am very confused???

I was just about to dose the 2 part home-made Calcium-Chloride and Baking-soda right after my test showed me that I was on the low side, but after these results, I guess I will have to wait, correct???

What should I do? Should I still dose the 2 part additive, or should I just keep monitoring?

Thanks in advance.
fresh.

Re: Can somebody explain this Ca/Alk puzzle plz?
 

The Cal Levels and the Alk is just fine. Natural seawater is 400-425 PPM for CAL.

And Alk is usally around 2.9Meg/L or 8-10 DKH so everything is going good.

With Baking soda there is a site out there tha Bev has the tables to. I'm at work and unable to check it and send it to you.

Yes keep monitering it say every week until uyuo start getting more coraline and then you will start to see a fall in the LEvels. just take it easy.

mike

P.s becareful on what you wish for GSP can use a heck of alot of CAL once they start to grow...

This should be the one...

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

the stuff in your tank probably isn't using up any alk or calcium yet as your tank is so new. your sand also might be adding some calcium to your numbers as well.

That was basically what I was concerned about. How come that just adding IO salt and letting the tank be for 2 months gives me a Ca reading of 410??? Very strange.

So you think that the aragonite sand can help that much?

Also, in this case I shouldn't be dosing Ca or Alk right?

Thanks all

Fresh.

What are you mixing your salt with? IO mixed with RO/DI water will give you somewhere between 330 and 360 ppm Ca+.... but if you are using tap water it could be higher.