[digby]

Problem:
My alk. is too high at 14.4 dHK and my Calc. is a bit low at 320. The Ph range is 8.0 - 8.3.

Treatments:
I've been dosing the tank every other day with an A & B calcium buffer. When the calcium started to drop, I only dosed the B buffer (per the suggestion of LFS). That helped raise the Calc. but I think it's also rasied the Alk above acceptable levels.

Question?
What should I do now to get the Alk and Calc. back into balance?

Details:
Mini reef tank is 18 gal. Lighting is compact florencent 50/50 96watts. Protein skimmer. 3 Fish, 1 anenome, 2 soft polups, 1 hammerhead coral all doing well. Zenia (spelling, sorry), and one of my stoney corals are dieing fast or completely dead!!

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

[Reefland]

Just hold back on dosing the ALK portion of the supplement and continue dosing the calcium until the balance is reached. I believe Tech A & B are labeled as Ph/ALK and Calcium correct?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by digby

Problem:
My alk. is too high at 14.4 dHK and my Calc. is a bit low at 320. The Ph range is 8.0 - 8.3.

Your alk is only slightly high but not enough to cause harm to anything. Your calcium is a little on the low side and if you do as Scott suggested, your calcium and alkalinity should balance out within a couple of weeks. Just dose the calcium component of whatever two-part additive you are using and continue to monitor your readings. If you dose only the calcium, your alkalinity will fall and your calcium will rise. The calcium component cannot raise your alkalinity at all. What brand are you using?

Details:
Mini reef tank is 18 gal. Lighting is compact florencent 50/50 96watts. Protein skimmer. 3 Fish, 1 anenome, 2 soft polups, 1 hammerhead coral all doing well. Zenia (spelling, sorry), and one of my stoney corals are dieing fast or completely dead!!

If any of your corals are dying, I doubt that it has anything to do with your alkalinity or your calcium levels. Have you tested for nitrates or phosphates? It is also possible that some corals may require stronger lighting than what you have at present.

[digby]

Thanks for the advise!

I'll just dose the calcium buffer and monitor the levels. I'll also check the nitrates or phosphates levels. Something I have not done on this tank. Any suggestions on what test kits are best for this?

Thanks again,

DIgby

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by digby

Thanks for the advise!

I'll just dose the calcium buffer and monitor the levels. I'll also check the nitrates or phosphates levels. Something I have not done on this tank. Any suggestions on what test kits are best for this?

Thanks again,

DIgby

I use LaMotte test kits for calcium and alkalinity and Salifert for everything else. I believe my Salifert nitrate test kit is reasonably accurate and I hope the Salifert phosphate test kit is accurate. Once you get into anything more accurate than these, the price goes through the roof.