Keeping everything stable the natural way

That's interesting, didn't know that.
Anyway, this will be my last try with the shrimp... I'm afraid there is something in my tank that's eating them, instead of them eating aiptasia. These 2 I've got are doing great so far, they're trying to get my hand now everytime I need to adjust stuff in the tank. That's sooo creepy. I know they're supposed to eat the dead skin off your hand but I'm not there yet to let them So hopefully, since they're so energetic they'll get to work soon!

 

Ok, feeling not so smart at the moment, I read the wrong thing on the test box, the ones I'm using are actually by Salifert
Just retested everything again, feel like the Cal is creaping up again, at
485, up from 480 3 days ago.
Will try to figure out how to ping the expert now.

 

did you use dry rock? could be the calcium powder from the dry rock leaching out and into the water

 

I've got the rock "live": one piece over a year ago and others more like year and a half... It shouldn't be leaking things now, right?

 

probably not, atleast not calcium....calcium would only leach off of dry rock more than likely...however if your ph is too low it could be eating away at some stuff where calcium has percipitated however your ph looks right....whats your ph at night and do you see any percipitation of calcium on pumps or anything?

 

Isn't PH of 8 sort of low, I thought the min should be 8.1?
I'll try to test the water this night, is there a better place to get the water from, such as bottom vs. top? and what would percipitation of calcium look like?
if it is percipitating, wouldn't it decrease?
thanks!

 

8 is fine as long as its stable, its best to get from atleast a few inches below the surface.....percipitation would look like a white chalky substance sticking to pumps glass etc....the issue could be percipitation breaking down from a low ph at night maybe?

 

Just an update if anyone is having the same issue: I've learned that to keep Ca/Ph in balance, you need to have the Mag high enough, so I've started dosing Mag now. Will post later with results. thanks again to everyone for the helpful input.

 

Following up: I've added Digidata and Acropora 2-3 months ago and since then my Mag and Alk started dropping substantially, so I've started dosing those 2 more aggressively (2-3 squirts a day , not to be too scientific). These 2 changes (coral addition and more of Alk and Mag) brought my high Calc back to normal, around 460 Hope it will stay like that forever...

 

+1 on using ATO.I use the Tunze osmolater nano model 3152 on my 40b and love it.C ost is around $100 and includes everything needed but the water reservoir.I use a plastic jug from Oceanic salt mix for my reservoir.This less exspensive model has no electronic eye or alarm but is programmed to stop pumping after 45 seconds (about 1/2 gallon) should there be a problem with the float switch or your overflow.I have been using mine for about six months and have had no problems at all.