Calcium depletion?

[dawgface]

I'm expirencing 100mg calcium depletion daily, why? I have a 190 with little to no sps (one small acro) as well as very light coraline at this point. I have a ton of softies but they are all frags at this point so nothing large. Any opinions on what is going on?

Edit: Using seachem calcium tests

 

[gmpolan]

how often are your water changes...

 

[dawgface]

Weekly 20% in my last tank (72g), this tank I plan on doing biweekly 20% (190g). It has been up with livestock now for 2 weeks, was planning on a water change today. I know water changes would help replenish, but I'm wondering why the extreme depletion.

 

[smallblock]

whats your mag levels at?

 

[gmpolan]

If it that regular and your still depleting calcium, id think it would be a salt issue. What type are you uisng?

 

[dawgface]

Red sea pro salt.

Magnesium is the only test kit I don't have. What would be the significance of magnesium in all this? I'll get one tomorrow if that could provide an answer.

 

[ralph atl]

here:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://web.archive.org/web/20021127040526/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm">http://web.archive.org/web/20021127040526/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm</a>

get salifert or elos test kits

 

[smallblock]

mysterybox probably covered it in the links, but mag and calcium go hand and hand. Mag helps the water absorb the calcium.

 

[rbredding]

if the mag levels are too high, it will increase the chances that calcium carbonate will precipitate into the water column.

if your mag levels are too low, you will also risk precipitation (typically on your equipment like pumps & heaters), of calcium carbonate (because the water column becomes super saturated)...

bottom line is that magnesium needs to be low.. but not so low that you start to get precipitation on your equipment (equipment that is warm will attract the magnesium first)


What's your pH ? (low ph will keep the calcium carbonate from precipitating on your equipment if you have low magnesium) (higher ph will enable your corals to grow faster using the calcium carbonate in the water column, but will also increase the likelihood that a low magnesium level will allow calcium carbonate to accumulate on your equipment)


(the growth of coralline algae could be forming on your liverock, it's not always on the glass that it forms - if your live rock is purpleing up, then that's why your calcium levels are dropping)