Help With Calcium, Alk and Mag!!!!

G

Greatwhite24

Member
I've had a RSM 250 for about 2 years. Fish are doing great, stocked with liverock and sand. I'm lost when it comes to Calcium, Alk and Mag. All my other numbers are good such as Amonia, Nitrates, etc. I want to dabble more into corals but I want to get my numbers fixed. I just bought 3 Salifert tests and the numbers are as follows:

Calcium - 400
Alk 15
Mag - 1125

Salinity - 1.25

Can you help me correct these numbers? I've tried reading up on it and I understand the basics on Calc, Alk, Mag but I can't wrap my head around trying to attack this. I recently just bought Seachem Reef Fusion part 1 and 2 and dosed 1 day so far.

Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
b6a502d72184ba70382d080f6b21c551.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
When I 1st started out in sw, I started this "related thread" thread that helped me, maybe something in it can be of help...

and hopefully others can advise - imo a 2 part a & b solution & testing is a good approach from what I have read & learned - but the RS members with great sps tanks, can share more...

Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity to your reef RSM

Great looking tank !
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
Greatwhite24 said:
I've had a RSM 250 for about 2 years. Fish are doing great, stocked with liverock and sand. I'm lost when it comes to Calcium, Alk and Mag. All my other numbers are good such as Amonia, Nitrates, etc. I want to dabble more into corals but I want to get my numbers fixed. I just bought 3 Salifert tests and the numbers are as follows:

Calcium - 400
Alk 15
Mag - 1125

Salinity - 1.25

Can you help me correct these numbers? I've tried reading up on it and I understand the basics on Calc, Alk, Mag but I can't wrap my head around trying to attack this. I recently just bought Seachem Reef Fusion part 1 and 2 and dosed 1 day so far.

Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
What salt are you using? What were your numbers before dosing? The 2 part comes with instructions on how much to dose. I dose with BRS 2 part and they have a handy reef calculator to help you with how much to dose. Sometimes there are issues with test kits your tank looks fine. You should try another brand like Hanna to perform the test. I personally use Hanna Checkers for Alkalinity, Phosphate, Calcium, and use Salifert for Magnesium. As a back up I have API and Red Sea Test.
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
I'm using reef crystals. I didn't test before, just got the test kits in from Amazon. Is it safe to say I should test again, same time tomorrow. If my mag levels are the same, should I get my mag up slowly over time until I reach the point I want and then just continue with the 2 part to keep levels even?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
A couple of thoughts to share.... This is what I did.

Starting off testing and dosing can be daunting. I'd suggest reading as much as you can and testing your tank daily for a good month to really understand what is happening with your levels. It is a lot of work up front, but in the end it can pay off wonderfully. Here is why.

What you want to do is understand how much your tank is changing daily, even before and after water changes. This will allow you to know how much and how often you will need to dose in order to maintain levels of Ca, Alk, and Mg (before, after, and during water changes). Maintaining stable parameters is what you are aiming to do here. Don't chase numbers. Note: this is testing w/o dosing anything b/c you want to get an idea of how much your corals are taking in.

Yes, daily testing b/c when you do start to dose you will be setting up your doser to deliver Ca & Alk daily. As for Mg, depending on how much is being utilized in your tank you may only need to dose once or maybe twice a week at first.

While you are testing daily. Also test your newly mixed salt water. You want to have a good idea of the Ca, Alk, and Mg of your fresh mixed saltwater has in it. Don't just go with the label on the bucket b/c the amount of these can vary a bit. You will also find differences with the salinity levels. By testing the newly mixed salt water you can try to maintain the tank levels to the newly made salt water levels so that when you do water changes you won't see any fluctuations in the tank.

Again, don't chase numbers. The numbers can vary a little bit without issues.

After a while you don't need to test the newly mixed salt water. I know test every new bucket I get, just so I have an idea what the levels are. After this first month and once you start dosing, you may only want to test every couple of days. Test to make sure your dosing amt is correct so you can adjust accordingly.

After the first month or so, once you feel good about your dosing amounts and levels, you may only need to test once a week. Then test once a month. After that you will probably do what all of us do, stop testing b/c it is too much work :D. This isn't necessarily good for our tanks. But, it happens. I now only test when my corals aren't looking happy - not good advice, but it happens.

