shaywood Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I've been working hard lately to increase my calcium using my calcium reactor. My Ca level is at 420, tank PH is at 7.9, but my dKH has dropped to around 6. I useKalk drip with top off as needed. Is there something different to increase the dKH? I thought increasing the PH with the kalkwasser drip would also increase the dKH? __________________ 125 Acrylic Tank 48x24x24 Approx 35 gal Sump/Refugium Refugium has 24/7 light with 55watt PC 2x 400w MH 10k lights running 10hrs/day 2x 110w VHO Super Actinics running 12hrs/day Phosphate Reactor Calcium Reactor Kalk drip with top-off Closed loop Sequence Dart Pump 12hrs/day Mag 7 Circulation pump 24/7 Additives: Phytoplankton/Coral Vite weekly 10 gal water change weekly Temp ranges: 78 - 85 Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammon: 0 PH: 7.9 - 8.2 P04: 0 Ca: 420 dkh: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 It should be keeping up. Something seems wrong. A calcium reactor supplies calcium and alk. If its keeping your calcium in check, it should also keep alk in check. Do you notice any percipitation? that would be like a white cloud in the water. How strong are you mixing the kalk? How stocked is the tank and what kind of corals? You can add baking soda to supplement alk. You might notice a slight dip in pH, but it will subside in a few hours. Or you can bake some baking soda to make washing soda (or you can buy it). Washing soda will increase pH slightly. Another product is Kent Superbuffer dKH. This will also raise pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I've been working hard lately to increase my calcium using my calcium reactor. That is the problem. Do as impur says and buff it up with an alkalinity supplement. The reactor is better at maintaining CA/Alk, rather that raising it. Have you done a water change lately? It sounds like your doing everything else right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 Kalk will maintain levels it's not that great for raising levels. Raise it will alk supplement and maintain with kalk dripping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaywood Posted May 19, 2007 Author Share Posted May 19, 2007 By Alk supplement, do you mean baking soda? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAVES Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 Shawn if you increase your CO2 in your reactor, it will increase the alk output. I agree some alk buffer or kalk to bring it up, and using the reactor to keep it their is a good idea, but you will want to increase your CO2 bubble rate or your alk will likely fall again. In general, more CO2 = more alk,,, more affluent water flow = more CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 I used Kent Coral Builder (alk) and Turbo Calcium (Ca) to get my levels stable, and maintain them with 2-part (C-Balance currently). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdertang05 Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 check you MAG! if it off your cal and alk will not balance. check this before adding alk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mbeef61 Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php and http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php lots of reading but that means lots of education....and the recipe is awesome...but i dont use their magnesium methods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 It is good to check Magnesium from time to time but if your calcium is 420, your Mg is at least 1300 and not a problem. Use some form of alk buffer to elevate your hardness to between 9-12 dkh. R2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaywood Posted May 20, 2007 Author Share Posted May 20, 2007 Added some baking soda. Seemed to do the trick. I'm at about 9 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Good to hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefhut Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Alk?? Hey Shawn, What salt are you using?? I've had problems with alk and the problem was the salt brand I was useing. If you have water made up, test the alk. I've had alk in freshly made water come out at 5 dkh. So no matter how much water you change, the alk is low. If it is low, buff it up with some alk buffer and then do your water changes. When your alk is low in your tank, remember to raise the alk slowly. You don't want to shock your corals. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 If you keep having problems I would suggest a simple large water change and keep your dosing simple, it sounds like you may be dosing to much or some other product may be causing some unwanted effects, worst case, 40% water change and ease off all the dosing, my tank is topped off with kalk and has a cal reactor, nothing else is added to water other than mag when needed to get wc waters mag up, keeping it simple is your best solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaywood Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 I wonder if my low reading was an error. I added baking soda and got 9.6 the next day (same time). Either way I"m back on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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