Changing salts

[james734]

That's good news.. I told you those AP test kits and result where crap. They just not any good. I would have to bet most use Salifert, I'm sure there's other good test kits out there but at least 8 out of 10 will recommend Salifert. Sounds like things are all in check. I'm pretty sure your ALK is okay.

Throw out those AP test kits. Good thing is now you know. Test results are only as good as the test kits.

 

[burning2nd]

Salifert hands down...

why are you buffering?
your RO

 

[NaH2O]

trillyen - that's good news on your calcium. Make sure you test your newly made saltwater before your next water change to see what your mix tests like....have I said that before? lolol

I wasn't going to let you buy those corals until you knew what your parameters were. No sense in wasting money if your tank was out of whack. Keep testing, though. Just because you don't have a high calcium demand, its good to test at least once a month when you're tanks are new. You'll get a better handle on what your tank is doing chemically. If you come to the reef club meeting this weekend, and let me know ahead of time, I can bring my alk and mag test kit, so we can figure out what your parameters are.

Your pH being lower overnight is standard for tanks that aren't dripping kalkwasser overnight or running macroaglae refugiums on a reverse light photoperiod.

BTW - I'm going to tell everyone at Premium not to sell you an anemone until your tank is much much older. (closer to a year)....and you've read through all the homework I will give you on their care. Let me know when you're ready to learn about them. As you can tell, the more research and learning you do about something before you buy it, the more money you save rather than waste when they don't survive or cause other problems.

 

[trillyen]

That's good news.. I told you those AP test kits and result where crap. They just not any good. I would have to bet most use Salifert, I'm sure there's other good test kits out there but at least 8 out of 10 will recommend Salifert. Sounds like things are all in check. I'm pretty sure your ALK is okay.

Throw out those AP test kits. Good thing is now you know. Test results are only as good as the test kits.

thanks for all the advice and help, and for caring, but as far as throwing away my api tests i think im gonna instead test where i can kind of adjust them to what they do test for and tune them to my accurate salifert test to save the expensive stuff and just use up the rest of what i have for the cheap stuff.

thank you though i just cant see throwing away all my tests because of inaccuracy, when i could just tune them to the accurate one.

i dont usually throw away anything i have any way i even kept my EMPTY kent marine Liquid cal bottles, just to know that i had them.

i swear everything about this hobby amazes me, i may need a shrink!!!

You guys should have a on the site head doctor, for people like me

I really am addicted James

thank you!!!

 

[trillyen]

Salifert hands down...

why are you buffering?
your RO

because i think that the ro/di water has a like 7.0 ph dosent it??

and i figured that might be the reason why my ph was so high.

but come to find out nothing was wrong with it!!!

Seems like when i added 3 teaspoons of that super ph and alk buffer my sps got kind sensitive to it and had a reaction, but it still is polyping up, but it just dont look like it did

my ph is perfect though, so says the salifert

 

[james734]

No problem, just glad you got this problem figured out.. now on to the next.

 

[trillyen]

trillyen - that's good news on your calcium. Make sure you test your newly made saltwater before your next water change to see what your mix tests like....have I said that before? lolol

I wasn't going to let you buy those corals until you knew what your parameters were. No sense in wasting money if your tank was out of whack. Keep testing, though. Just because you don't have a high calcium demand, its good to test at least once a month when you're tanks are new. You'll get a better handle on what your tank is doing chemically. If you come to the reef club meeting this weekend, and let me know ahead of time, I can bring my alk and mag test kit, so we can figure out what your parameters are.

Your pH being lower overnight is standard for tanks that aren't dripping kalkwasser overnight or running macroaglae refugiums on a reverse light photoperiod.

BTW - I'm going to tell everyone at Premium not to sell you an anemone until your tank is much much older. (closer to a year)....and you've read through all the homework I will give you on their care. Let me know when you're ready to learn about them. As you can tell, the more research and learning you do about something before you buy it, the more money you save rather than waste when they don't survive or cause other problems.

Ok well you best be giving me my home work on the anemone soon cause i plan on getting one asap. I want a bubble tiped rose, or just anything my false percs are more than likely gonna host

Hey i do run a reverse photoperiod on my tank when the lights are on over my tank there off on my refuge with the macro algae, and vice versa

I really wanna buy that HUGE anemone you guys got all over in the corner i forget what it was called but its pretty much the biggest thing you got in the whole coral section, for only like 50 bucks!!!It was in there on the side where those 30 dollar sps bigger frags were.

