Cloudy tank after dosing with calcium

[Brewmaster]

Is this normal?

I dosed yesterday at about 5:00PM. Today when the lights came on it was cloudy. I used Seachem Reef calcium.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[MikeG]

What were your calcium and alkalinity levels before and after dosing. What and how much did you dose? Mag levels are useful as well if you have them.

 

[Brewmaster]

Calcium level was 250 yesterday and 425 today. I dosed 25 mL

 

[stingythingy45]

Yikes,I think you might have dosed too much at one time.

 

[Brewmaster]

So, should I do a water change or just let it clear up on it's own?

 

[MikeG]

What was you alkalinity before and after? And what type of total water volume do you have?

 

[Brewmaster]

I dont have a test kit for that right now. 90 gallons

 

[pvh]

When you dose did you pour it in low flow area? Usually this will cause cloudy water. But if you dose it in high flow (in front of the powerhead) it will be much better.

 

[MikeG]

I dont have a test kit for that right now. 90 gallons

Sounds suspiciously like precipitation of calcium carbonate. Without knowing what happened to alkalinity it may be safer to just do a small waterchange. If your alkalinity was really high before you dosed, you may have pushed your levels past what the saturation point is. And if on top of that you have low magnesium levels, then your water column is more susceptable to a precipitaion event.

You can either wait and see if it clears; I would strongly suggest picking up or borrowing and alk and mag test kit to see where you are, or do a water change to assure that your levels are somewhat balanced since you have no tet kits.

 

[marine mike]

As alkalinity and calcium go hand in hand so much, I would not recommend dosing for calcium without the ability to also test for alk and then dose for that as well. Also, if your Mag is too low, the calcium will not be absorbable into the water and can cause a snowstorm as the calcium percipitates out in the tank. That could be the case in your case, but without knowing the levels of each, you cannot say for sure. I would recommend an alk/dkh test kit immediately and possibly a mag kit also, especially if it appears your mag might be low.

I think Mike G and I were typing at the same time! See, great minds think alike!

 

[MikeG]

When you dose did you pour it in low flow area? Usually this will cause cloudy water. But if you dose it in high flow (in front of the powerhead) it will be much better.

This is normally only a temporary problem. He dosed about 20 hours ago and it is cloudy. Although I do agree that pouring a concentrated solution in low flow will greatly increase the chance of precipitation.

 

[stingythingy45]

There's a very good chance that the alk has been driven quite low.
Just like Mike's said,do a water change and/or get a test kit ASAP.

 

[crb]

I use both Seachem's Reef Advantage and Reef Builder and have not had that happen yet. The only cloudiness I have seen is in the jar I premix the calcium solution in before diluting it in a few gallons.

Might be calcium precipitation. Where was/is your alkalinity?

CRB

P.S. Your brave. Increasing tank calcium levels more than 50 mg/L in less than 24 hrs would make me nervous.

 

[crb]

Sorry for the redundant post... stepped away from the keyboard before finishing and didn't see the last few responses. Get a test kit!

 

[Cardiak]

I had something simular happen, but that was from a slight overdose of vodka in the tank. Anyways a small water change and good skimming should clear it up.

 

[Brewmaster]

This is my first experience with dosing. I dosed in the sump right over the return pump. I will be doing a water change of 12 gallons that I mixed up yesterday when I get home from work.

I will be getting the other test kits this week also.

Thanks for all the quick replies and steering me in the right direction!!!

Cheers,
Jim