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Drake1
01/13/2010, 04:12 PM
i have a 200 gallon system and i added 500 ml of cal. and alk about 30 minutes apart trying to bring my spec up. 2 hours later my water is extremely cloudy. is this a bad sign, is this the cal. percipitating out? should i do anything, will this harm my corals?
jeff

HighlandReefer
01/13/2010, 04:30 PM
The main concern is the pH in your tank. If you used a high pH alk additive, your pH could be above 8.5. For reference you situation is the same as a kalk overdose if you use a sodium carbonate additive.

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Read Randy's article before taking any further steps, "What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?":

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.php

From Randy's Article:

"The following important points should help in dealing with a limewater overdose:

1. Don't panic! These overdoses do not usually cause a tank to crash.

2. The primary concern is pH. If the pH is 8.6 or lower, you need not do anything. If the pH is above 8.6, then reducing the pH is the priority. Direct addition of vinegar or soda water is a good way to accomplish this goal. Either one mL of distilled white vinegar, or six mL of soda water, per gallon of tank water will give an initial pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. Add either to a high flow area that is away from organisms (e.g., a sump).

3. Do not bother to measure calcium or alkalinity while the tank is cloudy. The solid calcium carbonate particles will dissolve in an alkalinity test, and all of the carbonate in them will be counted as if it were in solution and part of "alkalinity." The same may happen to some extent with calcium tests. Wait until the water clears, and at that point, alkalinity is more likely to be low than high. Calcium will likely be mostly unchanged.

4. The particles themselves will typically settle out and disappear from view over a period of 1-4 days. They do not appear to cause long term detrimental effects to tank organisms.

5. Water changes are not necessarily beneficial or needed in response to a limewater overdose."

bertoni
01/14/2010, 12:11 AM
Those instructions have been updated a bit. Don't use the vinegar: it can cause bacterial blooms. Seltzer water is fine.