Low Calcium, Carbonate Hardness (dKH) & Magnesium

[pesto]

I am struggling with low calcium, carbonate hardness (dKH) & magnesium. Here are my readings:

calcium = 330
carbonate hardness (dKH) = 6
magnesium = 1100

I am daily dosing using B-Ionic for all of the above. Doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. What else can I do to raise these readings?

 

[JohnK]

Use this to figure out the dosing you need to bring the levels up;
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

Enter the gallons of your system, then input current levels, target levels and what additives you will be using (from the drop down menus). It will tell you how much and how to dose.

 

[DoctaQ]

liquid additives tend to be pretty dilute, and useless imo, especially for a 90 gallon tank, you could top off with kalkwasser for a while but you cant dose too much at once or your ph will shoot up

probably do a big water change first, 30%+ if you are comfortable

 

[Bobbofin]

I like SeaChem powered additives; AdvantageCalcium, Advantage Magnesium and Reef Builder(alk). You get a lot for your money and it's pharmaceutical grade. I mix a half cup of cal and alk in one liter bottles for easy dosing. I dose 30ml a day of each for my 60 cube. My parameters have been spot on for 6 months.

 

[dz6t]

check your test kit

 

[JohnK]

Also, what is your SG, and how are you testing it?

All levels testing low may mean that your water is diluted some.

 

[youngreefer]

what salt mix are you using?

 

[pesto]

1. Yes, my test kit is API and has been verfied as accurate at LFS
2. What is SG?
3. Red Sea Salt Coral Pro

 

[Bill Nye]

You may have a hard time raising your calc and alk levels until your magnesium level increases. I was using Instant Ocean salt and i could not raise my calc above 380 until I started dosing mag.

How often are you doing water changes? How much and what types of coral do you currently have in your tank? If you have alot of coral you may not be adding enough of each supplement to exceed the demand of your tank. You should also be dosing your water change water assuming that it is extremely deficient in calc alk and mag.

Also one last thing, I am assuming you use bought a bucket of the red sea salt. I have never used this salt but from what I understand the levels are pretty decent other than alk which is low. You might want to try rolling your bucket to mix the ingredients.

 

[SteveDola]

2. What is SG?

SG is the salinity of the water. stands for specific gravity

I would advise buying a large bottle of ESV magnesium and getting the mag up with daily doses. Also purchase a product like turbo calcium and mix it up to bump the calc levels. DkH can be increased with the 2part you use by just using more. the big thing is to do the alk slowly. Calc and Mag can be raised quicker but should never be done in 1 dosing. its a dose and monitor kinda thing. its safe to raise the mag 100 pts aday and calcium can be bumped up over the course of a few days with the turbo calcium.

 

[Junior3813]

I use the Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix, Kent Marine Magnesium and Kent Marine Tech CB Part A and Part B. This is the best stuff in my opinion to use.

 

[SteveDola]

it would take forever to raise the calcium to desired levels with only waterchanges and 2 part.

 

[gweston]

I use Instant Ocean salt mix for my 29gal+15gal sump system. I change ~5gal weekly. I use C-balance to maintain Ca and Alk levels. I then dose Purple up when Alk is where I'd like it to be. That boosts Ca and Mag up notably from there.

Though, take that for what it is. My water volume is notably smaller than a 90 gal system, so maintaining levels requires relatively small doses. Each of my 2-part dose level is around 5ml. Purple up ends up being about 3ml.

 

[pesto]

1. Already using daily doses of ESV magnesium and will continue to do so.
2. SG = 1.024 using refractometer.

I have never used the turbo calcium but, will give it a try. Thanks!

 

[DoctaQ]

i would go with powdered stuff as well
when you buy liquid mixes you are paying for the water they put into it, calculate it out dose for dose per dollar.
once you get your mag up i would shoot for alk first because it affects your ph and whatnot, you can dose large amounts of calcium 100ppm at a time ime