Quote:
Originally Posted by asylumdown
Unless he's resolved his sky high alkalinity and pH issues, doubling up on the rate he adds calcium is just going to cause calcium carbonate to precipitate out all over everything.
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No it won't. He was only at 11 dKH. Dosing 50 ppm calcium from <300 ppm calcium absolutely will not cause precipitation. If he added 120+ ppm calcium in one shot to 11 dKH alkalinity, then yes that would probably cause precipitation. 11 dKH is not very high. Go read my first post.
In fact, the Randy Holmes-Farley article you posted even lists 11 dKH within his recommended concentration. 
Plus, I don't believe his pH reading was accurate. pH of 8.7 is very difficult to achieve in reef aquaria. Besides, alkalinity doesn't directly affect pH anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by asylumdown
You need to get pH and alk down to 'normal' levels before you start messing with calcium. The easiest, safest, and fastest way to do that is through a series of water changes with a properly balanced salt mix.
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Calcium and alkalinity work together like a teeter totter. If you add calcium, alkalinity will go down. If you add alkalinity, calcium will go down. I guarantee if he raises his calcium slowly from <300 ppm to 420 ppm in 3 doses over the next 2 days his alkalinity will drop from 11 dKH to about 9 dKH, and there will not be any precipitation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by asylumdown
calcium carbonate to precipitate out of solution that you're alk and pH both start to fall. In the process however, you will have shaved years off the life of your powerheads, return pump, and heaters, if not caused them to fail already.
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This is simply not true. Getting precipitation on pumps will not cause them to die prematurely.
Leaving precipitation on the pumps, just like leaving "natural" buildup on the pumps by not cleaning them often enough can cause premature failure, but it's not like you flick the switch and the bulb bursts.