NWDiver
Swimming with the fishes
I have pretty white stalagmites growing in my overflow.
It is of course where I drip my alk. If I remember correctly from my reading here, it is from a localized increase in pH causing Calcium carbonate to precipitate.
My Parameters
pH 24 hours 8.34max 8.24min
Ca 370
Kh 7dkh
Mg 1300
Elos test kits, currently testing every other day.
Total water volume ~140 Gal.
I started adding Bulk reef supply 2 part plus mag to the system about a month ago as I had low Ca, Mg and kh though my pH has always been near where is is now. I am dosing 100ml at a rate of 1 drop per 20-30 seconds via an IV rig every other day at lights out. This uses the 120ml in ~6 hours.
i noticed the very pretty white deposit in my sump last week for the first time. I thought that given the slow rate I could get away with dripping all three at the same time.
Not so much. So...
I then moved the alk drip to the farside overflow which has faster local water movement thinking that this would help keep the pH from dropping close to the drip line. The drip line is submerged (I will try bringing it out of the water tonight to lower CO2 interaction.
There is a fair bit of calcium carbonate after the 100ml drip, because of the shape it is a bit hard to guess volume... tapering from the tip of the line to about 8 inches below most of the mass is about 1/2" thick and rather frangible to the touch. There is very very little buildup on my heaters and none on the pumps.
Thoughts?
It is of course where I drip my alk. If I remember correctly from my reading here, it is from a localized increase in pH causing Calcium carbonate to precipitate.
My Parameters
pH 24 hours 8.34max 8.24min
Ca 370
Kh 7dkh
Mg 1300
Elos test kits, currently testing every other day.
Total water volume ~140 Gal.
I started adding Bulk reef supply 2 part plus mag to the system about a month ago as I had low Ca, Mg and kh though my pH has always been near where is is now. I am dosing 100ml at a rate of 1 drop per 20-30 seconds via an IV rig every other day at lights out. This uses the 120ml in ~6 hours.
i noticed the very pretty white deposit in my sump last week for the first time. I thought that given the slow rate I could get away with dripping all three at the same time.
Not so much. So...
I then moved the alk drip to the farside overflow which has faster local water movement thinking that this would help keep the pH from dropping close to the drip line. The drip line is submerged (I will try bringing it out of the water tonight to lower CO2 interaction.
There is a fair bit of calcium carbonate after the 100ml drip, because of the shape it is a bit hard to guess volume... tapering from the tip of the line to about 8 inches below most of the mass is about 1/2" thick and rather frangible to the touch. There is very very little buildup on my heaters and none on the pumps.
Thoughts?
