Very low Ca

[seaapple]

I've let my reef tank slide and basically I'm starting all over. For the past 2 mos. or so I've been using Tropic Marine Bio-calcium and Kent Marine Liquid Reactore. Did Tropic Marine first and then Kent Marine. Which is better? I've seen no difference. Is there something better? Today, I tested my Ca and it was about 280. I used a test kit. Very low but last week-end it was about 480, I was told at the pet shop. That's quite a difference! So is the pet shop wrong or I? Which name brand of test kit would you recommend? My ph is about 8.4 and my alk. about 4 as I was told. I have a 75 gal. bunch of mushrooms, purple tang, 2 clown, jawfish, and a cardinal. Furthermore, I just winning the fight against algae. Hairy w/ brn. on the gravel. I basically took every rock and used a toothbrush and brushed it off. It's all gone, been doing this for 3 week-ends. Would this matter w/the chemistry? I've seen some coraline algae growing on some rocks.

Thanx for the help,
Oscar... :?:

[email protected]

 

[Katchupoy]

Oscar. That is a very low calcium. Is it possible that it is a test kit? If you can have a fellow reefer test your calc with a diff test kit. Salifert kits is widely used. Please recheck everything. Its makes a big difference before you make corrections.

 

[plack]

Do you have any animal to stir the sand ? Do you have any sps ? Are you adding things besides just rodi water for topoff inbetween water changes ? I would get calc/alk/ph rechecked as well

 

[NaH2O]

I think re-checking the test results with a new kit like Salifert would be a good first step. It doesn't sound like you have much of a load of stoney corals or clams, so water changes would help to replace the calcium use too. I would also check the calcium of your pre-mix water before you do a water change - see where the calcium is before it goes in the tank. Do you know what your phosphates are?

 

[wrightme43]

Ok just to make sure we are all on the same page. What type of salt are you using and to what ppt or specific gravity? What type of test kit gave a result of 480-280 in one week. From just that I would assume that you have a inaccurate kit, or you had accidently over dose alk or ca and had a snowstorm in you tank. I third or fouth the Salifert test kits. Very nice kits. Steve

 

[NaH2O]

Steve - I think the pet shop where the water was tested, had the 480 ppm result. not sure?

 

[seaapple]

Low Ca--update 7/21

Well, I tested the Ca w/ 2 test kits. One being Sulifert kit and it is about 280. Ph is about 8.4, alk 4, no phos., nitrates, and so on. At the present time I'm using Liquid Reactore, 3 cap fulls a day. I'll be testing the Ca on sat. around 5 pm. I'll be doing this from know on, same day and time. Or should I test the water earlier?

Thanx, guys.

Oscar... [email protected]

 

[steve-s]

At the present time I'm using Liquid Reactore, 3 cap fulls a day.

That's alot of your issue then. Your using a one step additive, it's like using kalkwasser.

This product will raise the concentrations of calcium, magnesium, strontium, and carbonates (alkalinity)....Liquid Reactor will treat 5,000 gallons or 18,900 liters and contains 126,000 ppm of calcium and 193,000 ppm carbonates.

You need to get a stand alone CaCl additive (preferabley dry) and add it alone. Your Ca will be fixed in no time.

FWIW, I would suggest removing your e-mail from your posts. Web bots will get it and you'll end up with a butt load of spam

Cheers
Steve