Am I in trouble (DKH) ?

[jcastonguay6]

I recently began using Kent CB two part calcium additives. Over the past week my DKH has risen from a previously stable 12DKH to a slightly unerving 15/16 DKH. Am I in trouble? And if so can anyone recommend a method of slowly lowering the hardness?

Thanks
Jeremy

 

[mhurley]

Easy...stop adding the alkalinity portion of the two part additive. Let it come back down.
What's your calcium level at? I'm guessing it's low, and you'll need to get that boosted up, then start back with the balanced alk/ca input. I'd keep adding the Ca portion for a day or two and see what happens. Monitor it closely though.
Mike

 

[jcastonguay6]

You were right on the low CA part, my tank is running around 340. I actually stopped added the Alk portion just as you suggested but the decrease is slow maybe .25 Degrees of alk per day. Will this temporary DKH spike have serious negative impact on my sps? I have 4 acros, 2 Monti's, and a multitude of Zoos... If I were to start using Kalkawasser in place of the 2 part, do you think I would benefit more or is the 2 part more effective?

Thanks for the input Mike!

Jeremy

 

[mhurley]

No, your're fine. That's not that significant of an alk spike. Just focus on getting things balanced again.

Kalk has a different set of benefits over two part solutions, I use it to maintain my 375 gallon system. It's cheaper, helps maintain pH but it can be a pain in the butt to set-up and keep going. I have a kalk reactor and it's totally hands off. But there's a good $ investment to get that all going.
What size is your tank?

Mike
Mike

 

[jcastonguay6]

My tank is a 110 all glass. I have an over the side pre-filter with a 15 gal home made refugium and 10 gallon sump. 120 lbs carribean LR, Caulerpa in the fuge, dual 250 watt 10K ushio's. I have been dripping the 2 part calcium in equal potions but is seems that the balance just ins't there. Currently I've been dosing 25 Mils of each per day with my makeup water but it looks like I am going to have to adjust down to maybe 25 CA and 15-20 Alk.... I haven’t jumped into the CA reactor yet because of a few facts. 1. I have limited space in my current stand location. 2. My wife is nervous about the CO2 tank....

I used to have a reef back in the mid 90's prior to a lot of the new technologies. My wife and I had our first child and the tank was eventually broken down and the critters were sent to the LFS orphanage. I just recently got back into the (sport) and have been amazed with the new tools MH, CA reactors, the death of the wet/dry.

Thank god you guys kept things moving forward! Maybe someday I can even have that Goniopora I dream about...

Thanks
Jeremy

 

[NewMan]

Personally, I use that as well. As far as I am concern, it does nothing to my Ca level :roll: It does increase my kh...but not my Ca :x

I prefer adding/dripping calcium chloride(Kent Turbo Calcium) & Kent Supperbuffer dkh

 

[mhurley]

Balanced additives are not good for raising your ca levels. They're good for maintaining them. You need to use something like Turbo Calcium to pop your Ca level up to where you want it, they you start with the balanced additive to maintain it. It's very hard to raise Ca while putting an Alk additive in, that's why the balanced (and a Ca reactor) have a tough time. calcium Chloride can give you a quick boost to start you off.

 

[NewMan]

mhurley,

do you mean that Two Parts calcium addictives are as good as Kalkwaseer?(use to maintain calcium level)

 

[mhurley]

Depends on your definition of "as good". Kalk can maintain calcium just fine...I've got a kalk reactor that is exclusively running my 375 gallon tank and keeping it at 425. Kalk has benefits like raising pH and precipating heavy metals out and it's way cheaper. I'm not a chemistry expert, so you might want to take a read of this article to help make an informed decision:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Mike

 

[jcastonguay6]

Calcium Chloride was mentioned as a quick boost method for CA. Any recommendations on a product ? Also does a dramatic increas in CA level have negative impact on inhabitants?

-Jeremy

 

[Anonymous]

I just boosted my CA. I used Kent Turbo calcium. I had to add allot over a couple of days for the calcium to rise.

There is a calculater link on this page for how much to add to get your optimum results.

When I raised my calcium my Alk dropped. SO keep testign in between doses.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
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[mhurley]

I added 16 oz of Turbo Ca (yes, that's 1 pound) to my 375 gallon tank over the course of 15-30 minutes. Didn't do anything but jack my Ca up. pH didn't move, Alk sat still. It did exactly what is was suppose to.
Now I wouldn't recommend doing it that quickly, but I only had LR, LS and a few fish in there, no corals. (actually did have some hitchhiker corals/mushrooms that saw no ill effects), but you can definitely add the stuff quickly, in my experience, no need to drip it in.
Mike

 

[mhurley]

Oh yeah, and I used the calculator that was linked to above to calculate how much I needed. It was dead on.

 

[Anonymous]

Did you give it sometime?

I added 16 teaspoons over 3 days and it worked for me.

I tried it and got lucky I guess.
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[jcastonguay6]

Big trouble guys !

I boosted my calcium up over the weekend using Kent Turbo calcium. Friday’s addition raised my CA up to 360, Saturdays up to 370 and Sundays up to 390... I kept an eye on my dkh while the additions were being made and here is what happened.

Friday: 15 dkh
Saturday: 13.5
Sunday: 12.5

This Morning: 21!

What on earth could have caused this. I had suspended the addition of the Kent CB during the weekend so there is no way I cold have overdosed any ALK....

-Jeremy

 

[mhurley]

I'd double check that 21 reading. What happened on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is completely expected. What's the calcium reading today?
Calcium Chloride should not have that kind of impact to your alkalinity. Are you sure you did nothing else to your tank this weekend?

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

I would slow down.

Try a different test kit.

Do some small water changes.
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[jcastonguay6]

Today my CA is right at 400 ppm. I am perplexed. I have been using a Salifert DKH test kit for quite a while and I always thought I was getting a good reading... As for anything else done to the tank, I have done nothing other than the usual 1/2 gallon RO makeup water and Rotifer/flake feeding. I even went so far as to check the DKH and CA in my rotifer water and they were normal DKH: 9.0 CA 280 ppm. I think I will pick up a different DKH kit on the way home tonight and see if I am maybe getting some skewed results....

-Jeremy

 

[mhurley]

Run the test again when you get home. Sounds like the kit is working ok. Maybe you just added to many drops of the reagent or something....I'd test it again before you start making drastic changes.

Big questions: How's the livestock? Do they seem effected? How's the pH?

 

[jcastonguay6]

The livestock seems fine as of right now... The polyps on the acros were out before the MH came on (moonlight) and the Clarkii's and my citron goby were scooting around as if nothing was going on... I did however not that the abundant population of feather dusters on my LR and SB seemed to be staying inside there tubes more than usual???

-Jeremy