Calcium, Mag, Alk

I am having an issue with keeping my alk and calc. to levels where I want them to be. My current levels are as follows in a 55 gal Reef tank.
Sg 1.025
temp 78
ph 8.1
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 10
phos .25

I just got a mag test kit salifert last night and tested mag for the first time I got 1380
My calc is always at about 340-380
alk usually from 7-9 dkh

The corals I house are xenia, GSP, Mushrooms, trumpet, candy cane, frogspawn, bubble corals

When I dose I use Kent two part CB part A and B but I only dose for a few days. I also will sometimes use MArine buffer if ph goes lower than 8.1

oh I forgot I have some Zoas as well. All of the the corals seem to be doing well, good expansion during the day zoas are multiplying etc. I just wold like to keep my levels more steady and a little higher than where they are.

Any suggestions? or am I worrying needlessly? I thought maybe it was because of low mag but after testing last night that kind of blew that theory out of the water.

thanks

 

What salt do you use? You want to dose to keep levels stable. If you want to raise your levels, you'll have to dose more to get levels higher. However, if your salt is low in these elements, you'll defeat the dosing purpose when you do water changes (unless you dose your new WC water before doing your water change).

 

I would bump the cal up a bit to about 420, you want mag to be about 3 times cal, if you need to adjust them all mag first then cal, with alk last.

What are you using for salt? And how often do you do a water change? Nothing on your results are terribly low, but from your coral list I would think you would be okay with water changes (dosing not needed). Maybe your salt mix is lacking.

 

Check your test kits, I thought I was having the same issue with Ca but it was my test kit. I checked with the LFS and bought a different test kit and confirmed my API test kit was off, not my tank. I have the same corals as you and all looked great and my parms were perfect so I was perplexed as well.

 

I am using IO Reef Crystals for my water changes which I change out 5 gal every other weekend.

 

How big is your tank?

Sorry just seen it, 55g....

 

zoo it could be test kit, there was one time I went to have my water tested at LFS and they came up with 420 calc, 10 alk which totally threw me off, in fact I even asked the guy are you sure? lol anyway I just thought maybe he did something wrong, I use API for both alk and calc, so I guess it could be that. If my mag is 1380 then can you assume your calc is a third of that?

 

That's less than 10% every two weeks, if it were me I would double the amount or halve the time (I prefer the later). I think if you increase your water changes you may be able to do away with dosing.

 

I am assuming your test kits are off (API often are). Using IO Reef Crystals, I never had an Alk below 11 for new changes. I had to change salts so I could carbon dose safely. I would suggest picking up some Salifert kits for Cal and Alk, or better yet, a Hanna Alk Checker (very accurate).

 

Are you thinking 5 gal water change every week?