Calc,Alk,PH issues

[asylumdown]

Do it slowly. with alk that high if you start adding a bunch of calcium it's just going to precipitate out all over everything and fry your pumps. I once had a similar situation and caused extra problems for myself when I started adding calcium to get the levels up, didn't see them budge - because it was precipitating out almost instantly - and made it worse by increasing my dosing rate of calcium even more to try and compensate. I didn't realize what was happening till my protein skimmer, return pump, and power-heads all failed in the same week.

My preferred method for correcting things when they get out of whack like that now is through multiple water changes with replacement water that has the correct ratio of calcium to alkalinity, and only starting to use a doser again when things are at a stable and desirable ion ratio.

[ashr]

That is great advise, thank you both. I was going to stop adding Alk from my doser and just does Calc a bit longer, so I guess I will stop doing that all together or just add small amounts. I will be doing water changes a couple times this week in slow doses.

Would it be smart to add PH buffer to left lower the PH a bit? I dont want it to run to high for to long as I have lost a SPS colony all ready.

Should I keep dosing my Mg and just do the Calc in small doses?

Thanks again

[ashr]

Does this really work to help lower the PH?

Add carbon dioxide in the form of bottled soda water to try lowering the pH level in your tank. Add 6 mL of soda water per gallon of water in your aquarium to reduce pH by approximately 0.3 units. Be sure to use an unflavored soda water that is free of phosphates. This is an instant fix --- unlike adding additional aeration, which will take time.


Add 1 mL of distilled white vinegar per gallon of tank water; it will instantly reduce the pH by 0.3 units.

[Myka]

Woah, don't mess with pH directly like that, you're just asking for (potentially really big) problems. Directly altering pH won't last long anyway, only a few hrs.

How are you testing pH? If you're using a typical pH test kit then your readings are unlikely to be particularly accurate (and definitely not accurate enough to be messing with vinegar or soda water). If you are using a digital pH meter (good!) then check the calibration as I find some meters lose calibration 2-3 times per year. I have a hard time believing your pH is at 8.7.

Also, alkalinity at 11 dKH is not overly high, some people keep their reefs this high all the time. You do need to raise calcium though, and as you raise the calcium the alkalinity will drop. If you do it slow enough you won't cause precipitation at only 11 dKH. If you raise calcium up to 420 ppm over the next 2 days this should solve your low calcium problem and your high alkalinity problem without a hitch.

Sometimes, causing precipitation is a good way to lower calcium and alkalinity. Awhile back I accidentally hit the "random" button on the timer for my doser. I didn't notice I hit that button and it was like that for 2 days before I noticed the tank "looked funny". So I tested everything and alkalinity was 18 dKH. Since the tank was at this elevated alkalinity for a short time I added a bunch of calcium to precipitate it all out of the water. This worked well, and the result was calcium 440 ppm and alkalinity 11 dKH which was much better. The fish and corals did not mind this because the tank had the high alkalinity just for a short time. This did not ruin any of my pumps. Everything had a white dusting (including the glass lol), but a waterchange afterwards, and a quick rinse of the pumps (it wasn't hardened on the pumps, it came off easy) and all was good.

[ashr]

Thank you both for those replies, they have helped me make up my mind on what to do.

I just replaced all my RO/DI filters and risen. I will be doing small water changes and also keep dosing my Calc to help bring it up. Once im home again tonight I will test it all again!

Thanks again

[ashr]

Checked my levels last night again..
Im pretty sure my doser was not adding Calc or was plugged..

Calc 220
Alk 11
SG 1.28
PH 8.4


SO yeah.. I need to make sure my doser is working for my calc..