[makana]

I recently bought some elos tests and discovered that my calcium was low. I had been using hagen kits and it turns out the calcium kit was way off. Since then I discovered that the IO salt that I use is low in mag and calc.

I started dosing to bring up my levels and it has taken a few weeks to learn how to dose one without dropping the other but I managed to get my levels up.

The problem I am having is that I can't keep them up. On Wed. my alk was 8.5dkh, calc was 410, and mag was 1400. On tue. alk was 7.5, calc was 390, I didn't check mag. On fri. alk was 6.5, calc was 410, and mag was 1350.

I assume tuesdays calcium reading was a testing error but mag has dropped 50 in 48 hours and alk seems to drop 1 dkh per day.

I only have a sun coral, some mushrooms, an open brain, and a toadstool. Two fish and a shrimp. Nothing that should be using up my alk. Before I started this dosing I had never needed to dose and my alk was always stable at 7.5, a little low but consistent.

I have recently discovered a tiny hitchhiker clam that is about the size of a dime. It has been in there for over a year. I thought it was part of the rock but since the dosing it actually moved twice and now opens up and displays a mantle.

If anyone can help me figure this out I would appreciate it. I can't see anything that would drain my alk like that. I would prefer to maintain my levels with water changes only if I can stabilize it. I am dosing my water change water as well now.