Ca/Alk/Mag Mess . . . How to fix?

[Enigma]

I also picked up Aquavitro 8.4, in the event Alk crashes (this will raise pH and Alk). According to the Calcificatin bottle, 8.4 can be dosed within minutes of calcification. Curious. I'd like to try it to see what happens, but that is kind of scary.

[jorjef]

You guys are all loonie!! Change salt and hope for the best.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by jorjef

You guys are all loonie!!.

lol, I agree! This whole thing is making my head spin

[FragIt Dan]

Originally Posted by Enigma

I also picked up Aquavitro 8.4, in the event Alk crashes (this will raise pH and Alk). According to the Calcificatin bottle, 8.4 can be dosed within minutes of calcification. Curious. I'd like to try it to see what happens, but that is kind of scary.

Hah, I bet it's just pure bicarbonate (baking soda) with no carbonate. This would pH balance it a bit lower and prevent the Ca from precipitating out. I am curious if, when you add it, do you get the typical milky response in the water as when you add the normal Alk supplement? My theory is that you don't. I am guessing you just bought the same as Arm and Hammer from a grocery store, but that's just a guess. Incidentally, that is what I dose for Alk, with a bit of Carbonate to pH balance it a bit the other way.
Dan

[gregzz4]

My NSW is just over 1 hour old

79F
1.025 Sg
11 Alk
410 Ca

I'll retest it tomorrow before I use it and give another report

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by jorjef

You guys are all loonie!! Change salt and hope for the best.

I agree now but ...

When I was getting a reading from my tank of 520 Ca I couldn't do a WC when the NSW was nearly the same

Now do you see why I am so into this thread ?

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

lol, I agree! This whole thing is making my head spin

You too huh ?
Imagine how I've felt these last 2 months, nevermind how much money I've wasted on kits

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

My NSW is just over 1 hour old

79F
1.025 Sg
11 Alk
410 Ca

I'll retest it tomorrow before I use it and give another report

Still not right for IO....you're holding that bottle right upside down, right?

[jorjef]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I agree now but ...

When I was getting a reading from my tank of 520 Ca I couldn't do a WC when the NSW was nearly the same

Now do you see why I am so into this thread ?

You say you don't want to spend the extra on a quality salt and rather go cuckoo trying to solve the balance. Well you might think differently when your tank is packed with corals and issues start popping up.. To pay an extra 20,30,40 bucks for a pail of salt is the price of one measly coral. But you risk loosing many more than one with salt problems

IO is fine for fish only tanks but not for reef IMO.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by jorjef

IO is fine for fish only tanks but not for reef IMO.

My LFS won't even sell me IO In all fairness, I think if you've got a good handle on dosing or (successfully) run a Ca reactor, IO is fine. I couldn't use it without upping values for new water, but lots of people do raise values and do all this mucking around. For me, peace of mind is worth the 6 bucks more a week I pay for my salt..but like you said, for me to replace my SPS collection would cost me 10k, so I'm just not interested in skimping on salt.