Calcium not getting consumed, Alk falling at a steady rate!!

Jabbar.reefer · 05/02/2018, 01:49 PM

I have my first SPS tank which is a 150Gal mixed reef. Since I had started out this tank a year ago, I have been dosing Alk as it fell coz calcium never was out of range, maybe I was using a faulty test kit or something but the results were always higher than they should be. But that never concerned me as I didn’t have SPS so no vital cal requirements. I had great coralline growth from just maintaining Alk and WC. Now that I have SPS since the past 3 months. I’ve started with dosing Aquaforest Components 1,2,3. I determined my Alk consumption per day as they instructed and dosing according to the same. Which is a fall of .2 dKH/day so 72ml of all three liquids. After that Alk is stable at 8.4-8.5 but my Calcium is rising as I dose. I do a 20% WC and it gets back in range but starts rising again, Mag is 1380 as per the last test and Cal has increased from 445 to 470 in a week. LPS are doing good as far as the fleshy part is concerned, I see new heads on acans but no new skeletons, SPS are not really growing and some frags have perished due to the same reason I think, and polyp extension is also reduced.
Phos- .09 as per the last test
Nitrate- ~50ppm

Please help me solve the issue as I really want my SPS to grow.

bertoni · 05/02/2018, 09:49 PM

To Reef Central

That's fairly common for tanks that get a regular water change, or with low growth rates. The rate of consumption of calcium is 20 ppm per 2.8 dKH, so I wouldn't worry. A fall of 0.2 dKH per day means it'll take 14 days to drop 20 ppm, which is close to the noise limits of our test kits. Water changes probably can keep up with the demand.

Jabbar.reefer · 05/02/2018, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

To Reef Central

That's fairly common for tanks that get a regular water change, or with low growth rates. The rate of consumption of calcium is 20 ppm per 2.8 dKH, so I wouldn't worry. A fall of 0.2 dKH per day means it'll take 14 days to drop 20 ppm, which is close to the noise limits of our test kits. Water changes probably can keep up with the demand.

Thanks for welcoming me, I’m using hanna checkers to test the values. So I guess there is no play in the values but if hanna also has a play then I’m safe as you say, so how can I increase my growth and PE? The same frags were also given to a friends and they are good encrusting and growing in his tank.

Jabbar.reefer · 05/02/2018, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

To Reef Central

That's fairly common for tanks that get a regular water change, or with low growth rates. The rate of consumption of calcium is 20 ppm per 2.8 dKH, so I wouldn't worry. A fall of 0.2 dKH per day means it'll take 14 days to drop 20 ppm, which is close to the noise limits of our test kits. Water changes probably can keep up with the demand.

And as they say you’ve to keep the parameters stable, is calcium stability also as crucial as maintaining pH, Temp, Salinity and Alk? Please suggest how to stabilise the values.

bertoni · 05/02/2018, 10:41 PM

I think that daily topoff for salinity probably is okay, but ATO (automated topoff) is very handy. A setup with a peristaltic pump is nice, in my experience.

Daily or twice a week dosing for calcium and alkalinity would be fine in your situation. pH usually is fine as long as the alkalinity is okay. If a room has a very high carbon dioxide level, fresher air might be appropriate, but pH in the range of 7.8-8.5 should be fine.

Temperature should be fine with most brands of heaters, although having a backup on hand can be useful.

Jabbar.reefer · 05/02/2018, 10:43 PM

I have a DIY ATO with Aqualifter pump, and As I’m in India, we need chillers not heaters. Temp is at 26 C. So should I stop the dosing pump?

mcgyvr · 05/03/2018, 06:58 AM

If water changes are maintaining levels then you don't need to dose.. plain and simple..

I'd be working on reducing those nitrate levels..
In general that level is really high IMO for one expecting to have luck with SPS corals..
I personally have found that levels over 10ppm cause issues with SPS for me..

crawlerman · 05/03/2018, 09:28 AM

I find that I only have to dose the alkalinity part, my calcium and magnesium stay high enough to be maintained through water changes.

bertoni · 05/03/2018, 10:30 AM

I'd just dose the alkalinity, and not worry much about the tank otherwise. Since you have a nice ATO system, I think you're set for the moment. Over time, the tank might consume more calcium, which might lead to a need for daily dosing or automation, but that can wait.

homer1475 · 05/03/2018, 11:59 AM

Solve the problem, drop the nitrate levels and you'll start to see things grow. Which in turn will use some CAL.

