HELP!!! KH is at 1 and CA is 500+

[UH_OH_5_OH]

......how the heck did this happen.....? and more importantly how do I corect it....?


I bought Seachem Reef Builder which is what the LFS said to use.

...and I am going to be adding Kent Kalkwasser......?




What do I do.....?

[0p3n Brain]

Are you 100% certain your measurements are accurate? Any way to double check against another test kit?

Do you mean your alk is 1 meq/L?

[RhodeIslandReef]

I second the idea of checking your alkalinity measurement.

If it is in fact 1dkh, just slowly introduce baking soda mixed in RO/DI water to the tank and test to see what the levels are. As the alkalinity reaches correct levels, your calcium should come down.

Be sure to check your Ph also, as baking soda will have an effect on your ph.... What is your Ph reading at?

[Boomer]

Seachem Reef Builder


Settle down and pet the K-9 :)

If you added this stuff to your tank and nothing else the Alk can NOT be 1 dKH or 500 ppm Calcium. This stuff is a buffer used to raise the KH not lower it and it adds about zippo calcium.

You made some bad errors in testing. Do them again, read instructions slowly and talk a sample to the LFS and have them measure it for you with another kit/s. Error # 2 is what the LFS said to use. No, you come here first and then tell the LFS what you want, not the other way around :D

note:
If I ever drive through Illinois and get a speeding ticket you better fix it. I think you owe me about 3 now :lol:

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Okay......go to my happy place...go to my happy place......! (But my happy place is a gun range....!)

Anyway, Boomer.....those results ARE from the LFS ! ! ! Now what...?

[bertoni]

Well, if you trust those measurements, you could try dissolving some baking soda in freshwater and dosing it to raise alkalinity. This calculator would help with picking the dose:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

You could leak calcium drop on its own.

I'm not sure I trust the numbers. Have you run any tests yourself? What brand of salt are you using? Some large (20%) water changes might help, too. How are the animals looking?

In general, if you're dosing kalkwasser, you shouldn't be dosing much, if any, Reef Builder, since kalk is a balanced additive. The 2-parts, like B-Ionic, are another way to help keep parameters in balance.

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Jonathan........My animals (the ones listed in my description) are doing fine ! The fish, inverts and corals don't look any different.

I haven't started dosing kalk yet because I wanted to make sure I wasn't screwing something up by changing something ! ! !

No I don't have my own test kits (actually I do but their pretty old ....Bad Reefer !) so I have relied on my LFS to test my water for me and til the other day.....it's never been a problem.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What sort of corals do you have that look good? Any hard corals? They won't look good at 1 dKH.


FWIW, I do not believe that 1 dKH could be accurate, or else the pH would be very low.

[Boomer]

those results ARE from the LFS

I think that is now your issue, LFS. I do not believe those readings at all. You NEED your own test kits. Who's kit did they use ? I'll bet anything they screwed-up and the reading this 10 dkH, as you added a buffer to raise the dKH. How did your Calcium get that high what did you add, anything ?

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Boom.....I added Purple UP but that was about two days before I had that test done and I only add that about once a week to ten days ago !

[UH_OH_5_OH]

okay .....what I meant to say was that I only add Purple UP about once a week or every ten days...!

[Boomer]

okay .....what I meant to say was that I only add Purple UP about once a week or every ten days...!

Yet another Purple-Up mishap :( And who told you to put that in the tank ? Let me guess the LFS guy

You now need to change lots of water and siphon the gravel

I'm sure you missed this thread

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=918149&perpage=25&highlight=purple&pagenumber=1

Randy and I need a bigger hammer ;)

[UH_OH_5_OH]

I'M A LOSER....I'M A LOSER....I'M A LOSER.....I'M A LOSER ! ! !


OKAY now that I feel like a moron I have to do something to make me feel better about myself !

Well loooky here......a stack of arrest warrants ! ! ! ('scuse me while I make a phone call or two....)


Well folks, gotta run....got some doors to knock down and some introductions to make ! ! ! I just know I'll feel a whole lot better after this is all over with.

And BTW.....I will be pouring that crap down the toilet ! ! !

[0p3n Brain]

Something still doesn't make sense here. Other accounts of purple up problems reported extremely high calcium, which you have, but they also report very high alk. Your alk is very low.

For those who have dug into the purple-up "issues", has anyone really determined if it has totally screwed up tank parameters or is it possible it is interfering with test measuements?

[UH_OH_5_OH]

I am back and am happy to say........Good guys 9-Bad guys 0 ! ! !


I love the smell of Pepper Spray in the morning.....it smells like; VICTORY !


That being said; I feel much happier now....AND I will no longer be using the Purple Crap so anyone that wants to have it...gimme an address and it's yours....almost completely full ! ! !

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

or is it possible it is interfering with test measuements?

There is no question that if the fine aragonite is still suspended in the aquarium water, it will give false high alkalinity, and possibly calcium, How high depends on how much is still there. There may, of course, be little or none still suspended.

[Boomer]

Uh, did you leave any for the dog or where you just extra greedy today ;)

0p3n Brain

It will or can interfere with test results. Usually it is these where the high readings come from. The reagents break down the CaCO3 (aragonite), into Ca++ and CO3--, HCO3- ( per Randy). But may also be a going into solution issue, dont know for sure. As I said in another post some have had OK readings and then one day throguh the roof.

I think Uh's Alk test kit is having some other type of error.

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Boomer.......actually the dog got to make 4 bites !!! And we, not I, but WE got to burn up 11 Taser Cartridges ! Man I love that thing !


Okay so I had some chaeto die off in my refugium (I know why it died) but now I am wondering if the little bits of it that remain could be causing the unbelievable algae bloom going on on my LR ??

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, the dead algae may have released nutrients when it died.

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Okay Randy....follow up question.....why the heck did my ASM G2 suddenly drop waaaaay off on its skimmate production....?

[Billybeau1]

When is the last time you cleaned it ?

[UH_OH_5_OH]

If by cleaned you mean emptied the skimmer cup.....a few days ago....! Is there anything else that needs cleaned ???

[Billybeau1]

Yes. Once every couple months or so you should take it apart and clean the insides of the unit. Gunk not only accumulates in the cup, but the sleeve as well.

Check your owners manual for cleaning instructions.

[UH_OH_5_OH]

UH Yeah...having bought this thing used.....no luck on the owners manual ! ! ! But I will try and give it a shot !

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

why the heck did my ASM G2 suddenly drop waaaaay off on its skimmate production

A variety of hydrophobic compounds (oils) and solids can reduce skimming dramatically by popping bubbles:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php#12

[UH_OH_5_OH]

I swear Randy has forgotten more than most people know about Chemistry ! !!

[Billybeau1]

Shhhhhhsh. Dont tell him that, he'll start thinking he needs a raise:D

[UH_OH_5_OH]

He deserves it !

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:lol:

Dont tell him that, he'll start thinking he needs a raise

Maybe just more vacation time instead. :D

[UH_OH_5_OH]

okay I am headed off the LFS to get my water tested.....I will repost in a while with the result.....AND I will let them know they need to change their test kits out !! !! !!

[UH_OH_5_OH]

OKAY.......the CA is still over 500 but my KH is at 5 now ! !!

[UH_OH_5_OH]

Anyone have an idea on this....?

So should I do a 20 gallon water change perhaps ?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If that is 5 dKH and not 5 meq/L, just keep maintaining alkalinity with baking soda, maintaining 7-11 dKH. The calcium will slowly decline, and when it drops to about 450 ppm or less, start supplementing it as well, preferably with a balanced calcium and alkalinity supplement system of some sort.

These articles may help:

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html