Help with the World of Reef chemistry

[reeftank1]

Hi Boomer,

Here are the latest results. I was out of town and so the tank duties were taken over by my neighbor. He is not to familiar but I walked him through the tasks. He had problems - of course!!!! Something made the skimmer go into overflow mode. I have never had this before....Well it is cleaned up and he told me that 6 -2 liters bottles of ro/di water made it in but the pumps were just about ready to suck air.....I will try to trend into more automation I guess.

The results: 8/28 and 8/29 (After the addition of 4 liters kalk @ 1 tsp/liter)

Sal. border between 34.5 and 35 (Dip types) and 1.025 with float
PH 8.06 yesterday made it to 8.26 today (with consistent dosing)
PO4 - Salifert (new kit) less than .003 - I can not see a color shade
Mg - 1290 1260 today (seems like a bit much of a drop)
Ca - 360 or slightly lower and today 25 drops = 375

I have ran a 2 liters w/ 2 tsps. yesterday and am slowly getting the water lever back up. (Done - water level is normal)
According to the calculator i am slightly higher and west of the NSW level. How does this look to you? Will there be a day that I would not dose and only have the reactor replace the Ca/Alk. I know the PH is still down but I think that now that I am back the kalk should eventually hold this up. Am I thinking right?

I am guessing but do I need to increase the CaCl somehow without the increase in Alk?

thanks,
Brian

 

[Boomer]

The east-west high low is just a guide on the calculator. You are within in the target area, edges on Ca++

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

Yes, it would be fine to bump it up with Calcium choride, like Kent Turbo. It will not effect the Alk or pH. Do two bumps 20 ppm each. Then hopfully it will be stable.

Will there be a day that I would not dose and only have the reactor replace the Ca/Alk

That would be nice but right now it does not look like it.You may want to think Kalk reactor, with the calicum reactor

 

[reeftank1]

Boomer,

Is my calcium reactor not able to produce enough to keep up with the usage on the tank? I can increase the bubble count and drip rate if it would help.

I made the first of the two CaCl increases and for todays results:

PH held higher last night. It only fell to 7.98 this morning and that was with 2 liters of kalk in the morning. I have been adding about 6 liters each 2 days now. It rose up to 8.16 for most of the afternoon.

Mg now sits at 1290
Ca with 25 drops 375 (after the first bump from yesterday)
dKH 10.2

20 gallons early today.

 

[reeftank1]

One other thing, the hair seems to be coming back but I can't seem to find what could be feeding it. I have chaeto (spelling) in the sump and a 24 hour light to help grow it. The only additives are the hikara mysis and they are rinsed after thawing with ro/di. My ro/di TDS shows 001. Can the ro/di membrane fail and still get a good reading?

Another thought is when the skimmer decide to go on the blink it may have pumped some of the green tea crap back through the return. I have done a complete cleaning and it is still pulling lots of green yuck out. I will try another PO4 test and nitrates but they came back clean last check.

thanks,
Brian

 

[Boomer]

Is my calcium reactor not able to produce enough to keep up with the usage on the tank? I can increase the bubble count and drip rate if it would help

You could try that but get ready for the pH to drop.

Another thought is when the skimmer decide to go on the blink it may have pumped some of the green tea crap back through the return. I have done a complete cleaning and it is still pulling lots of green yuck out. I will try another PO4 test and nitrates but they came back clean last check.

That Brian, maybe the answer to your hair algae

Can the ro/di membrane fail and still get a good reading?

Hard to do, unless it is both the RO/DI and meter that failed.

 

[reeftank1]

Update 9/4/2006

I think I am on track. The Ca bumps have been done and all seems stable per the test kits.

PH (morning) 7.9 and rises to (night) 8.26 after the 3 liters of kalk each
morning.
Eff 6.7 - rose after increased the output and have now increased the CO2 slightly. It is coming back down very slowly. I turned down the eff. drip so this should help now too.
Ca 420 - I have switched to Seachem - ran out of the other.
dKH 10.2
Mg 1245 - this is still bothering me. How can this be sneaking down? Mg usage rate ?????
PO4 none
NO3 none

According to the calculator I am precisely above the NSW and if I don't mess with things the trend should be down to the zone 2.

I still have the phosgard and carbon. I have heard so many recommendations on carbon but for my specific tank - how long until I change it out because of leaching. Currently, it have 1 week fresh carbon.
Thanks as always.
Brian

Algae seems to be arrested again but is still there on the rocks. I have been trying to pull it off but it is rooted pretty well.

