How to Correct My Ca:Mg Ratio

[chopper]

Hi guys, I have used the Ca:Mg formula in BB's sticky and My ratio is 2.3:1

My wp are: GH - 6

PH - 6.5

KH - 0

Cal - 25ppm

TDS - 137 but Im not sure which conversion my pen uses, it came with chinese instructions, any idea?

I want to correct this ratio to 3 or 4 : 1 and was hoping to get some guidance on this, I have Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate and

Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Mg = 9.6% w/w min, This is written on the bag, not sure what it means?)

Any help correcting this ratio would be greatly appreciated, Cheers, Andy

[hoang1912]

To me, when I was out of range, I changed 40% water with RO+ salty mineral and it went back to the ratio which is 3-4:1

[BlueBolts]

Whats the brand/model of your TDS ? I use CaS04 to increase my Ca, and MgSO4 for Mg. I'll send you some CaSO4 tomorrow with your special package !

[chopper]

Thanks Hoang, but I don't really want to do a 40% WC if there is other less stressful (to the shrimp lol) ways to change it, thanks for the idea though

Hi Marcus, my TDS pen doesn't have a brand on it, its light and dark blue and just says TDS, but on the back it says c e, anyone know which brand it is? I bought it from the fish auctions a few months ago.

Awesome, thanks in advance for the CaS04;)

Do you think my shrimp will be ok with this ratio until wednesday?

[BlueBolts]

I'll plat post it, so you'll get it on Tuesday.

[chopper]

Thanks alot Marcus, your a ledgend!!!

[jayc]

I want to correct this ratio to 3 or 4 : 1 and was hoping to get some guidance on this' date=' I have Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate and

Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (Mg = 9.6% w/w min, This is written on the bag, not sure what it means?)

Any help correcting this ratio would be greatly appreciated, Cheers, Andy[/quote']

If you already have Calcium Sulphate and Magnesium sulphate, then you have everything that is required to fix the Ca:Mg ratio.

Amount to use depends on the size of your tank.

In a 50L tank, 1.5gms of CaSO4 will raise Ca by 1GH. And 2.15gm of MgSO4 will raise Mg by 1GH.

So mix up 1.5gm of CaSO4 in some tank water, and add it in slowly over the course of a week (That's probably over conservative, but I don't like to change tank parameters too fast). Or do the drip method.

If you want to correct the ratio, it looks like you need to raise Calcium to about 30ppm.

[chopper]

Hi Jayc, thanks for that:encouragement: My system is 350lt in total, How much CaSO4 would you suggest I would need to get the calcium to 30 ppm? Cheers

[Squiggle]

Just keep your eye on your GH while you are doing this, you've got room to move with your TDS but your GH is at the limit & these will both rise when adding calcium. :encouragement:

[Squiggle]

I found this stuff & want to give it a crack to see how it goes. :victorious:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Shirakura-Liquid-Mineral-Ca-Crystal-Red-Bee-Shrimp-Japan-100ml-/261089780343?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cca29e277&_uhb=1

[jayc]

As Squigs said, keep an eye on your GH as you add CaSO4.

If your tank is 350L, then just multiple the amount by 7 times (7x50=350).

So you will need approx 10.5grams of CaSO4.

Remember, don't dose it all at once. Drip method is good here, and measure a certain intervals, like every 25%.

[chopper]

Ok I will do that, Thanks so much guys for all your help, I'll let you know how I go, thanks again:D

[Squiggle]

Just checking jayc, is that 10.5g per 1ppm of calcium increase?

[jayc]

Just checking jayc' date=' is that 10.5g per 1ppm increase?[/quote']

Yep for chopper's tank size and the amount he wants to get to.

350L is a pretty big volume of water to change.

[blindfisherman]

Im confused too. Because if you use 1.5 g for a 1dgh move in 50 L isnt that 17ppm? So for a 5 ppm change in 350 L would need ~3.5 g.

[Squiggle]

Actually, I was talking in ppm of calcium. :encouragement:

[blindfisherman]

Yeah I think im a bit lost.

Isnt 1dgh calcium 17 ppm or is there some crappy chemistry I have to do.

[Squiggle]

dGH means degrees of general hardness which is made up of calcium, magnesium & other stuff, what chopper wants to do is raise his calcium level from 25ppm to 30ppm, by adding CaSO4 this will affect the general hardness but not in a direct 1 for 1 ratio, HTH :victorious:

[blindfisherman]

Ok so there is some chemisty I have to do hence why im reluctant to test mine.

I was just confused because jayc said 1.5 g causes a 1gh increase so I thought this may be a 17 ppm increase in Ca as 1 gh is about 17 ppm isnt it.

Thats how I was calculating ~3.5 g

[Squiggle]

Oh crap, I just re-red jayc's first post & he did say "1.5g of calcium will raise 1GH" it's unclear whether he means 1dGH or 1ppm, it just says 1GH. Now I'm not sure how much it will raise the calcium level, which is what chopper wants to do. With his GH at 6 already he won't be able to raise the GH at all. It's going to be tricky to raise the calcium while keeping the GH at 6. Maybe jayc can clarify how much this will raise the calcium level in ppm. :confused:

[jayc]

oh double crap.

I recommended moving 1GH or 1 dGh or 17ppm because for some reason I read (imagined) chopper had 15ppm calcium. But upon re-reading his calcium reading it's 25ppm.

So indeed, if you are only moving from 25 to 30ppm (not 15 to 30 that I initially thought), then you only need approx 3.5gm CaSO4 as blinderfisherman calculated.

Sorry Chopper.

[chopper]

No worries, no harm done, I'm doing it really slowly like you said, ill just stop the drip a bit earlier, thanks jayc:D And thanks to all you guys for your help:encouragement:

This is why SKF is the BEST!

[Squiggle]

Phew! Well picked up BF! :encouragement:

[blindfisherman]

All good! Chemistry isn't my best subject so I wasn't sure if I was missing some intermediate calculation.