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

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

honestly, here's my take. I always enjoy your posts because they're so OCD. Your setup is nicer now that mine ever was new. My plumbing is "functional", almost I've watched you fight with the dry rock algae, the Ca monsters, the alk thief...it's all very entertaining. But really, do you get to sit and watch your tank at all? The stress I've read about the last few days would make me sell my tank. Reminds me of the pH meter episode of 2004...
Try this for 6 months. buy the RBS salt. Mix it to 1.026 and the proper temp, and change 25g every other week. Buy a case of beer or a bottle of your favorite beverage, pull up a chair, and just chill in front of the tank for a while. Enjoy the drink. Let the sounds put you to sleep.
Do not test stuff. Lock your kits away and just enjoy the tank. Add a coral here or there. Watch the snails crawl around. Do.Not.Test. This is supposed to be relaxing....

Originally Posted by jorjef

THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN LOL (sorry Greg) I agree one billion percent. Let the tank do it's thing and sit back and enjoy...

Thanks guys, and for the acknowledgment Brad that you've been following and remembering all my trials and tribulations
It's always nice to have some input that tells me to JUST SLOW DOWN and try enjoy it

I'm going to go with Brad's and jorjef's advice for a different kind of salt
The only thing I will do is test once every new bucket and I will test my tank once in awhile to see that there is some semblance of balance going on

And you're right about enjoying it ..

I've been spending far too much time messing around and nowhere near enough just staring ...

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I will test my tank once in awhile to see that there is some semblance of balance going on

Just can't help yourself, can you? I'm serious, leave it alone. I bought my Ca kit on Boxing day. I did a test the next day and the second one the other night just cause you got me curious. It's fine. RBS (or Reef Crystals) has enough in it that regular 30% water changes will top everything off. you don't have the bioload yet to worry about consumption. So test the new bucket or box, fine, you bought a kit, you want to use it, I get that. But if the salt is fine out of the box (assuming you tested it right), then it's fine. Leave it. Don't test, don't add any stoopid additives. Leave it alone.

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Just can't help yourself, can you? I'm serious, leave it alone. I bought my Ca kit on Boxing day. I did a test the next day and the second one the other night just cause you got me curious. It's fine. RBS (or Reef Crystals) has enough in it that regular 30% water changes will top everything off. you don't have the bioload yet to worry about consumption. So test the new bucket or box, fine, you bought a kit, you want to use it, I get that. But if the salt is fine out of the box (assuming you tested it right), then it's fine. Leave it. Don't test, don't add any stoopid additives. Leave it alone.

I agree with everything you've said

You said "Just can't help yourself, can you ?"

It's not a matter of wanting to use the kit just 'cause I have it
I don't want to test anymore. I am officially tired of it
I think you took what I said a bit wrong
I will only test my tank once in awhile, just to see what is going on and I will test my new bucket once, just to see what I am getting

Maybe this is what you were meaning, 'cause I do have to see what is going on before I ignore it ...

I will test the new kind of salt one time, test my DT to see how it is affecting my params, and then ignore it

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I think you took what I said a bit wrong

nah, just buggin' ya If you want to test, fine. Just don't touch anything after. It's going to take a few water changes to balance out.

[gregzz4]

And, for the record, I haven't been dosing
I don't like to play with #s

I only dosed Mg for a bit to try to kill some algae, and that went sideways
I have dosed Alk only twice since May as it was below 7

I haven't been dosing to play with #s and will not be dosing anytime soon

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

And, for the record, I haven't been dosing
I don't like to play with #s

I only dosed Mg for a bit to try to kill some algae, and that went sideways
I have dosed Alk only twice since May as it was below 7

I haven't been dosing to play with #s and will not be dosing anytime soon

Oh, right. That's Shelley. You're the sideways bottle tester. Got it -lol

But all this is applicable to both of you, and anyone else overwhelmed with all the math and the measuring and stuff. Just back it up a bit and relax!!

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Oh, right. That's Shelley. You're the sideways bottle tester. Got it -lol

OMG, I think I just peed a bit

And another 'for the record' ...
I used to test with the bottles slanted, but I always drink with the bottle facing the stars

[Skimmerking]

I used Instant Ocena since 2002 and this year I bought 3 pails of Reef Cystals and its nice not much dosing going on for me and i have a RSM 250 lps and SPS and i barely test. i have a test kit from 2009 its in the box still.
I dont test for PH if its 7.8 or 7.9 then so be it. I drip kalk from my Barr Aquatics Stirrer its always going at a drip rate of 1 drip evey 4-6 seconds that is how much i evaporate. NOT MUCH. however i try to do 15 gallons every week or 10 gal. if I dont i dont sweat it.

Alk i test maybe 1x every 2 months cal ya whatever.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

I use a KAlk reactor for keeping my levels in check however, it wont bring up MAgnesium only CAL and ALK, and then you only have to so MAG top up and if you are doing water changes consistently then your mag should be ok.

Once I get everything fixed, and see how the system responds through normal water changes, I may go with a kalk reactor. I have been researching them a bit. But, since I messed things up so badly as a result of having no idea as to what my calcium really was, I'm clueless as to how the levels will behave under "normal" conditions.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

So Shelley ..........

Did we ever help/answer your original question ?

Heck no! I just figured out 100% for sure that I really, legitimately, have a calcium problem.