dkh too high

[David MC Lee]

Randy:

I added a CA reactor to my tank and I have been able to get the CA up to about 430 but my dkh is now about 15. I have been reading some of your notes (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm) about alk and Ca and looks like adding calcium chloride would be the best thing to do? Push the CA up to around 450-460 and then let tank side and see if things fall back into place. Looks to me like I am in Zone 3 now and the calcium chloride would push me into zone 1. And you say if in zone 1 just like the tank sit.
What do you think? Its an 800G tank. My ph is around 8.1 to 8.15

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, back off a tad on the reactor to allow the alkalinity to drop to 11 dKH or so, then add calcium chloride to whatever target you want.

[David MC Lee]

Randy: I backed the CA reactor off a bit and after a few days tested the dkh is was around 10. I started adding "Kent Concentrated Liquid Calcium". I've been adding 50ml per day. I have dosed about 300ml now but my CA is has been around 410 - 420 for the last several days. The on line calculators didn't list the Kent product I used and I just wanted to make sure I didn't add too much CA to the tank. I tested the dkh about two days ago and is was near 10 then. I'm just looking for a better feeling for how much Liquid calcium to add.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the calcium is near 420 ppm, and alkalintiy near 10 dKH, stop adding anything except the reactor effluent.

[David MC Lee]

Just wanted to give an update. My Ca reactor has been running good for the last month and in the last two weeks the sps corals seem to be growing very fast. I tested my water the dKh is 12 and the Ca is 450. My Ca reactor is a 4" pipe and its going down at a rate of 1" per week.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

and in the last two weeks the sps corals seem to be growing very fast. I tested my water the dKh is 12 and the Ca is 450.

That sounds perfect. Thanks for the update!