FWIW 420ppm of CAl in equilibrium is 8.5ALK. To match your current calcium level(470) you would need to bring your ALK up to 15 to be in equilibrium. Which would kill most everything, and would probably get a ton of precip(not even sure you could get ALK that high?).

View Poll Results: How to resolve the issue?
Continuous weekly water changes	1	12.50%
Stop dosing Cal till it starts falling	7	87.50%
Raising Alk to balance Calcium levels	1	12.50%
Continue dosing and WC till it becomes stable	1	12.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

05/02/2018, 01:49 PM	#1
Jabbar.reefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 18	Calcium not getting consumed, Alk falling at a steady rate!! I have my first SPS tank which is a 150Gal mixed reef. Since I had started out this tank a year ago, I have been dosing Alk as it fell coz calcium never was out of range, maybe I was using a faulty test kit or something but the results were always higher than they should be. But that never concerned me as I didn’t have SPS so no vital cal requirements. I had great coralline growth from just maintaining Alk and WC. Now that I have SPS since the past 3 months. I’ve started with dosing Aquaforest Components 1,2,3. I determined my Alk consumption per day as they instructed and dosing according to the same. Which is a fall of .2 dKH/day so 72ml of all three liquids. After that Alk is stable at 8.4-8.5 but my Calcium is rising as I dose. I do a 20% WC and it gets back in range but starts rising again, Mag is 1380 as per the last test and Cal has increased from 445 to 470 in a week. LPS are doing good as far as the fleshy part is concerned, I see new heads on acans but no new skeletons, SPS are not really growing and some frags have perished due to the same reason I think, and polyp extension is also reduced. Phos- .09 as per the last test Nitrate- ~50ppm Please help me solve the issue as I really want my SPS to grow.

05/02/2018, 09:49 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* That's fairly common for tanks that get a regular water change, or with low growth rates. The rate of consumption of calcium is 20 ppm per 2.8 dKH, so I wouldn't worry. A fall of 0.2 dKH per day means it'll take 14 days to drop 20 ppm, which is close to the noise limits of our test kits. Water changes probably can keep up with the demand. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/02/2018, 10:41 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I think that daily topoff for salinity probably is okay, but ATO (automated topoff) is very handy. A setup with a peristaltic pump is nice, in my experience. Daily or twice a week dosing for calcium and alkalinity would be fine in your situation. pH usually is fine as long as the alkalinity is okay. If a room has a very high carbon dioxide level, fresher air might be appropriate, but pH in the range of 7.8-8.5 should be fine. Temperature should be fine with most brands of heaters, although having a backup on hand can be useful. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/03/2018, 06:58 AM	#7
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	If water changes are maintaining levels then you don't need to dose.. plain and simple.. I'd be working on reducing those nitrate levels.. In general that level is really high IMO for one expecting to have luck with SPS corals.. I personally have found that levels over 10ppm cause issues with SPS for me.. __________________ Who me?

05/02/2018, 10:43 PM	#6
Jabbar.reefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 18	I have a DIY ATO with Aqualifter pump, and As I’m in India, we need chillers not heaters. Temp is at 26 C. So should I stop the dosing pump?

05/03/2018, 09:28 AM	#8
crawlerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 503	I find that I only have to dose the alkalinity part, my calcium and magnesium stay high enough to be maintained through water changes.

05/03/2018, 10:30 AM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'd just dose the alkalinity, and not worry much about the tank otherwise. Since you have a nice ATO system, I think you're set for the moment. Over time, the tank might consume more calcium, which might lead to a need for daily dosing or automation, but that can wait. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/03/2018, 11:59 AM	#10
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Solve the problem, drop the nitrate levels and you'll start to see things grow. Which in turn will use some CAL. FWIW 420ppm of CAl in equilibrium is 8.5ALK. To match your current calcium level(470) you would need to bring your ALK up to 15 to be in equilibrium. Which would kill most everything, and would probably get a ton of precip(not even sure you could get ALK that high?). __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"