07-09-2009, 04:28 PM
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{shaking head side to side, puzzled, confused, and bewildered}
Ok, lets talk calcium first. Your calcium increased as a result of the water change. The pH buffer added additional carbonates, bicarbonates, and borate salts that help maintain alkalinity. Calcium is also useful in maintaining the alkalintiy. An alkalinity reading of 12 DKH is not a bad thing, and adding calcium will normally help to maintain this level, provided you do not have problems with phosphate or magnesium.
For now, the important thing to know is this... continue testing alkalintiy and calcium. Add the buffer as necessary to maintain alkalinity. Add a calcium supplement to maintain calcium, such as Calcium Chloride, commonly sold as Kent Marine Liquid Calcium. In the rare event that calcium is high and alkalniity is low, you need a water change to balance the buffering ions, such as magnesium and borate. More often than not, the normal water changes you do will prevent this from occuring.
On the subject of Prime, I have used Prime on many aquariums and have never found it to interfeer with the cycle. I think it is more likely that your buffer caused a temprary pH spike, killing off some bacteria and causing an ammonia spike. Why would you add a buffer when alkalintiy is already at the maximum desired level??? (Just curious) The take away from this is simple.... never add anything to your tank unless you have a reason to be adding it. Alkalinity and calcium are simple to maintain, but testing is a necessity and understanding the test results even more important.
Give it a few days and everything will settle down. No big deal. Glad it happened now, rather than later.-)
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