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  #1  
Old 01/10/2008, 11:14 PM
alten78 alten78 is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Cleveland, OH
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Alk supp precipitating?

Recently ive had a rough time maintaining cal and alk just to find my mag was low. I mixed up a batch of Randy's 2 part solution (#1 recipe,) got my mag where it needed to be, and used the online calculator to see how much I needed to bring all levels within range. Dosing the calcium part seems ok, but when I drip the alk portion, it looks to precipitate out of the water? Im assuming this is the calcium carbonate (if im reading and understanding correctly?)

Not exactly sure where I went wrong, I've used this method of dosing about a year ago but I don't remember running into this problem. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 01/10/2008, 11:45 PM
mixed_reefer mixed_reefer is offline
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pH could be high or you might have overdid the calcium. Have you tested the pH?
  #3  
Old 01/11/2008, 07:01 AM
Randy Holmes-Farley Randy Holmes-Farley is offline
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There is always a transient precipitate (magnesium hydroxide) that forms in the water, but it will redissolve. If you are not seeing solids deposited on surfaces, there is no concern.

This is normal:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.htm

from it:

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  #4  
Old 01/11/2008, 05:43 PM
alten78 alten78 is offline
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yep, ph is always 8.2. Thanks randy, that is exactly it, i just didn't remember seeing that in years past. Thanks for the clarification.
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  #5  
Old 01/11/2008, 06:48 PM
Randy Holmes-Farley Randy Holmes-Farley is offline
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Happy reefing.
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  #6  
Old 01/12/2008, 01:50 AM
mixed_reefer mixed_reefer is offline
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Great read Randy, i thought i was doing something wrong when that was happening.
 

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