what do i do now?

[katpurdy]

mar. 18 ca was 360, alk was 9dkh, ph was 8.3....used calculator and added 10 oz of ca (randy's rec.1)
mar 19 ca was 380 so added another 10 oz of ca.
mar 20 ca is now 440, alk is 9dkh....didn't add any ca today.

soooo....what now? should i drip kalkwasser tonight? should i not add anything and test the ca tomorrow to see what the consumption rate is of the calcium? I have a mixed reef with the sps becoming dominant. there are a few LPS, and one softie...toadstool.

help!

kat

[Boomer]

Do not do anything those levles are very good. Do only as you stated for now should i not add anything and test the ca tomorrow to see what the consumption rate is of the calcium?

[katpurdy]

so if the calcium drops when I test it tomorrow, just add to bring it back to the current level? what about the alk?

[Billybeau1]

Alk is smack dab in the middle of the recommended range. Just keep an eye on it.

Those numbers are looking real good. :)

Hows your magnesium ?

[mwwhite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9522171#post9522171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by katpurdy
so if the calcium drops when I test it tomorrow, just add to bring it back to the current level? what about the alk?
Yes, and then that should be your daily supplement to maintain it (replacing what's been depleted)

[katpurdy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9522200#post9522200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Alk is smack dab in the middle of the recommended range. Just keep an eye on it.

Those numbers are looking real good. :)

Hows your magnesium ?

no idea! i don't have a test for that yet...i'm getting the salifert tests in my next order from away.

so tomorrow i will post what my calcium is...i'm still not sure about the alk though....aren't I supposed to dose randy's two part together?

[Billybeau1]

Not necessarily. You need to find out your tanks consumption rate. All tanks are different.

You really should get a mag kit. Magnesium is extremely important in the total balance of things.

Give this a read when you get time

The Relationship between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

[neuroslicer]

The daily monitoring will eventually drive you crazy! Using the values that you have added over the last week, estimate a daily volume of alkalinity and calcium to add... and use that daily volume for an entire week. If your alk and ca levels are too high or too low, adjust that daily volume and check again a week later. within a month you should know pretty well what you need to add dailyl without monitoring the levels on a daily basis

[katpurdy]

i haven't tested yet today...but based on neuroslicer's comment...it seems that the alk goes too high when i dose equal amounts of the alk and calc. so i'm not sure exactly how to figure the balance when the articles state to add in equal portions....:(
\

[neuroslicer]

Eventually you should probably reach a state where both alk and ca doses are equal, but you're chemistry seems out of balance for now, so just back off on your alk dose. The important thing right now is to determine the amount of daily doses of both solutions to keep your levels as consistent as possible from day to day.

[katpurdy]

well crap....ran out of bottle number 2 for my calcium test! i use aquarium pharmacuticals right now but am switching to salifert...arrggghh