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Joe's Really Slow Progressing Build
- Thread starter horseplay
- Start date
It has been a while and I have been doing some testing. The tank has stablized and the few corals in there are doing ok at least. The red cap has encrusted.
Tank:
Alk: 7.3 - 7.6
Cal: 400 - 420
Mg: 1000 - 1060
Fresh mixed water:
Alk: 12
Cal: 500+
Mg: 1600+
I continue to get numbers from the fresh mixed water that are way off. Keep in mind there is very limited stock in the tank. So the parameters should be fairly close. A few frags and a pair of juvi clownfish. So I kind of give up on testing the fresh mixed water. I kind of trust the test for the tank water after Edwin tested the alk for me. If anyone can explain the discrepencies, please do.
I decided to start dose Alk and Ca to get to 8 Alk and 450 Ca. I will do this very slowly to get the DT to the target in about 10 days. Then I will dose enough for the water change. Once I start doing this consistently and with the limited consumption from the tank I hope it will stablize to the target range.
I like to dose Mg too, but looks like the ESV Mg solution I bought is very diluted (1.5ml/gal for 15ppm = 150ml/100gal for 15ppm = 1.5 liter/100gal for 150ppm) I need to start ordering powder from BRS.
Does my dosing plan make sense?
Tank:
Alk: 7.3 - 7.6
Cal: 400 - 420
Mg: 1000 - 1060
Fresh mixed water:
Alk: 12
Cal: 500+
Mg: 1600+
I continue to get numbers from the fresh mixed water that are way off. Keep in mind there is very limited stock in the tank. So the parameters should be fairly close. A few frags and a pair of juvi clownfish. So I kind of give up on testing the fresh mixed water. I kind of trust the test for the tank water after Edwin tested the alk for me. If anyone can explain the discrepencies, please do.
I decided to start dose Alk and Ca to get to 8 Alk and 450 Ca. I will do this very slowly to get the DT to the target in about 10 days. Then I will dose enough for the water change. Once I start doing this consistently and with the limited consumption from the tank I hope it will stablize to the target range.
I like to dose Mg too, but looks like the ESV Mg solution I bought is very diluted (1.5ml/gal for 15ppm = 150ml/100gal for 15ppm = 1.5 liter/100gal for 150ppm) I need to start ordering powder from BRS.
Does my dosing plan make sense?
The goal with dosing is to keep your levels steady. It would actually be better for your tank as a whole to dose smaller amounts daily then to do it during a water change. Your corals might not have much of a demand now, but they will grow and you will add so they will eventually. It is good habit to start early and get used to it. Dosing pumps are cheap now and can be setup very easily.
I mean if the actual cal level is the same will the MEASUREMENT the same with different alk levels.
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[FONT="] The uptake of Ca and Alk, by “stony” type coral, coralline algae, etc. in a reef system is 20 ppm Ca to 50 ppm(2.8dKH) Alk(CaCO3), which is a ratio of 2 pts Ca to 5 pts Alk (2:5). Equal doses of any two part supplements are designed to provide the same ratio's.
Saturated kalkwasser also contains this same ratio, @ ~ 800 ppm Ca(2pts.) to 2,000 ppm CaCO3(5pts.). It also has the added benefit of utilizing some of the CO2 in your system, which may help keep your pH in line. Even though I'm using a two part recipe, I also still use the kalk in my dosing regimen. The problem with kalk is that it’s limited in its ability to keep up with a high demand due to the fact that you’re limited to how much you can add to RO/DI water(2tsp.), and your evaporation rate. You can boost that to 3 tsp. with the addition of vinegar, but that also adds a carbon source, and potentially other issues.
If you're using a "reef" grade of salt mix, i.e. Reef Crystals, I'd make sure the salinity is right, by measuring it using a calibrated (@35ppt) refractometer, or metering device. This will ensure you are adding enough Ca, Alk and Mg when you do your WC's. With normal WC's mixed to a salinity of 1.026, I've never had to add Mg, using this type of salt mix.[/FONT]
Here are a couple of articles worth a read:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php
Saturated kalkwasser also contains this same ratio, @ ~ 800 ppm Ca(2pts.) to 2,000 ppm CaCO3(5pts.). It also has the added benefit of utilizing some of the CO2 in your system, which may help keep your pH in line. Even though I'm using a two part recipe, I also still use the kalk in my dosing regimen. The problem with kalk is that it’s limited in its ability to keep up with a high demand due to the fact that you’re limited to how much you can add to RO/DI water(2tsp.), and your evaporation rate. You can boost that to 3 tsp. with the addition of vinegar, but that also adds a carbon source, and potentially other issues.
If you're using a "reef" grade of salt mix, i.e. Reef Crystals, I'd make sure the salinity is right, by measuring it using a calibrated (@35ppt) refractometer, or metering device. This will ensure you are adding enough Ca, Alk and Mg when you do your WC's. With normal WC's mixed to a salinity of 1.026, I've never had to add Mg, using this type of salt mix.[/FONT]
Here are a couple of articles worth a read:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php
Good stuff Jim. Just to clarify, with two-part, the calcium portion is calcium chloride while the alkalinity part is either sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate. When put into solution, these compounds dissociate into individual ions and reform into calcium carbonate and sodium chloride. The calcium carbonate is the skeletal compound of all SPS and LPS corals.
Na[SUB]2[/SUB]CO[SUB]3[/SUB] + CaCl[SUB]2[/SUB] = CaCO[SUB]3[/SUB] + (2)NaCl
Na[SUB]2[/SUB]CO[SUB]3[/SUB] + CaCl[SUB]2[/SUB] = CaCO[SUB]3[/SUB] + (2)NaCl
Love the scape. Nice and open. Can't wait to see this fill up with coral. Look to get a doser if your going the 2 part route. You won't regret spending the cash. Stability is the key.
Update. I redid the rock work this weekend as I realize the space behind the rock is useless. Being only 18" front to back if the rocks is in the middle there won't be a lot of room in front of the rocks. So I moved all the rocks back. Some touching the wall. This will give me a lot of rock to put SPS corals on.
The picture color is very blue but the actual color is daylight. Need to play with the camera.
Hopefully one day the red plant will fill the gap between the two piles. And a jungle will grow on top of the rocks.
I added this guy two weeks ago. Love him/her. Keeps everything clean. Still only eating frozen food though.
I need to start dosing now. My water parameters has stablized at about 400ppm Ca, 7.5 dkh and 1000ppm Mg. It seems the tank is using 1dkh of alk/week. Not a lot but still it will significant. So bringing Mg to 1300ppm will take a LOT of dosing maybe it's time to think about switching to a different salt.
The picture color is very blue but the actual color is daylight. Need to play with the camera.
Hopefully one day the red plant will fill the gap between the two piles. And a jungle will grow on top of the rocks.
I added this guy two weeks ago. Love him/her. Keeps everything clean. Still only eating frozen food though.
I need to start dosing now. My water parameters has stablized at about 400ppm Ca, 7.5 dkh and 1000ppm Mg. It seems the tank is using 1dkh of alk/week. Not a lot but still it will significant. So bringing Mg to 1300ppm will take a LOT of dosing maybe it's time to think about switching to a different salt.