Ryan S July 10, 2012 July 10, 2012 I was always under the belief that once a system was stable and mature, you'd end up dosing an equal amount of calcium and alkalinity each day. Is this false? My alk is currently 9.0 and my calcium is 400. However, I dose exactly twice as much alk everyday as I do calcium. (15.4ml vs 7.7ml).
BowieReefer84 July 10, 2012 July 10, 2012 You are doing it wrong. bring them to equilibrium, then dose equally from that point forward.
Ryan S July 10, 2012 Author July 10, 2012 Ok, they are in equilibrium now. Should I dose both at 15ml or 7ml or something in between?
zygote2k July 10, 2012 July 10, 2012 I was always under the belief that once a system was stable and mature, you'd end up dosing an equal amount of calcium and alkalinity each day. Is this false? My alk is currently 9.0 and my calcium is 400. However, I dose exactly twice as much alk everyday as I do calcium. (15.4ml vs 7.7ml). Not true. There is not an equal demand for alk or cal. You are doing it wrong. bring them to equilibrium, then dose equally from that point forward. How do you bring them to equilibrium? Ok, they are in equilibrium now. Should I dose both at 15ml or 7ml or something in between? How did you bring it to equilibrium that quick? 1:45
Origami July 10, 2012 July 10, 2012 I was always under the belief that once a system was stable and mature, you'd end up dosing an equal amount of calcium and alkalinity each day. Is this false? My alk is currently 9.0 and my calcium is 400. However, I dose exactly twice as much alk everyday as I do calcium. (15.4ml vs 7.7ml). It depends upon your two part formula, I would guess. If the concentration is not right, then this will affect your dosages. First, you're a little out of balance, but that should not affect the relative stability of your numbers. A few things can have an affect on Ca/Alk balance. If you have high nitrates and are managing those nitrates with water changes, for example, an more pronounced drop in alkalinity. This is because, in the processing of nitrogenous waste from ammonia to nitrate, a unit of alkalinity is consumed during the conversion from ammonia to nitrite, but is returned when nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas. If you manage nitrates in some manner other than biologically (chemically or through water changes), that unit of alk is not returned. This can result in imbalance. Nominally, balanced consumption will lead to a drop of 2.8 dKH of alkalinity for every 20 ppm of calcium consumed. This ratio can be altered slightly depending upon the composition of coral skeletons in your tank. For example, coraline algae skeletons substitute about 5% of what would otherwise have been calcium for magnesium. This percentage of magnesium-calcium differs somewhat from species to species.
BowieReefer84 July 10, 2012 July 10, 2012 You bring them to equilibrium by adding more of one or less of the other... Anything other than equal parts of each will change things. Origami has the equilibrium chart. I can't find the post.
Ryan S July 10, 2012 Author July 10, 2012 I think they are in "equilibrium" because my alk and cal are at the levels I want them at. (9 and 400). However, that's dosing them at a 2:1 ratio. If I change that ratio to be 1:1, will I see that "equilibrium" stay the same, or change? With respect to what Tom said - I am handling nitrates with weekly 10% water changes; as well as GFO and vinegar dosing (chemical means). Could that be the cause for the imbalance? Is it okay, if that's the case, to leave the dosing at 2:1 if it's stable?
Jon Lazar July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012 (edited) Ryan, how high are your nitrates? My understanding is that high nitrates can require you to use more alk additive. Edited July 11, 2012 by Jon Lazar
Ryan S July 11, 2012 Author July 11, 2012 Ryan, how high are your nitrates? My understanding is that high nitrates can require you to use more alk additive. They have been reading 0.0 since April 22nd.
Marc Weaver July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012 It takes a lot more mL of calcium additive to make a difference than it does alk additive (at least if you are using BRS or Randy's recipe.) I have always dosed an equal amount and have not noticed wild calcium fluctuations when adjusting alk dosages to keep up with my demand. I base all my dosages on alkalinity and calcium for me is a second priority and it never fluctuates more than +/- 25 ppm which I feel is acceptable. I keep alk at 9 and calcium ranges between 400 and 450. Check out this link. "Equilibrium" is purely based on speculation derived from the ratios found in natural seawater. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php
Origami July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012 Again, if you're handling nitrates with water changes, that will lead to a drop that is not balanced. This could be the source, or it could be the concentration of your two-part mix is not right.
Ryan S July 11, 2012 Author July 11, 2012 Again, if you're handling nitrates with water changes, that will lead to a drop that is not balanced. This could be the source, or it could be the concentration of your two-part mix is not right. Regardless, if I test my alk and cal weekly, while dosing 2:1, and the alk and cal remain stable and where I want them (9 and 400); is there any reason to change the amount I am dosing? No right?
Origami July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012 No problem - as long as things are where you want them, you're golden.
Origami July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012 This is probably the chart that BowieReefer was referring to. It's version 2 of the chart that I have in my Hanna Alk Checker box. It includes a column for balanced calcium. So, balanced calcium for 9.0 dKH is around 425 ppm Ca.
mling July 12, 2012 July 12, 2012 Do 2 Parts have an expiration date ? I know mine is over a year old.
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