This thread was helpful to me, you will want to scroll down the page a bit: New Informative Post
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
G

Greatwhite24

Member
I will stop dosing and test daily to see how much my tank is using. That will give me time to read and read until I get a better hand on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
So I tested for a few days and got my magnesium up but my alkalinity is stable at 15. I used the Salifert test and on the last step of adding the 1ml of liquid, I go through the entire syringe and the color doesn't change from blue to red/pink. So the test is saying my Alk is 15 plus. Is there a way to reduce the Alk? I looked online and all I'm getting is to add rodi water to the tank. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Cal - 465
Alk - 15plus
Mag 1500


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Tru2nr

Tru2nr

Well-Known Member
Curious, what does a fresh batch of saltwater test at?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
D

Desmond

Well-Known Member
Your corals look healthy to me. How often do you do a water change ?
I haver the oposite problem they are high as i use arognite substrate
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
I do a 10% water change weekly. I've not had good luck with corals over the 2 years I've had this tank. I've been through a few torch corals, anemone, and a few other corals. They either did not open or wilted away. So I took a break for about a year and didn't buy any. I ordered 3 recently from Live Aquaria. Two are doing great, the leather and a birds nest. The purple trumpet coral I bought for $100 has still not opened after a week so that's why I decided to start testing since obviously something is wrong. All my other parameters are good, only one I see that is off is the Alk now. Small feeding tentacles come out at night and I've fed it a few times but the trumpets never come out. It's been over a week, it still looks the same as when it arrived but it refuses to open up. Live Aquaria gave me some tips on placement and all but it's not working as of yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
D

Desmond

Well-Known Member
Do you use RO water when mixing your salt out of interest. What type lighting do you have and where is it placed ?

Sent from my SM-G870F using Tapatalk
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Based on what you've said:
You've had the tank for over 2 year. Fish are fine. Having trouble with corals. You started to dose thinking this was your issue with corals and find out your levels are too high/off for Ca, Alk, and Mg. Sounds like dosing has thrown off your levels. I'd stop dosing.

A few quick questions for you to answer to get more info to help you out:
  1. What kind of water do you use (well water, tap water, water bought from store, RO or RODI)?
  2. If you are using tap water and a RODI unit, is it taking out Chloramine?
  3. Was the tank new or used when you bought it?
  4. What types of lights do you use (have they been retrofitted)?
  5. If RSM T5HO lights, when was the last time you changed them)?
  6. Any extra pumps for more current flow being used?
  7. How do you acclimate your corals? What is your prepping to introduce corals into the tank? Do you let them acclimate on the bottom of the tank before moving them up in the tank?

User error on test kits is common until you can get the hang of using them properly. As such, readings can be off. Test kits can also go bad/expire. Look for the expiration date on the kit.

Sometimes initial issues with corals aren't the Ca, Alk, and Mg levels if your tank isn't heavily stocked. If you are doing regular weekly water changes and your tank is not stocked with a bunch of corals, then this shouldn't be your issue for growing corals. Weekly water changes replenish these elements that the corals are using. Therefore, initial issues with new corals in a tank with limited corals can be due to something else. My questions above will help to figure what else may possibly be causing issues.

I'd stop dosing. Keep up with weekly water changes. And keep testing every couple of days. Your levels will begin to balance out. I'd also test newly mixed salt water to see where those levels are at.
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
I use Rodi water, Spectrapure 4 stage and I have a RSM 250 with stock T5 lighting with the recommended Ati 3 blue, 2 coral and 1 purple.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
1-Rodi water
2 -never heard of chloramine so I'm guessing not
3-Brand New RSM 250
4-T5/ Ati suggested 6
5-Brand new, Maybe 2 weeks
6- Eheim 3000 in right hand chamber with no chiller, original pump 1 and I have a MP10
7-I placed them in tank for 15 minutes in bag, did the drip method for 2 hours in a bucket, dipped it in Melafix for worms/bugs and placed it on sandbed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
G

Greatwhite24

Member
Temp ranges from 76-79. My house stays cool in winter and central air in summer so no need for a chiller.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top