anyone have problems with Crushed Coral substrate?

[new2salt2]

i am experencing high calc and alk levels with my substrate. trying to narrow problem down and wondered what people keep their tank at and if they ahve same problem. this is not a dosing problem as i have not had to dose calc in some time.

[JohnO]

Can you post what the Calc and Alk readings are please.

John

[new2salt2]

they vary after water changes at 500PPM to as high as 600PPM . also get increases in amonia. and alk from 4MEQ/L to 6MEQ/L

[JohnO]

There is a good link on this site found in the Water Chemistry forum which shows a chart for ALK/CALC readings.


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Do you recall what the readings were before a water change?


John

[new2salt2]

yea i actually posted about this a while ago and have been working on it with Naut. the only thing we can figure after huge water changes and rising water levels is that something in my cc is doing it.

i can do a change of fresh mixed water with a 400PPM calc reading and 2 aclk (using Oceanic salt) and get a 500PPM calc reading when done a week later its up to 550or more.

no additives in months and tank set up over a year. i am not too worried , just wondered if i was only one, and maybe could shed some light to others who havent noticed why they having same problems.

[JohnO]

It's an interesting change that is for sure :-)

i can do a change of fresh mixed water with a 400PPM calc reading and 2 aclk (using Oceanic salt) and get a 500PPM calc reading

Is this is the reading of the freshly made up water or the tank water before the change?

Have you had the water tested by a different source ( lfs )?

It would be interesting to get your LFS to do a test on the water for Alk, Calc and Magnesium on both the water just before you do a water change and also one week after the change.

John

John
This goes way back.
First of all he had the tank was snowing. so we did 3 14 gallon water changes.
all tests reading dropped and now without adding any additives the cal / alk are starting to rise again along with pH.

I think his tank is built on an Indian burial ground.
His ammonia is up again but I don't trust that test kit.
Suggested he remove the crushed coral.
THE just ,mixed water is reading correctly on all tests.
Something in his tank is raising all the reading above what they should be an will not drop.

[new2salt2]

yea i was just pointing at the CC to see if anyone else noticed this problem with theirs. i have heard of this now from one other souce. so i just wanted to bring it up and see if it was more common, but not spoke of

[JohnO]

new2salt2 and Nautius

From my perspective I would do two things

1. Stop doing water changes

2. Test and correct the Magnessium levels ( if necessary ). They should be 1200 - 1400 ppm and can easily be raised using epsom salts. Refer to this link on the process

http://www.ozreef.org/diy/magnesium_additive.html

Please DO NOT do this until after you test

BTW, What do you guys think causes the Ammonia spike after the water change?

John.
Please read past posts from new2salt2 on this.
http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/yabb/Ya...8869;start=0#0
His tank was at pH 8.6 and snowing. calcium was 575 and 600 and NEVER dropped for over a month.
Alk was at 4.5 and 5 or 14 DKH and would not DROP as we did not add ANYTHING for over a month and still not.
He does not have hardly any corals. Not using RO/DI water.

Ammonia I think is coming from his crushed coral that he has had in there for about a year.
We did the water changes to drop everything down and not adding anything was not working. test kits were showing to be correct when he would talk water to LFS.
Recently he has started using ro water from wal-mart I think. pH still going up and staying at 8.6.
This tank is still amazingly stupefied most people and RHF suggested drastic water changes along with me and Boomer.
Please if you can help out here your comments are more then welcome.