Ca and Alk Dropping during Cycle

[H-TownMike]

Why am I getting a drop in Ca and Alk during my cycle ?? Tank set up is dry bleach cured rock, dry sand (yes I know I took the hard route lesson learned ) I only have 2 saltwater mollies in the tank no corals. My tank is a Red Sea Max 250 65G total 55G display. My current levels are Ph 8, Salinity 1.026 , Alk 9.1, Po4 .45, Ca 413, Nh4 0, Nitirtes 2, Nitrates 55. I am using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals and I am not dosing anything except topping off tank with RO/DI. I have been seeing about a .4 drop in Alk every couple days and Ca has been dropping about 30 or 40 ppm over the same time. I have no plans to add any coral to the tank until I can get all of my level somewhat stable. I am going to add 2 clowns once the nitrites go away and stay away and I get my nitrates down with water changes. I know I am new and there are some things that I do not completely understand yet but I'm trying. Please help me understand why this is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[royaleFork]

I wouldn't worry about any of your levels other than nitrates, nitrites, and salinity until at least after your cycle. In the early stages of the tank set up, your levels will be unstable as your biome develops, especially if you are using dry rock and sand.

You may be able to speed up the process a bit if you get a bit of live rock/rubble from your LFS or online. I have heard a lot about Tampa Bay live rock but have not used them myself.

Other than that, just doing weekly water changes can help keep your levels topped up until you start to see stability.

 

[H-TownMike]

I wouldn't worry about any of your levels other than nitrates, nitrites, and salinity until at least after your cycle. In the early stages of the tank set up, your levels will be unstable as your biome develops, especially if you are using dry rock and sand.

You may be able to speed up the process a bit if you get a bit of live rock/rubble from your LFS or online. I have heard a lot about Tampa Bay live rock but have not used them myself.

Other than that, just doing weekly water changes can help keep your levels topped up until you start to see stability.

I am watching the I have just been testing and trending everything partly because of my OCD lol. But my main concern is watching the big 3 of the cycle No2 No3 and salinity. But seeing the trend made me wonder why since I don't have anything that would be using it and at those rates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Bare calcium carbonate can act as a seed for precipitation of calcium carbonate onto it.

After you get more organisms in the water, organics, phosphate and bacteria will rise. coating these surfaces and making precipitation less likely.