Doesing Kalk and Baked Backing soda

[Civicdemon]

So iv ben doesing Kalk solution and Using Soda ash in my top off water to keep levels up and iv ben trying to get my calcium higher but it wont go up. My Alk is good now at about 8.5 and staying there but my calcium don't rise. I don't want to use more kalk couse then my PH and ALK could go up higher and that would not be good. So today I placed a order for some stuff from Marine Depot, Replacement filter for my RO unit and Some more GFO, I decided to go ahead and add the Bionic solution 1 and 2, Was thinking of just using solution 2 little by little along with my current doesing to bring calcium up to where I need it then just keep doing my regular rutine to keep it there. Or Maybe just switching to the part 1 and 2 and stop using the kalk and soda ash .

So if I switch to the bionic solution is it ok to just add both solutions into my top off water ???? since it says to use equal parts when your at the right levels should I actually start off with a bit more of the calcium solution until my calcium levels are where I want them ??

Readings as of yesterday.

Temp - 79.2
PH - 8.0
Nitrates 2 ppm if that
nitrites 0
ammonia 0
phosfates .025 if that

MG : 1380
ALK 8.5
Ca. 390 I want it higher around 440


Anyways any help would be great.

 

[RockStacker]

So iv ben doesing Kalk solution and Using Soda ash in my top off water to keep levels up

Kalk and soda ash are both in your top off water mixed in a solution?

 

[Aquarian]

Your mag, alk, Ca, and ph all seem a little low.

 

[RockStacker]

Your mag, alk, Ca, and ph all seem a little low.

MG : 1380
ALK 8.5
Ca. 390 I want it higher around 440

For an ultra-SPS tank maybe. :)
Those numbers look good for general reef tank setup.

 

[Civicdemon]

Well ph is usually up a bit more. These test was right after lights on. But my thing is calcium. I want it a bit highet

 

[Aquarian]

What I was getting at is. If there is room for your ph alk and ca to go up a bit and still be in range why are you concerned about raising them?

If you are going to dose the two part I would do it in equal amounts and test to get an idea of it's effect on you system.

 

[Civicdemon]

Ok so of i ise.the 2 part should i still do the soda ash amd kalk ?

 

[Aquarian]

Idk I've never done kalk and ash. But I gut tells me no I would only do one of them. I think @RockStacker was questioning how you were dosing the kalk & ash maybe he can give you better info. I've had good results with seachem and kent additives so I haven't needed to go the kalk rout.

 

[Civicdemon]

The soda ash was.in.top off water. The kalk i would add every morning before lights on.

 

[RockStacker]

If you are still trying to fine tune the dosing regimen, I would choose either kalkwasser dosing or 2-part exclusively, but not both.

• Kalk doses both calcium and bicarbonates (alkalinity) in proportional doses. Whether it can keep up with your tank's demand is another matter (within the limits of evaporation, pH elevation, etc).
• 2-part dosing allows you to change up the proportion of the calcium vs alkalinity so one can catch up to the other if they are not too far apart.

If you are dosing both kalkwasser and soda ash, then you are guaranteed to be adding more alkalinity compared to calcium.
In a simplified ratio for discussion purposes, it would be [2 alkalinity:1 calcium].

You cannot dose kalkwasser to raise just calcium or just alkalinity. It would raise both values proportionally.

 

[Civicdemon]

Well what i have decided to do at the moment since my alk is ok and i.just want the calcium up abit is keep using soda ash how i have ben and just add 1/2 teespoon more to the mix. And then just use the ionic calcium until i get to where i want it to be. Then after that ill go back to my original method to keep everything even