Dosing B Ionic

[kathya0321]

My readings:

Ca 340

KH 8

I want to start dosing, my calcium is really low. The bottles say to dose 1ml per 4 gallons. Is this eventually going to raise my ca without raising my KH and Ph to high?

 

[ReefLady]

 

[DaveK]

At this point, don't dose anything.

A 14 gal tank usually is able to maintain calcium and other levels using only water changes. After all, if you change 5 gal, you have changes almost half the water in the tank. Note that LR, sand and so on will displace several gal of water. In looking at you stocking list from your signature, you should be no where near where you need to dose anything.

What is your SG and how do you measure it? If that is off all other readings are skewed. I highly recommend using a refractometer to measure SG.

Next, measure your new water when you do a water change. If that is off you will likely need a better brand of salt.

Once you have all those factors covered, then consider dosing.

What ever you do, do not just start doing it. Your more than likely going to cause more harm than good.

 

[kathya0321]

At this point, don't dose anything.

A 14 gal tank usually is able to maintain calcium and other levels using only water changes. After all, if you change 5 gal, you have changes almost half the water in the tank. Note that LR, sand and so on will displace several gal of water. In looking at you stocking list from your signature, you should be no where near where you need to dose anything.


What is your SG and how do you measure it? If that is off all other readings are skewed. I highly recommend using a refractometer to measure SG.

Next, measure your new water when you do a water change. If that is off you will likely need a better brand of salt.

Once you have all those factors covered, then consider dosing.

What ever you do, do not just start doing it. Your more than likely going to cause more harm than good.

I am using already mixed salt water, I plan on mixing my own when I run out. How do I get my Ca up then? It just seems to stay the same. My SG is 1.024 and I use a hydrometer. I have done water changes and my Ca never changes.

 

[goma]

Have you tested the Ca of the newly mixed saltwater? Your test kit may be bad.

 

[kathya0321]

Have you tested the Ca of the newly mixed saltwater? Your test kit may be bad.

I am using premixed saltwater for now, I plan on switching to reef crystals within a week, I don't think testing my premixed will make any difference. Could the water itself just be low in CA? I will test when I start mixing my own and if I don't get a different reading I will get a new test kit.

 

[DaveK]

I am using already mixed salt water, I plan on mixing my own when I run out. How do I get my Ca up then? It just seems to stay the same. My SG is 1.024 and I use a hydrometer. I have done water changes and my Ca never changes.

If your using pre-miexed SW, they you need to test that. This could easily be the source of your problem.

I highly recommend investing in a refractometer. The aquarium grade hydrometers are just not accurate all the time. Keep in mind that if your water is 1.o23 verses 1.025 you will skew reading of stuff like calcium by about 10% or in your specific case about 35 ppm. This is why it is so critical to get the SG correct before you worry about the other readings.

It is much more likely that your new water is off, and if this is the case, dousing is not the way to correct it.

While we are on the subject, I should point out that calcium, alkalinity, pH and magnesium are all related to maintaining the correct levels in a tank. So in addition to SG, all those parameters should be tested too.

 

[kathya0321]

If your using pre-miexed SW, they you need to test that. This could easily be the source of your problem.

I highly recommend investing in a refractometer. The aquarium grade hydrometers are just not accurate all the time. Keep in mind that if your water is 1.o23 verses 1.025 you will skew reading of stuff like calcium by about 10% or in your specific case about 35 ppm. This is why it is so critical to get the SG correct before you worry about the other readings.


It is much more likely that your new water is off, and if this is the case, dousing is not the way to correct it.

While we are on the subject, I should point out that calcium, alkalinity, pH and magnesium are all related to maintaining the correct levels in a tank. So in addition to SG, all those parameters should be tested too.

Ok thanks, I do test for all of those. Will test my premixed salt water to check Ca levels in that. My salinity is at 1.024, when I start mixing my own I am going to raise it to between 1.025 -1.026