Calcium won't pass 350.

[Stix]

My 300 gallon system had been running at 290ppm Ca because I didn't do anything to supplement it. Now I have had a reactor for about 10 days. To get the initial calcium up, I have been dosing about a gallon of kalkwasser a day and the recommended dose of Kent's Liquid Calcium daily. My reactor is a korralin 1502 with ARM media. It is set at 60 bubbles per second and about 5-6 drops per second drip rate at 6.7ph. At first, my Calcium level was going up (Salifert Test Kit) about 10ppm a day until it reached 350ppm and has been there for about 4 days. My alkalinity is 12.5dKh (LaMotte Test Kit). Why did it stop going up? The reactor does a great job of keeping it steady and not allowing it to drop but why can't I raise it over 350?
Thanx in advance,
Nick

[justinzimm]

Make sure you effluent is set at the right pH. I like 6.5-6.8. After that just give it more time. 300 gallons is a lot of water and most calcium reactors only process a few gallons an hour.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You cannot raise the calcium level that much with any balanced additive, like the limewater or the reactor (or two part systems). The problem is that to raise the calcium will drive the alkalinity too high, and ultimately prevent the calcium from rising any more.

You need a pure calcium additive, like calcium chloride. You will need a HUGE amount. Forget the manufacturers recommendations, and get out the snow shovel.

How to solve such problems is described in this article:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

[indeep]

two things

One kalk wont raise the calcuim very well without really overdosing. To raise the calcuim I use turbo cal from kent it will raise the cal but not buffer the alk so if you try it watch the alk also.

Next salfaret makes a magnisiom test kit most the time when Cal. is stuck under 400 the mag is low if it is under 1200pmm you can us epsom salt to bring it back in line.

[Stix]

Great, thanx guys! I have Kent's Liquid Calcium but am almost all out of it. I will dump the rest of it into the sump now and go get me some Kent Turbo Cal and a Magnesium Test Kit. Thanx again!
Nick

[indeep]

One more thing just to prepare you start a test log test for alk, cal and mag. Then add the cal and mag 20 min later or so but wright down what you added then recheck the next day you will find that as you add cal. the mag my fall or the alk it will be a game of juggling for a while but take your time dont try to mass add the supplements in one day take a week or two to get it all back in line. Once it is there then you will find it easier to kept it there becuse the log will teach you how your tank response to additives.

But be paitant this is a game that can drive you nuts.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It certainly could be that you have low magnesium, as could anyone. But nothing in your posted scenario would suggest that the magnesium is low. If you were adding a calcium only supplement, and it still wouldn't come up with the requisite huge doses, then magnesium might be an indicated concern, but not using limewater or a reactor.

FWIW, I think people are too quick to blame magnesium for other calcium and alkalinity problems.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

go get me some Kent Turbo Cal

Not some. A truckload.:D

Seriously, you'll need almost an entire pound (410 g) of dry Turbo Calcium to bring the calcium up from 290 ppm to normal levels. Starting at 350 ppm, you'll still need about 220 g.

[indeep]

Randy Holmes-Farley

First off he was getting a 10ppm per day increase then it stoped that is an indicator.

Also alk mag and cal are all in it together so to watch the mag when tring to get that high of an increase is not a bad idea.

I didnt make the jump it was Mag just sugested he look at it. You can sit all day and give advice at what to throw in a tank but without all the answers you are doing him a disfavor by guessing at his problem. Yes kalk and a reactor will not bring it up that is why I sugested the turbo cal. but with a alk of 12 he should still be seeing his 10ppm gain with the same dosage.

[Old Yeller Tang]

I had a similar problem as well. Before I added a calcium reactor, my tank was always at 400-450ppm but my dKH was always low. When I hooked up the reactor, my dKH rose significantly to where it is now, between 12-13dKH, but my Ca fell to 350. I did the kalkwasser thing for a couple of weeks to no avail and I had Kent's Liquid Calcium and it did little as well. A friend told me about Reef Pure, Concentrated Calcium Supplement by Warner Marine and bingo! After just two doses, my tank was back at 450ppm and now my reactor is able to maintain it. I think a calcium reactor should be called an alkalinity reactor instead.:D

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

First off he was getting a 10ppm per day increase then it stoped that is an indicator.

IMO, that an indication only that CaCO3 is precipitating, either biologically or abiotically. It is not an indication that magnesium is involved.

If he had low calcium AND low alkalinity, then I believe that it would be an indication that magnesium was a significant possibility. But with alkalinity already very high, the supersaturation is already very high even with that depressed calcium, and you'd expect calcium to be limited from rising much more even if magnesium were normal.


You can sit all day and give advice at what to throw in a tank but without all the answers you are doing him a disfavor by guessing at his problem

Since he didn't add a pound of calcium, there's no guessing involved. Yes, magnesium could be low, but based on what he did, it simply isn't possible to raise calcium by 130 ppm.

Yes kalk and a reactor will not bring it up that is why I sugested the turbo cal.

Yes, we are in agreement on that.:)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yeller:

A friend told me about Reef Pure, Concentrated Calcium Supplement by Warner Marine and bingo! After just two doses, my tank was back at 450ppm and now my reactor is able to maintain it. I think a calcium reactor should be called an alkalinity reactor instead.

That product is the same thing, impurities aside, as Kent's turbo calcium, except that Warner's product is a little less potent because of the hydrating water molecules.


http://www.warnermarine.com/product_calcium.htm

[Stix]

Before I left the house I dumped the rest of my Kent Liquid Calcium into the tank. I just got home and tested and my Ca is 380. So I guess I just wasn't using enough. I'm all out of it so I'm going to buy some of that Turbo Cal stuff. Thanx for your help.
Nick