That may have been to big for my 75 gallon though.

so since i run a reverse photoperiod mt ph, and everything should stay in balance correct, i shouldnt have to drip kalk, cause i dont under stand the whole kalk thing now

at first it seems like i remember people telling me that kalk was a two part additive that buffers cal and alk, but i was recently told that kalk just buffers cal, so now im like just probably gonna go with 2 seperate additives when my reef tank starts getting demanding on chemicals

thanks

 

[DonW]

at first it seems like i remember people telling me that kalk was a two part additive that buffers cal and alk, but i was recently told that kalk just buffers cal, so now im like just probably gonna go with 2 seperate additives when my reef tank starts getting demanding on chemicals

thanks

You were misinformed it maintains ca and alk in one balanced product. More homework, http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

Don

 

[trillyen]

Always good to have home work!!!

dont have time tonight though but ill read it over on tue when i have time, so dont think itll go over looked

thanks DonW!!!

 

[NaH2O]

trillyen - *lookout! the mom in me is coming out* - you really need to start practicing some more patience. Some of the critters we keep in our care require alot of patience and understanding. Anemones are in the category, IMO, of needing hobbyists that fully understand their needs....and are able to meet those needs. I really don't think you are ready for an anemone asap. You need to learn more and allow your tank to mature. Get a handle on the livestock you have in your care now....get a handle on the chemistry of your tank. That big carpet anemone you were looking at comes with some risks to other inhabitants in the tank. Don't get in a hurry to stock your tank. Your tank is only 3 months old (probably going on 4 months), and you are in the stocking frezy mode. Slow down, take your time to research and learn. You might end up buying something that destroys your tank because it was pretty and low cost. FYI, if you ever see a Sea Apple....don't buy it. Now....I'll let you research what a Sea Apple is . Also, don't think I'm only hard on you.....you can ask some of the members of the reef club if I'm hard on them, too lolol. Make a plan for your tank, what you want to have, and how it will fall into a timeline. The beautiful tanks you see pictures of didn't happen within a few months time.

*Me...climbing down off the soap box*

 

[trillyen]

trillyen - *lookout! the mom in me is coming out* - you really need to start practicing some more patience. Some of the critters we keep in our care require alot of patience and understanding. Anemones are in the category, IMO, of needing hobbyists that fully understand their needs....and are able to meet those needs. I really don't think you are ready for an anemone asap. You need to learn more and allow your tank to mature. Get a handle on the livestock you have in your care now....get a handle on the chemistry of your tank. That big carpet anemone you were looking at comes with some risks to other inhabitants in the tank. Don't get in a hurry to stock your tank. Your tank is only 3 months old (probably going on 4 months), and you are in the stocking frezy mode. Slow down, take your time to research and learn. You might end up buying something that destroys your tank because it was pretty and low cost. FYI, if you ever see a Sea Apple....don't buy it. Now....I'll let you research what a Sea Apple is . Also, don't think I'm only hard on you.....you can ask some of the members of the reef club if I'm hard on them, too lolol. Make a plan for your tank, what you want to have, and how it will fall into a timeline. The beautiful tanks you see pictures of didn't happen within a few months time.

*Me...climbing down off the soap box*

ok, ok i feel ya mommy!!, ill slow my row, its just so hard to knowing that im starting to see alot of coraline algae, and stuff so im thinking that the tank is slowly but surely maturing

ill read up on a sea apple it should be in my invert book!!!

I know its not just me everyone that starts this hobbvy should get the same treatment if they are anything like me, cause im outta control

thanks alot Nah20

I hope i can make it to the sale this weekend!!!!

 

[HarleyDude]

Please be careful when using Super Buffer. It can, and will, get you in a corner. When you are adding to jack up the pH in the tank, it is also having an affect on Alk, among others. If you get your Alk too high, you will then start affecting your Calcium in a negative way (which is what I am wondering may have already happened). I would recommend adding the Super Buffer to your straight RO water for Evap only to bring that stripped water of some necessary parameters -- also test this as you make have to add a couple doses in order to bring the pH up to what your tank is. If you are adding Supper Buffer directly to the tank or your make up (salted water for changes) please make sure you know what all your parameters are.

 

[trillyen]

http://aquatic-hobby.com/index.php?showtopic=3786&view=getnewpost

Just wanted to see if this was how to post a link i hope it works

if it does this is a link to a diary on my tanks that ive been keeping

Thanks harley dude!!!

I do plan on buffing my ro water nad my new salt mix water

depnding on what my cal is i know, but would it be ok to buff my new salt water mix with my turbo cal if its low, and the super ph and alk buffer at the same time????

