Calcium climbing with calcium reactor?

[IOnceWasLegend]

I've been using a calcium reactor as the alk source on my current tank since it's had coral in it. The alkalinity has been rock solid, minus a few fluctuations here and there when coral hit a growth spurt. However, my calcium has slowly (but continuously) been climbing over the last few months and is now just shy of 600 ppm. I've verified this with another test kit, so I know this is accurate. I'm also a little confused, since I was under the impression that calcium reactors release calcium and alk in equal proportions, so I'm trying to figure out whether this is just a quirk of my tank or some type of user error. Everything in the tank seems perfectly healthy, I just don't want to let this keep going until it becomes a problem.

Considerations: My media mix is normal carx media (crushed coral I believe) at a 9:1 ratio with magnesium media. I keep my carx pH at 6.7 (CO2 on at 6.8, CO2 off at 6.6). At the moment my alk uptake has experienced a sudden surge, so I'm dosing ATI Essentials Pro Part 1 to shore up the difference and to start slowly dropping down calcium.

Any thoughts?

 

[Arvin R]

I don't have experience with a CaRx unfortunately but general thinking says to slow down on your CaRx and use supplemental alk dosing to keep alk stable until your calcium comes into desired range. Then figure out how much more you can increase your CaRx dosing to keep calcium stable at your target and continue supplemental alk dosing if needed.

 

[iani]

I've been using a calcium reactor as the alk source on my current tank since it's had coral in it. The alkalinity has been rock solid, minus a few fluctuations here and there when coral hit a growth spurt. However, my calcium has slowly (but continuously) been climbing over the last few months and is now just shy of 600 ppm. I've verified this with another test kit, so I know this is accurate. I'm also a little confused, since I was under the impression that calcium reactors release calcium and alk in equal proportions, so I'm trying to figure out whether this is just a quirk of my tank or some type of user error. Everything in the tank seems perfectly healthy, I just don't want to let this keep going until it becomes a problem.

Considerations: My media mix is normal carx media (crushed coral I believe) at a 9:1 ratio with magnesium media. I keep my carx pH at 6.7 (CO2 on at 6.8, CO2 off at 6.6). At the moment my alk uptake has experienced a sudden surge, so I'm dosing ATI Essentials Pro Part 1 to shore up the difference and to start slowly dropping down calcium.

Any thoughts?

I have the opposite experience with my calcium reactor, calcium drops over time and I have to dose calcium every once in a while. Also AFAIK the magnesium media doesn't do much because to dissolve you need an even lower pH.

 

[ashburn2k]

I have the opposite experience with my calcium reactor, calcium drops over time and I have to dose calcium every once in a while. Also AFAIK the magnesium media doesn't do much because to dissolve you need an even lower pH.

this, my mag media stayed the same while my carx media melted away over the time.

 

[robert4025]

This is normal with CaRx usage. While it is true that your CaRx doses balanced level of all the natural elements, your system does not consume them at a natural level. Captive systems in general has the tendency to consume Alk more than Ca due to factor like the usage of Ferric Oxide. That’s why my cut-off dosage in all my holding systems is primarily based on Ca, and not AlK. My Apex would cut off the CaRx CO2 output if the Ca level gets over 450ppm. However, my Alk usually also get lowered as a result so I use a dosing pump just for Alk adjustment.