120g sps/lps build

[Darthv247]

dosing schedule

ok, so I'm using a timer with 8 on off triggers with 1 min or more intervals to dose the kalk in with the top-off water. To try and keep the PH as stable as possible my plan was to run 2 mins on the 3 night time triggers and 1 min on the 5 daytime triggers. something like.

Time. Mins.

7am 2min
10am 1 min
1pm 1 min
4pm 1 min
7pm 1 min
10pm 1 min
1am 2 min
4am 2 min

or should i run it more evenly spaced like

7am 2 min
10am 1 min
1pm 1 min
4pm 2 min
7pm 1 min
10pm 1 min
1 am 2 min
4 am 1 min

 

[mojoreef]

How are you monitoring you PH??

Mojo

 

[Darthv247]

pinpoint ph monitor

 

[mojoreef]

What would be best would be to have a controller that way you cold just shut it down if it went to high. Whats your evaporation like per day.

Mike

 

[Darthv247]

seems about 1-2 gal per day. yah i guess a controller would be nice. blown all my setup budget alrdy! was thinking of getting an apex. heard u can have it switch modes on your vortechs. would be cool to run nutrient transport mode part of the day and tidal swell mode other parts.

 

[mojoreef]

If it were me I would just run the kalk as top off, but I would start one morning and watch it so you can see how it effects. The best way is to have a ph controler or and apex like you mentioned, but .... even if you put it on a timer you really cant control it anyway, if you had to do that I would run it only at night and then full out

 

[Darthv247]

only at night so less chance of overdosing ? was thinking that yah. or at least having the larger doses during lights out. so far i havent seen the ph over 8.4 and that may have been a false reading because the battery was almost out and i re-calibrated after but its been consistently between 7.9 and 8.2 the last few days. gonna test parameters now. (crosses fingers)

 

[mojoreef]

Yea I was thinking your going to get less evaporation at night and that would help hold the night time low in ph, but a swing of 7.9 to 8.2 isnt that bad. You want to watch the swings, not so much the high or the low, its change that can hurt.


Mojo

 

[Darthv247]

alright man thanks for the tips. will see how it goes, it probably will stay around 8.0 - 8.1 night/day if i only dose at night

 

[Darthv247]

parameters 10/27/11 11:00am

nitrite 0
phosphate 0.16
ammonia 0
dkh 10.5
calcium 500
mag 1320
PH 8.15
SG 1.025

no nitrate kit atm. gonna pick one up. calcium is too high and mag was too low. dosed it up from 1290 to 1320. whats the best plan for getting the calc in range ?

 

[mojoreef]

Well with your dkh as high as it is its inline, basically you stop dosing and let it get used until your back on program.


Mojo

 

[Darthv247]

kind of what i figured thanks. just had to make sure i wasnt missing something appreciate all the help.

 

[Darthv247]

MP10es W added

well since i had this old version mp10 laying around from a previous nano tank i figured i should get the new driver for it and add it to the tank now all 3 are synced through the eco smart modes. already notice a good flow difference.





barely see the mp10 by darthv247, on Flickr

mp10 added by darthv247, on Flickr

ecosmart mode by darthv247, on Flickr

 

[Krish]

Very nice Darth! The tank looks great!

 

[Darthv247]

thanks a lot krish. I really like this live rock.

 

[Darthv247]

added another reactor for carbon etc.

Well ive been noticing a little bit more algae on the glass and rocks lately so i added more bio-pellets to the reactor and replaced my magnavore reactor with another phosban 550. Tied the two reactors together with a mag 7 directing most of the flow to the bio-pellets. Wanted to make them independently removable so added a union valve on each line and one at the pump.

Parameters.

PH 8.10
SG 1.025
calc 475
mag 1320
alk 8.45dkh

guess ill keep testing and letting things mature for another month or so before adding any corals. will keep letting the coraline grow without competition.





additional reactor added by http://www.flickr.com/people/68520697@N06/, on Flickr

added more bio-pellets by http://www.flickr.com/people/68520697@N06/, on Flickr

 

[10gnano]

nice setup. can't wait to see some corals

 

[Darthv247]

thanks nano. i cant wait either but i really want to be careful as this is my first SPS tank and im still a noob

 

[Darthv247]

parameters 11/9/11

well i got the calcium in line i think and everything else is within range. see how it goes from here i guess

parameters:

mag 1300
calc 437
alk 8.25dkh
ph 8.10
sg 1.025

 

[mojoreef]

Congrates Darth!! now we need to work on reducing all those canisters and inject some husbandry to replace their load,

mike