Do I need to raise my calcium and alk?

[five.five-six]

Tested yesterday and because there was a white film for a few days in the return section of my sump where I add kalkwasser I was not surprised at all. Calcium had fallen to 400 and Alk had dropped to 8.9 (had been running over 10) DKH. Mg had dropped to 1260

It’s a new tank mostly with 1-2” frags and I take this as a good sign, if consumption has gone up, things are growing

My general philosophy on reef keeping is to let it be, I see far more crashes caused by corrective actions that are too sudden or overcorrections than crashes from neglect.

My assumption is that my drop in Ca and alk is mostly due to percipitation from low mg, do I need to add ca and alk supplements or just let the kalkwasser do it’s job?

[hegeh]

Increase Mg..

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[PatW]

You want all three: mg, Ca, and ALK to be relatively constant.

Many people run ALK at 8 but it is often run higher. If you want to go to 10, try to raise it slowly like a couple of days or more.

Calcium tends to be run at about 400 to 480. You could add to it. Mg tends to be run from 1200 to 1400.

I run ALK at 9. I run Calcium in the mid 400s and magnesium at 1300.

[mcgyvr]

In general target the levels here..
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

Stability is far more important than any specific number in the acceptable ranges listed in that link..

[bertoni]

I think that those numbers are fine as is. I'd let them be. If you want to raise them, Kalkwasser might be able to do so, but the process likely will be slow. That's fine, though, in my opinion.

[sailoracu2]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

In general target the levels here..
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

Stability is far more important than any specific number in the acceptable ranges listed in that link..

Agreed, stability is better than chasing numbers.

[RobZilla04]

Third for stability. Get into the recommended zones and then maintain. Dont chase any particular number.

[outy]

Originally Posted by five.five-six

do I need to add ca and alk supplements or just let the kalkwasser do it’s job?

Never add without knowing exactly what might need to be added.

You might "need to" and you might not.


Just make changes slowly and as everyone said find a way to keep the balance level.

[blasterman789]

Stability x 4.

I'd rather have calcium ride a tad low and keep alk stable than have alk bouncing around and calcium higher.

[RobZilla04]

Originally Posted by blasterman789

Stability x 4.

I'd rather have calcium ride a tad low and keep alk stable than have alk bouncing around and calcium higher.

This. From experience I've had my Alk stable around 9.5 since installing a doser about 3 or 4 months ago. Cal has been running 370-400 on average. Everything is thriving and growing, including SPS!

Tested with Hanna Checker and confirmed with Red Sea kit.

[five.five-six]

Well, I have been in the icu burn ward for a week I am anxious to see what my levels are without my intervention and just limewater for topoff.

[bertoni]

Ouch! I hope you're okay!

Sadly, or embarrassingly, my tanks often looked better after a week without me.

[five.five-six]

Originally Posted by bertoni

Ouch! I hope you're okay!

Sadly, or embarrassingly, my tanks often looked better after a week without me.

No, I’m pretty badly injured.

That is the truth. When things are not looking good in my tank, I have found that often the best course of action is to find the cause and address it as gradually as possible and then leave the tank be for weeks, even let the algae grow on the glass as is helps stabilize things.

[bertoni]

Well, I hope you make a full and speedy recovery. Burns can be very painful.

[five.five-six]

I will but there will lays be some sizable scars.

As for pain, burns hurt like a maternal fornicator.

[bertoni]

Ouch! I hope the pain goes away quickly.