Calcium and dKh dropping rapidly!

[marie]

I would add both parts equally so you don't create an imbalance. Bulk soda ash and calcium chloride are perfectly fine to use. Start slowly until you know for sure how much your tank needs.....although going too fast will only result in a snow storm which is a pretty easy fix in a small tank

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by marie

I would add both parts equally. Bulk soda ash and calcium chloride are perfectly fine to use. Start slowly until you know for sure how much your tank needs.....although going too fast will only result in a snow storm which is a pretty easy fix in a small tank

Yah the bulk seems pocket friendly

I will be getting a good alk and ca kit (salifert) and will test how the parameters change between the water change (next week) and will adjust things accordingly

[asylumdown]

Alk will swing way more than calcium in general, and it has a higher potential of changing over the course of a day than calcium too.

And I've never used soda ash, sounds... Complicated. You can adjust Alk using garden variety baking soda.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

Alk will swing way more than calcium in general, and it has a higher potential of changing over the course of a day than calcium too.

And I've never used soda ash, sounds... Complicated. You can adjust Alk using garden variety baking soda.

Yah bicarbonates are more widely used but soda ashes are coming into the light because of its potential of not getting any pH swing which bicarbonates is notoriously known for (atleast that's what I found; I am, in no means, is familiar with these chemistry).

I just checked Ca and Alk with my API and I precisely measured 5ml of water using syringe and surprise surprise; one of the marking on the test tube was way lower :P So my alk came to 7dkh and Ca came to 400ppm (maybe I missed my count last time). Found somewhere that a drop of 20ppm can result in a drop of 2dkh and that sounds right since the WC gets it to 9dKh and 420ppm. Confusing stuffs! I never thought I would have to dose this tank but..oh well!

[marie]

Dosing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. I just measure out the correct amount of alk and cal ( I use the bulk stuff) and slowly pour it into a high flow area every morning

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by marie

Dosing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. I just measure out the correct amount of alk and cal ( I use the bulk stuff) and slowly pour it into a high flow area every morning

Heard that the easiest thing that a reefer can do is crash through dosing :P So I am actually a bit skeptical about it

[Timbits]

Your right, be careful while dosing. My tank just crashed from overdosing alk. I'm scared to dose again now after losing all my sps. Just going to try regular water changes now and see how it goes

[marie]

I have never crashed a tank from dosing and I have been dosing tanks for the last 13 yrs.
I have had snow storms from too much (It takes a huge water change to bring things back into balance after that) I have had it precipitate out on power heads and heaters (wasteful) from adding a little bit too much but never a crash and I really do just dump it in every morning

[kien]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

So my alk came to 7dkh and Ca came to 400ppm (maybe I missed my count last time).

I don't think there is anything to panic about with these numbers. This is often where my numbers are at for long periods (ie, when my dosing jugs run out and I'm only doing water changes to replenish).

[mrhasan]

Ok got myself salifert kits for Ca, Alk and Mg and here are the results:

Ca: 430ppm (the API was saying 400ppm so it was 30ppm off)
Mg: 1350
Alk: 5.8dKh (DAMN!)

Tomorrow is the WC day and so Alk is going to go up to proper level.

Anyway, so since my Ca and Mg are alright, I was thinking of starting to dose Alk ONLY; using RA's soda ash. Should I be concerned about something or just follow the dose and be happy with it?