Thanks Again!!!

 

[HarleyDude]

Typically salt has all of the parameters pretty close to where they should be. Having said that, if buffering and adding salt brings everything where it should be, then ok. Now, if the Ca is low in your make up water, than you can add Turbo Calcium to bring that in line, just be conscious of how it affects other parameters.

Your Alk is at 196ppm which is high end of the spectrum for what you want it and that is most likely from buffing. Just keep an eye on that.

Here is what I would recommend:
- Buffer your evap RO water to bring it close to the same pH as your tank without getting the Alk too high
- Add salt to a fresh bucket of RO water and put an aerator in it (air stone, power head with air attachment - something) for 24+ hours. Then test all your parameters. Your pH should rise after the 24+ hours of aeration and if it is a decent salt your other paramaters should be in line. If you Ca is low, add some Turbo Calcium.

Remember, less can be better.

 

[trillyen]

Harley DUDE!

Thanks ill do just that man Great info, thanks for the detailed analyis

My sps is kinda acting funny, and not all the lil polyp things are wanting to come out.

i believe all my params are in check for now so im wondering what may be the problem

there is a small pest anemone by the sps, but its not touching it at all

and there is green stuff like green hair alage by the base of the sps but it kinda touches the top paret of the sps also and the top polyps dont seem to mind and they all come out and play

just yesterday i feed live baby brine shrimp, and all the polyps seemed to come out, but they seem not to stay out all day like they did when i first got the sps frag!!!

it really didnt start acting wierd till i started buffing with the super ph buffer

i just added 3 teaspoons mixed into some ro water

Would this effect a small sps frag???

it seems to be growing, the dang polyps dont wanna come out right above the base!!!!

ive also moved it, and it has fell in my tank a few times but its stable now, its about mid way up in my tank with no shade, and lighted by a 250 watt 12k se mh, and when i bought it it was lighted by a 14 k de hqi 250 watt system!!

thanks!!!

 

[janet58]

trillyen-
don't let your chemistry get out of control. if you try to add too much calcium you'll have a super saturation and your pumps and heaters will start seizing up. what is your alk/dkh level? I got a good website from rf- http://reef.diesyst.com it will help educate you in balancing your chemistry. Remember, reefing is a learning process...don't get frustrated

 

[MAGDRL Mom]

Reef Crystals is Instant Ocean with more calcium. We have had good luck with it.

 

[trillyen]

Thanks im really not getting that frustrated.

I do have 1 concern though

i am starting to get those lil white pest things in my refuge

the body is all white with a feather duster like head, but trust me its no feather duster cause i know what those look like and there is qwite a few of them

i believe they got there from me letting alot of uneaten food get into my sump/refuge but ive solved that problem now, id just like those things to go away.

Sorry i cant get a pic, and from what youve seen of my pics you guys already know my cam is cheap and couldnt get a good close up of the Statue Of Liberty

I think there some kind of excess nutrient pest anemone, not the red anemone kind, but the white kind!!!yawll know what im talking about!!!!

I dont think i have a excess calcium problem, but thanks for the links thoough im sure theyll comew into handy, all the ones ive gotten so far have

im just gonna follow everyones advice so far.

My plan for now is to test my next batch of salt water, and add more of the right elements accordingly.

It would help if some one had a link on ro/di water, and what the usual params are at 1,2,3 etc... ppm on ph and any other elements ro/di water have in it

Cause as harley dude said i should buff my ro/di water, but if its ph is say 8.2 already what is the since of me buffing it????

Hope its not a stupid question

thanks again for the help!!!

 

[trillyen]

Reef Crystals is Instant Ocean with more calcium. We have had good luck with it.

i may have to look into that then, but it depends on the price difference.
Im thinking of just sticking with my good old IO.

Im from the old school i guess!!!

Plus i ended upo finding out the salt wasnt the problem it was the cheap old, API test kits

even though there calcium test kits aint worth a Nickel, there ammonia nitrates, and trites kit tests are ok but there ph tests are inaccurate also, and im guessing that the amm, trates and trites tests are only accurate because messing up those tests, would be like wolf gang puck burning up scrambled eggs!!!

 

[james734]

It would help if some one had a link on ro/di water, and what the usual params are at 1,2,3 etc... ppm on ph and any other elements ro/di water have in it

This going to be kind of hard since everyones water will be a little different. I think in general though you could assume the PH is going to be around 7.0. But the best thing to do would be test your RO/DI water and find out then buffer accordingly.