Salifert Calcium Profi Test Kit

[Wes]

I was dosing with both originally until I got a good Ca reading with a Red Sea (**gasp**) test kit.

Once that happened, I started dosing only with Part 1 of b-ionic. I also got better test kits.

Blik, I understand the scale now.

Prattreef, I will check some new salt water.

i don't know why you would only dose one part after you got a good reading?

if you only dose the calcium part, your alkalinity will drop...which may explain your super high calcium and low alkalinity.

Unfortunately, calcium and alkalinity are linked4,5 in many ways in reef tanks, and these links can lead to serious problems if they are not fully understood. If, for example, you add too much of a calcium supplement, you will drive down alkalinity as you get precipitation of calcium carbonate in the tank. Likewise, adding too much of an alkalinity supplement can result in reduction of calcium. Consequently, trying to correct one problem can cause another. Moreover, if you try to correct a calcium or alkalinity ?problem? with the wrong type of additive, you might accomplish nothing more than creating limestone in your tank.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

[dylanjs]

What I meant was that I didn't continue daily dosing of Ca because I don't have that much in the tank currently.

 

[Wes]

What I meant was that I didn't continue daily dosing of Ca because I don't have that much in the tank currently.

IMO. you shouldn't dose one part without the other...it sounds like in your case you shouldn't have dosed any at all if your calcium is off the charts.

or you could have two bad test kits, or be doing it wrong...

but since you are using pretty good kits and understand titration. I was just looking for an explanation of why you may have super high calcium and low alk.

 

[PVsPlayhouse]

It could also be a bad test kit. Same thing happen to me with the last two test kits I got from them. I returned them and not going with them again. This has also happen to two other people I know. I would go on RC and ask Salifert them self.

 

[dylanjs]

Wes - If you don't think I should dose only one part, do you have any recommendations for something to raise the dKH?

 

[Henrye]

I would just stop adding either/both parts, and do several 20% water changes over the week. Tropic Marin has decent Ca and alkalinity, which should start to balance out the tank, lowering Ca, and increasing kH. Just follow the test results to see the correction. You can also dilute your sample by 2 and then test for Ca, just use the normal amount of reagents, and multiply the resulting Ca reading by 2. I think that would be the most natural way to re balance the system.

After you're back to a normal Ca, kH, I'd test the tank daily to see how much each drops per day to determine how much B Ionic you need to replenish. Here's a nice calculator that can help you determine (once stable) how much of each part you'll need to remain balanced if you need supplementation after you know you're true consumption.

http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/chemcalc.html

Henry

 

[Wes]

i agree w/ Henry

 

[dylanjs]

Cool. I'll do a water change over the weekend and let you know what happens. Thanks!

 

[prattreef]

I agree with the WC's IF it is determined that the salt is not the initial source of the imbalance. We still have no explanation for the very big disparity between CA. and ALK levels.

BTW it is perfectly acceptable to use one part or the other of a 2 part solution for a short-term correction to an imbalance. As the reference from Advanced Aquarist states, if you add only Alk. the CA will drop as the ALK rises which is eaxctly what we are trying to achieve here (Ca over 500ppm-too high, Alk way too low.) You can use a dKH supplement for this purpose too.

 

[pecan2phat]

Just simply redo the test by emptying the first 1 ml into the vial with source water, reagent and refill the syringe to 1 ml again and slowly drop & swirl.
You should see the titration probably within the first 6 drops now.

Not really that uncommon if you started a tank off with Oceanic salt which tested for me at 550 ppm of Ca and you start to dose 2-part also.

 

[dylanjs]

Update...I did a 20% water change and the levels came back to normal...or more normal. The Ca is at 500ppm and the Alk is 13.8dKH. Regardless, I'm happy.

Mystery solved, sorta.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[Wes]

that seems more proportionate...but a bit high. i would hold off on the dosing and see how it goes w/ just water changes until your Ca/alk demand increases.