Just mixed up some IO, Ca not so good

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Captainhemo

Read this thread of Bens (Littlesilvermax) Link

. I am also using his chemicals and dosing my RO/DI water with MG and Ca then adding my IO salt. It took a little testing to get the amounts perfect but now every time I mix up a batch of water I can dose the same amount of Mg + Ca to have my water come out at Mg 1300 and Ca 400. Works really well.
I used the reef calculator to get my amounts close then adjusted accordingly after testing Reef Calculator
Can't beat the price either !!

Thanks. I was looking for it.

Mine seems to stay around 1350ppm at the present time and my calcium around 420ppm with just kalk additions and a 5gpw water change.

[Captainhemo]

Hey Doug, are you having to do any additional Ca dosing (besides your reg water changes) to get your Ca to stay at 420? Like I mentioned above, I'm having to add about 1.5 Tsp / weekk to maintain mine. I'm only doing about a 7% water change once a week in my 60 g system. But it is really easy, I like this system

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Captainhemo

Hey Doug, are you having to do any additional Ca dosing (besides your reg water changes) to get your Ca to stay at 420? Like I mentioned above, I'm having to add about 1.5 Tsp / weekk to maintain mine. I'm only doing about a 7% water change once a week in my 60 g system. But it is really easy, I like this system

I drip kalk, but not every night. Most of my corals are still frag sized, so not a great demand from them. I assume my clams, esp. the Derasa,s which are growing like weeds and the heavy coralline on the rock are consuming a fair bit.

So besides dripping kalk on occassion, just the water changes for now, seem to be doing the job.

[mark]

Started another pail of IO and low numbers with this one as well.

Made up 20g ro/di then left for a day with a couple of small pumps to aerate, added 12 cups of IO and then left mixing for another day.

Tested today and have:
SG: 1.025 refractometer
Ca: 270 Salifert and 300 twice with ELOS at 71°, thought maybe sample temp so warmed to 78° and got 275 ELOS.
Mg: 900 ELOS
Alk:10.9dKH Salifert
pH: 7.8 using pH monitor and after replacing battery and recalibrating probe.

Either I'm doing something wrong or IO is.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by mark

Either I'm doing something wrong or IO is.

IO has always mixed that way for me for the last 8 years. Ca always low 300's, alk around 10 -11.