Why can't I get my calcium and dkh up?

[darren neil]

I have a total of 160 gallons of water. I have been trying the last two weeks to get my cal around 440 to 460 and it won't come off of 300. Im dosing turbo calcium. night before last i dose six table spoons of it and it has'nt moved off of 300 so last night i dose 10 and still nothing.so i said the heck with it and bought a calcium reactor for a 450 gallon tank. just waiting on it to get here. can't get my dkh up either i can dose it with dkh buffer backing soda and it will come up for a day are so and drop back down around 6 to 7. so heres the run down on my water condition.
temp 80
cal 300
dkh 7
mag 1280
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ammo 0
phos 0

 

[notireef]

maybe the testing is wrong....what cal and alk test do you use?????

 

[darren neil]

I im useing API on both but i thought the same thing so i have like 4 different test kits and i have used them and there in the same reading 280 to 300

 

[casper75]

How old are your test kits. Here is a link to some good info about the chemistry and the aquarium, It talks about solving calcium and alkalinity problems.

 

[darren neil]

ok thank you my cal kit is new got in from foster and smith last week. dkh about a month old.

 

[casper75]

Hope that link helps

 

[sammy33]

What is your S.G. (salinity)? What salt mix are you using?

 

[darren neil]

sammy33;298671 wrote: What is your S.G. (salinity)? What salt mix are you using?

S.G is 1.026 and i use instant ocean. i just bought some reef crystals its a little bit better of salt going to do a 15 gallon water change with th RQ tomorrow. Is that enough for a water change for 160 gallons total water volume?

 

[notireef]

30g water change would prob. help

 

[darren neil]

NotiReef;298677 wrote: 30g water change would prob. help

Ok 30 gallon it is thanks

 

[darren neil]

Darren neil;298674 wrote: S.G is 1.026 and i use instant ocean. i just bought some reef crystals its a little bit better of salt going to do a 15 gallon water change with the RQ tomorrow. Is that enough for a water change for 160 gallons total water volume?

I mint for that to be RC not RQ for Reef Crystals

 

[sammy33]

At 1.026 SG - what level ppm of CA does your salt mix yield? IO always seemed to top out in the high 300's around 380ppm average for me.

I always try to target a CA level that my salt yields by simply testing my newly mixed saltwater before I do water changes. I mix to 1.026, then test Alk, CA and Mg and record those numbers for targets. Targeting these elemental concentrations that my salt mix is capable of producing makes it much easier to maintain these levels especially when I do a water change. The water change water has basically the same levels as the tank so my water change does not drag the levels down.

You mention 440 - 460 as the calcium range you are targeting. If your IO or even RC salt mix is not yielding this when mixed to 1.026 SG then you are pulling those parameters back down when you do a water change.

If your testing shows that your mix is yielding higher than your tank is testing at then you must have some calcium lovers in your reef.

 

[darren neil]

Instant ocean test low when i tested it i dont remeber what it was but i do know that it was low. Thats why i went to Reef crystal. RC at 1.026 is 455 so i should be good to go on that part.