So I got my 2 part chemicals yesterday and I tested my tank's parameters to see where it's at before starting slowly 2 part dosing. Tested mag and it was at 1400-1500 (little high but not worrisome) Alk was at 7-8 dkh. Got to calcium and I have an older Salifert kit and a new API kit for calcium. Salifert tested at 320 and the API tested at 530 :: Tested three times with the API kit and as it's brand spanking new trusted those results much more than the really old Salifert kit.
I'm not 100% sure why the calcium is so high but I did test it about a month ago with the old Salifert kit and added powder calcium according to those numbers so I'm assuming it read low when it was fine.
My other thought was that the calcium is that high because I switched to a kalk stirrer instead of just having my reservoir filled with kalk for the topping off so that a more consistent amount of kalk water is going into the tank. I'm thinking it's more the old test kit and adding based on the faulty reading.
So that got me thinking if it was the kalk stirrer supplying that much calcium (which again I think it's less likely) ideally I would want to do the kalk stirrer and 2 part to maintain the calcium and alk. I like kalk because when I had dino's a few years ago and started dripping kalk and the pH stayed up I noticed much much better growth with the higher pH.
I plan on testing next week to see where the calcium is at and if it's just as high turn off the kalk stirrer for a week and test to compare. If the kalk stirrer is providing enough to maintain calcium and alk what would be better? Keeping the kalk stirrer or doing 2 part? I'm thinking 2 part because the kalk stirrer is dependent on evaporation that doesn't remain constant. Looking for other words of wisdom from fellow BRS'ers
I'm not 100% sure why the calcium is so high but I did test it about a month ago with the old Salifert kit and added powder calcium according to those numbers so I'm assuming it read low when it was fine.
My other thought was that the calcium is that high because I switched to a kalk stirrer instead of just having my reservoir filled with kalk for the topping off so that a more consistent amount of kalk water is going into the tank. I'm thinking it's more the old test kit and adding based on the faulty reading.
So that got me thinking if it was the kalk stirrer supplying that much calcium (which again I think it's less likely) ideally I would want to do the kalk stirrer and 2 part to maintain the calcium and alk. I like kalk because when I had dino's a few years ago and started dripping kalk and the pH stayed up I noticed much much better growth with the higher pH.
I plan on testing next week to see where the calcium is at and if it's just as high turn off the kalk stirrer for a week and test to compare. If the kalk stirrer is providing enough to maintain calcium and alk what would be better? Keeping the kalk stirrer or doing 2 part? I'm thinking 2 part because the kalk stirrer is dependent on evaporation that doesn't remain constant. Looking for other words of wisdom from fellow BRS'ers