 

[Boomer]

Look good

Yes Mg++ is used but try bumping it up again. If you have any new substrate it will usaully drop it some. No, dont' mess with things just bump up the Mg++

Carbon, get some SeaChem Matrix, Marineland Black diamond or TLF Hydro. Rinse any of them before you put in tank. Pull out and clean, rise well once a week and replace ounce / m or replace 1 / week, your choice. Rinsing well means carbon is in a mesh bag and tumble and crush with your fingers as you rinse it. This will clean it better and expose new surface areas so it lasts longer.

Phosguard

You are better off getting rid of this stuff and using a GFO like Warine Marine PHOSar

 

[reeftank1]

Made the bump on MG++

I have a BB but could the carbon drive down the Mg++ in any way by acting like a substrate?

Rinsed carbon.

Ph is consistant 7.89 - 8.2 after the kalk.
no other tests but I confirm the Mg++ affect tomorrow.

 

[Boomer]

No the carbon can not drive down the Mg++

 

[reeftank1]

Made the change to GFO and new carbon. Here is the latest.

Ph - 7.9 - 8.2+ Depending on the kalk timing
Ca 415
dKH 9 3.20 meq/l
Mg 1260 (After 85 gm of Seachem)

I will go up again on Mg today.

 

[reeftank1]

Latest,

Dosing 4 liters/day and still will need to increase it to maybe 5.
Rate is 2 tsps/2 liters.
PH 7.88(morning) and to 8.14(end of lights)
CA 400
dKH 8.8 or 3.14meq/l
MG 1340 after the bumps
NO2 .025
NO3 can't seem to detect
PO4 none
CA effluent - 6.65

As per your request GFO has been in now for about 5 days and newest carbon. The Phosguard is gone. Algae is still hanging around but not growing. Things look pretty stable but it seems that I may need to increase the kalk. Would it be unrealistic to use 2.5 tsps/2 liters? Is there a max that I should add or does it make sense that I may have to bump the CA++ or Alk in a week or two?

 

[Boomer]

Would it be unrealistic to use 2.5 tsps/2 liters?

Yes that should be fine. Do that and only that. Things are looking good.

 

[reeftank1]

I will do as the Dr. ordered!!! I will be back from Kauai on 23rd but have a good person looking on for me. thanks.

 

[reeftank1]

update

Dosing 4 liters/day @ 2 tsps/2 liters.
Rate is 2 tsps/2 liters.
PH 8.02(morning) and to 8.16(end of lights)
CA 410
dKH 8.15 or 2.91meq/l
MG 1320 after the bumps
NO2 .025 - can't really detect - worst case color interpolation
NO3 2ppm or less - can't seem to detect
PO4 none
CA effluent - 6.62

Last water change has been on August 30. ALGAE is starting to come in on over half the rocks. The carbon has been rinsed. Still have the Rowaphos = 100ml (small container in the mesh) located at input to sump.

I have cleaned the overflow box and changed the filter "moss" on both parts of the sump.

I have only been feeding 2 drops of frozen mysis / and 1-2 drops of prime reef / daily.

I tried to link up a Refugium but getting flow to/from is a big problem. Lack of overflow box. I do have chaeto going in the sump but it is gwowing very slow for some reason - maybe to much flow.

 

[Boomer]

You look pretty good up the kalk to 2 1/2 teaspoons / 1 l

. I do have chaeto going in the sump but it is gwowing very slow for some reason - maybe to much flow.

What kind of light are you using ?

 

[reeftank1]

The light in the sump is probably in need of replacement. It is 8 months old and a jbj 18w 65k. the main tank has PFO 250w/ushio 10k's @ 6 months.

 

[Boomer]

How much settling are you getting in you kalk water mix ? I just realized we are over saturation by a long shot. Limewater saturation is 2 tsps / gal and not / liter You are dosing 4 liters, around 1 gal, so you should not add anymore than 2 tsp to that 1 gal of water and not 4 tsp. Sorry for wasting Kalk

 

[reeftank1]

No problem, Lots of settling. I would say about 1/4" in each 2 liter bottle. I will cut back. I am going to test tonight to see how we are doing. I have a big upgrade coming down to a 300 gal. I am sure I will need your help. I got a new 18w 65k on the sump.

 

[Boomer]

OK see yah later