I'm at my witts end HELP!!!!

firefightered · Aug 31, 2011

I have a lightly stocked 46gl bf that has a couple of softies in it. My problem is my cal and alk stay too low to even think about sps or lps. MY cal stays between 340 and 380 and alk 6 to 8. I put in additives to boost them and dose kalk. 2 days later I'm back to square 1. Any advise?

Troylee · Aug 31, 2011

Where is your mag sitting at??? Without having it up 1400 to 1500 and stable those other 2 will never rise or hold...

secretreefer · Aug 31, 2011

What is your dosing schedule and what product(s) are you dosing?

emerald525 · Aug 31, 2011

What Salt formulation are you using? How often are you doing water changes? What test kits are you using?

You see a pattern here? :smile: We need more information in order to better help you.

firefightered · Aug 31, 2011

I need to replace my mag test kit but I have been dosing 2 capfulls of mag supliment every other day per instructions. I can't remember the name of the mag stuff but I have been using Kent reef buffer for Alk and Kent calcium for the calcium.

firefightered · Aug 31, 2011

I have been using IO but am planning to use RC when I'm out of the other. I do weekly 5 gl water changes. pluis dose cal,alk and mag 3x wk. I put 2 tsp kalk2 in my 5 gl auto top off.

fab1971 · Aug 31, 2011

Not sure about others but I dose every day and my numbers are extremely steady. Maybe you should adjust your dosing schedule.

Saltgator · Aug 31, 2011

fab1971 said:
Not sure about others but I dose every day and my numbers are extremely steady. Maybe you should adjust your dosing schedule.

+1. I use to dose every other day, but no steady numbers. Went to 2 part every day and couldn't be happier with steady numbers.

Salty Dog · Aug 31, 2011

fab1971 said:
Not sure about others but I dose every day and my numbers are extremely steady. Maybe you should adjust your dosing schedule.

I dose with a liter meter and run a Pro Cal calcium reactor dual chamber, I also add 10 oercent mag pellets to my reactor, It took a little while to stablize my system but now Im at 475-500 calc, Alk-9 ,Mag 1470. That never changes

firefightered · Aug 31, 2011

Right now I can not afford all that nice fancy reactor stuff so I have to do everything by hand. I just wish I could get some things to run steady........

beaslbob · Sep 1, 2011

firefightered said:
I have a lightly stocked 46gl bf that has a couple of softies in it. My problem is my cal and alk stay too low to even think about sps or lps. MY cal stays between 340 and 380 and alk 6 to 8. I put in additives to boost them and dose kalk. 2 days later I'm back to square 1. Any advise?

so?

What else is new?

Seriously that sound pretty normal.

IME what you have to do is to keep dosing to keep the values up.

I highly suggest you review the dr holmes farley improved DIY two part method.

It seems you are almost doing that because you are testing calcium and alk already. Just need to test magnesium also.

Then once setup you can just measure alk and when it drops down dose equal amount fo calcium and alk From the diy solutions. When a gallon of those are used up dose some magnesium.

The calcium chemical (calcium chloride) is a driveway ice melter and available in 50 pound bags for $25 or so or with one form 25 pound bags for like $10 or so.

Alk is just baking soda.

magnesium is a mix of epsom salts and magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride is harder to find but I did find a local source at an industrial chemical supplier with 50 pound bags costing $30 or so.

my .02

reefpeeper · Sep 1, 2011

not sure, but doesn't the reef buffer just stabilize ph not raise alk?

firefightered · Sep 1, 2011

Thanks for the advise guys. I am planning on a DIY mix but as you have stated " it's hard to find the magnesium chloride around here." I'll do some research and see what I come up with.
Thanks again and I'll probably have more questions later.

beaslbob · Sep 2, 2011

firefightered said:
Thanks for the advise guys. I am planning on a DIY mix but as you have stated " it's hard to find the magnesium chloride around here." I'll do some research and see what I come up with.
Thanks again and I'll probably have more questions later.

here in huntsville al I get mag chloride from brentagg an industrial supplier. I used to give it away at local reef club meetings.

firefightered · Sep 2, 2011

Thanks beaslbob... I'll look them up. I have got to do something to stablize my tank!!!!!!!!!!!

VegasRick · Sep 2, 2011

firefightered said:
Thanks beaslbob... I'll look them up. I have got to do something to stablize my tank!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't really stabilize it. Ca and alk constantly deplete, so you have to constantly supplement them to keep it in an acceptable range. Also Magnesium doesn't have to be 1400-1500 for ca and alk to reach acceptable levels. NSW levels are more like 1300 and I have seen reports of it as low as 900 and still not cause issues.

firefightered · Sep 2, 2011

Ok here is the jist of it. I work 24hrs on and 24 hrs off and many time 72 on with 24 off. My wife has NO interest in the tank and my son is still too young to trust with the dosing. I have to figure away to keep things going. I run a auto top off with kalk-2. I just need to figure how to keep mag, alk, and cal where they need to be while I'm at work with out spending a small fortune. I really love my tank cause it helps me forget about some of the things I see or have to do at work. I do NOT want to have to take my tank down do to not being able to maintain it. Any advise would really mean a lot to me. I use to have my tank at work untill some pest control jerk killed everything and I had to start over.

mobatic · Sep 2, 2011

You can get away with 2 part bionic and tech m mag from kent.
Dosing those alone is more than enough for any aquarium to sustain it's health.

You don't need any fancy reactor, those are mean for larger systems.
Personally, if you got it for a 46g I think it's a total waste of money.

It's like putting diesel fuel in your prius, what's the point?