What salt do you use ? My IO is a bit High ??

[windcoast reefs]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Yes, high calcium levels when doing a water change will help increase the low Ca levels in the display tank (since the corals have been depleting Ca).

For instance, even if you do a 30% water change, the higher Ca level in your salt probably will only help raise the overall Ca level but not to the point where it exceeds the optimal point. You end up diluting the high Ca level of the new saltwater by mixing it with the old saltwater.

Yeah It dies need to be higher, but calcium at nearly 900 is a bit high! Lol

[gregzz4]

I understand stability is important, and I realise adding a higher mineral content during water changes is beneficial
But my readings aren't stable, and the salt is adding too much Ca

The IO Salt readings aren't balanced
@ Ca 480 the Alk should be over 14dKH, not 10.5

The Ca is not being used up @ the same rate as the Alk, and it's climbing

June 19
Alk 7.5-8.0
Ca 410

July 7
Alk 7.5
Ca 440-450

I'll keep an eye on it over the next week or two and, if it keeps rising, I'll dose a little Reef Builder ( Alk ) to balance them out

And, ya, I rolled the crap out of the bucket before I opened it

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

And, ya, I rolled the crap out of the bucket before I opened it

Well there you go. That's the problem. You bought a bucket of crap.

Have been using IO and so have a lot of other reefers I know for years.

[gregzz4]

I know lots use it, and that's why I buy it
I've also heard that over this last x-mas, some had batches that were out of balance

As I said, I'll just keep an eye on it and hope my Ca doesn't get too much higher

[LeanneP]

Hey Greg,
I am still having issues with IO as well. My calcium is over 500 still as I don't have a lot of corals yet to bring it down. Everything else is balanced and the corals I do have seem happy. Guess it is a good excuse to buy a clam to get my Ca down!

Leanne P


!

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I know lots use it, and that's why I buy it
I've also heard that over this last x-mas, some had batches that were out of balance

As I said, I'll just keep an eye on it and hope my Ca doesn't get too much higher

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by LeanneP

. Guess it is a good excuse to buy a clam to get my Ca down!
!

That's gonna have to be one helluva big clam!

[gregzz4]

I met my LFS guru today, and he basically told me the following;

My tank is very new and the LR is mostly cured, so it does not need weekly WCs, unless something nasty happens
Let it mature, keep an eye on the params, dose here and there to keep it balanced, and let it ride ...

Makes sense to me

I was wanting to do weekly WCs, but I guess I don't need to for now

Seems like sound advice so I'll stop worrying about the out-of-balance params and just monitor things for now

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by LeanneP

Hey Greg,
I am still having issues with IO as well. My calcium is over 500 still as I don't have a lot of corals yet to bring it down. Everything else is balanced and the corals I do have seem happy. Guess it is a good excuse to buy a clam to get my Ca down!

Leanne P


!

Sounds like you're having the same issues I am

I don't know what you have for critters right now, so I suggest this kinda blindly ...

Maybe try not doing some WCs for a bit ...
Let your Ca drop enough that a WC won't give you such a huge rise in Ca ...

Keep your Alk up with dosing if needed and, good luck !