bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 So what is a good way to lower calcium and alkalinity? I put a calcium reactor in to stabilize my parameters which worked for about a month then in the last couple weeks I noticed they were increasing as of tonight (based on API tests, I have more of my Hanna reagents ordered) the alk was at about 14dkh and calcium was at around 560ppm usually I like my alk around 9-10. I have always thought that alk and calcium were alternates (when one is high other is low) but right now I’m seeing different. any ideas would be helpful, gonna need to re adjust the calcium reactor soon cause it’s atarting to get low on CO2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Tavan Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Water change will lower it depending on what salt you use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Dang haha was trying to avoid that haha. I currently use instant ocean purple container but am planning on switching to reef crystals when I run out of what I currently have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 That’s strange that the alk would keep climbing that high if you aren’t dosing alk. You are also correct that if the calcium increases too high alk should drop as it precipitates into calcium carbonate. A higher magnesium helps to prevent the precipitation. Your alk should drop just from use by your corals. I will assume you have sps and/or lps since you are using a calcium reactor. The alk should drop by 1 to 2 meq per day or at least mine does when I don’t dose. Are you still dosing alk? I don’t know the IO content but I don’t recall it having a high alk and if it’s working for you and your corals look great I wouldn’t change your salt. The numbers just don’t make sense. You might want to confirm it with a fish store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Ya I have sps (smaller frags currently) and sps corals. I’m waiting until I get my new test reagents before I start doing a major water change, but I might have to bring them to a store to have a second test ran... not sure what my mag is but in the calcium reactor I have mag as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 6 minutes ago, bamburgb said: Ya I have sps (smaller frags currently) and sps corals. I’m waiting until I get my new test reagents before I start doing a major water change, but I might have to bring them to a store to have a second test ran... not sure what my mag is but in the calcium reactor I have mag as well. I’m assuming everything looks good then. When I had a calcium reactor before it stabilized, I would have issues with low alk but haven’t used a reactor in a while though and just manually dose calcium and alk. @Bicyclebill and @Higher Thinkingoh sps master and resident calcium reactor gurus any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I would not trust API kits. I would confirm like others have said with either other local reefers or LfS!! If you effluent has clogged up and slowed down I could see your alk numbers rising as the concentration changes with longer dwell time. Has anything else changed on the calcium reactor set up? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Nothing has changed on my calcium reactor other then attempting to lower the pH. As for the effluent I slowed the rate to increase the pH to increase the calcium output and lower the alk but it doesn’t seem to be working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Sorry slowed the rate to decrease the ph in the reactor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 10 minutes ago, bamburgb said: Nothing has changed on my calcium reactor other then attempting to lower the pH. As for the effluent I slowed the rate to increase the pH to increase the calcium output and lower the alk but it doesn’t seem to be working Call me at 360-335-7952 maybe I can help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 So something to remember with calcium reactors is the output of CA TO ALK. Is equal. You cannot raise or lower one without the other. So in effect by trying to raise the CA.output you did achieve this but also raised your ALK in equal parts!!! This can now be fixed by water changes depending on the elements in ur salt or by allowing it to come down on its own never the less you will likely have to re tube your calcium reactor hope this makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Was not aware the calcium reactor would increase the alk as quick as the calcium, what if I just close the CO2 and allow the ph in the reactor to increase until I’m able to do a water change (prob on Wednesday) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 In essence you are just shutting it down and that will work fine you will still continue to add all and ca until ur reactor chamber is cleared and ran it’s course 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 i would just take the reactor offline and let it drop naturally. One spike is enough stress, but a spike followed by a large drop b/c of a water change.. maybe a small water change? regular IO is about 8.5 dkh for what it is worth. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamburgb Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Ya that’s what I’m thinking if I did a water change would probably be 15 gallons (it’s a 180), ive disconnected the CO2 (this will also give me a chance to get it filled). I don’t think my sps are that stressed a couple of my lps though I have noticed aren’t opening as wide as usual so I’m hoping it coming down naturally will make them happy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 yeah, that sounds like a solid plan. i bet in 2 weeks it will be back to normal..Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higher Thinking Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 So maybe I'm not understanding the problem correctly, but if you're Alk and calcium are high, all you have to do is take the reactor offline (just turn off CO2) and let you levels drop naturally. That'd be my recommendation. You are only a couple kh above acceptable levels. Also, as stated earlier, you cannot use a calcium reactor to raise one metric without raising the other. They will always raise and lower in conjunction with one another. Specifically, calcium is consumed at 20 ppm for each 2.8 kh of alkalinity. When you melt down coral skeletons that is the ratio that they will release. So raising your calcium even 20 parts will have a dramatic effect on alkalinity. Also, the idea that you can restrict the effluent to lower the pH, thereby increasing soluble calc and alk, is true. However, I don't know if it will increase the parameters output because you have also restricted how much effluent is actually entering your tank. Does that make sense? If you want to adjust the level of soluble calc and alk, I would adjust the CO2 output. Let your levels fall naturally and if you still want calcium a bit higher than where it currently sits in proportion with Alk, use some DIY calcium supplement. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 3 minutes ago, Higher Thinking said: So maybe I'm not understanding the problem correctly, but if you're Alk and calcium are high, all you have to do is take the reactor offline (just turn off CO2) and let you levels drop naturally. That'd be my recommendation. You are only a couple kh above acceptable levels. Also, as stated earlier, you cannot use a calcium reactor to raise one metric without raising the other. They will always raise and lower in conjunction with one another. Specifically, calcium is consumed at 20 ppm for each 2.8 kh of alkalinity. When you melt down coral skeletons that is the ratio that they will release. So raising your calcium even 20 parts will have a drain effect on alkalinity. Also, the idea that you can restrict the effluent to lower the pH, thereby increasing soluble calc and alk, is true. However, I don't know if it will increase the parameters output because you have also restricted how much effluent is actually entering your tank. Does that make sense? If you want to adjust the level of soluble calc and alk, I would adjust the CO2 output. Let your levels fall naturally and if you still want calcium a bit higher than where it currently sits in proportion with Alk, use some DIY calcium supplement. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk That makes sense, thanks Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Higher Thinking said: So maybe I'm not understanding the problem correctly, but if you're Alk and calcium are high, all you have to do is take the reactor offline (just turn off CO2) and let you levels drop naturally. That'd be my recommendation. You are only a couple kh above acceptable levels. Also, as stated earlier, you cannot use a calcium reactor to raise one metric without raising the other. They will always raise and lower in conjunction with one another. Specifically, calcium is consumed at 20 ppm for each 2.8 kh of alkalinity. When you melt down coral skeletons that is the ratio that they will release. So raising your calcium even 20 parts will have a drain effect on alkalinity. Also, the idea that you can restrict the effluent to lower the pH, thereby increasing soluble calc and alk, is true. However, I don't know if it will increase the parameters output because you have also restricted how much effluent is actually entering your tank. Does that make sense? If you want to adjust the level of soluble calc and alk, I would adjust the CO2 output. Let your levels fall naturally and if you still want calcium a bit higher than where it currently sits in proportion with Alk, use some DIY calcium supplement. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Yep! All of the above - thanks for giving a good synopsis Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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