Help..Alkalinity is high??

[glang]

I am new with reef keeping and still trying to get my tank up to par for addition of corals, inverts and such.
I have started testing Alk and calcium. My calcium level has been 300 for the past 3 days. Alk has gone from 3.77 to 4.11 in the last 2 days. Yesterday, I started dosing with only the calcium part of Bionic in order to try to increase my calcium levels. My calcium isn't going up, but my Alk is. Any help or suggestions? Should I do a water change? My tank is about a month old, 65 gallons, and 130 pounds of very nice cured liverock. My cycle was very fast because of the cured liverock I am guessing. Any suggestions on calcium/Alk problems?
Thanks in advance.

Gene

 

[Anonymous]

yes, do a series of large water changes.

two part solutions do little in raising calcium...they just maintain it.
you should then be able to keep up with the tank's demand once the proper parameters are obtained.

 

[jeffsdesigns]

check your magnesium levels.

They play a major role in your calcium addition.

 

[glang]

I will go get a test kit for magnesium today. Based on the level of Mag, what is the course of action? Is there a way to raise/lower Mag?
I am also preparing to do a water change as suggested.

 

[Anonymous]

I believe most magnesium additives are mgso4, your basic epsom salts sold at most drug stores.

The best way is with a reactor, throw about a half a cup of white dolomite in the reactor, when it disolves you'll get ca & mg.


if your ballance is off, and your mg is low, you'll want to do a LARGE water change, small ones wont put a dent in the problem.


See the url below for ref on how many & much water changes it will take to get things back in line, there is an exact formula to it, nothing can change the numbers presented, most people dont like to believe it though

http://www.reefs.org/library/article/t_brightbill_wc.html