sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
The water does not smell. Short of buying a new Ca test, I can't really "check" it. What piece of equipment are we asking if it is "bad"?
Thanks
Thanks
White Water
- Thread starter sytnom
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Test kit brand?sytnom said:
For most common levels of alkalinity, I don't think that a calcium level of 600ppm is reasonable. You definitely could be seeing calcium precipitation causing the cloudiness.
Nuisance algae outbreaks tend to decrease the pH a bit (IME), and the end of your "brown" stage could have been accompanied by an increase in pH and a decrease in the calcium solubility.
DonW
R.I.P.
sytnom said:
Anything that would send heat or electricity into the water. Unless your using alot of Oceanic or ca additive I'd guess your ca is not that high. Probably going to take a few months to clear up a 100+ gallons with no filtration.
Don
sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
The test kit brand is Hagen. I don't get shocked when I put my hand in, nothing appears to be faulty. The temp stays between 78 and 81.
DonW
R.I.P.
sytnom said:
That will do it. Id suggest a quality test kit.
Don
sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
I thought that a drip test was a "better" test kit. What should I be looking at?
DonW
R.I.P.
sytnom said:
Salifert is probably the best for us hobbiest.
Don
shallowreef
Well-known member
Take it to a fish store that can test your water for free and see what they say.
sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
The only pet store in 70 miles is Petco. I doubt they can test Calcium. Do you think they can?
DonW
R.I.P.
sytnom said:
Most LFS's use the same inaccurate test kits they sell to their customers. Good reef shops use good test but usually charge a small fee. A good set of test kits are invaluable to a reef keeper and will help avoid many mistakes.
Don
liveforphysics
Banned
Two thumbs up for understanding that things find a natural ballence if you dont screw with them.
I would run a simple little test to see if your white water is caused by a Ca precip. Bubble some C02 into the sump, and see if the area around the riseing bubbles imeadiately turns clear. If it does, you very likely have a Ca precip causeing the white color. If you dont have a CO2 source handy, you could dribble some HCL or Carbonic Acid (soda water) in and look around the imeadiate area the dribble lands to see if it imeadiately clears around it. Obviously make sure not to add enough to drop the pH of your tank. If it concerns you, you could try to take out a large enough water sample to see the white color and experiment outside the tank.
Just incase you didn't know, I share your reefkeeping practices, and everything was wonderful right up until I had to move... I think this style of reefkeeping requires a bit more time to get swinging than others, but IMO, well worth the wait
Good Luck!
I would run a simple little test to see if your white water is caused by a Ca precip. Bubble some C02 into the sump, and see if the area around the riseing bubbles imeadiately turns clear. If it does, you very likely have a Ca precip causeing the white color. If you dont have a CO2 source handy, you could dribble some HCL or Carbonic Acid (soda water) in and look around the imeadiate area the dribble lands to see if it imeadiately clears around it. Obviously make sure not to add enough to drop the pH of your tank. If it concerns you, you could try to take out a large enough water sample to see the white color and experiment outside the tank.
Just incase you didn't know, I share your reefkeeping practices, and everything was wonderful right up until I had to move... I think this style of reefkeeping requires a bit more time to get swinging than others, but IMO, well worth the wait
Good Luck!
sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
liveforphysics said:Just incase you didn't know, I share your reefkeeping practices, and everything was wonderful right up until I had to move... I think this style of reefkeeping requires a bit more time to get swinging than others, but IMO, well worth the wait
Yes, it seems to take a little longer up front, but what a marvelous system nature is that it takes care of itself. You can look through history at instances where people have tried to manage nature, and what a mess we people have created! I watched people post here for a long time and I was positive everybody here was a die hard "more chemicals and mechanisms" and less nature type of people. Nice to know there are "others" out there.
I frequent aqualinkwebforum.com and I have a buddy there (Bob) that also shares this same reefkeeping idea. We share a lot of chats about how to do things and try new ideas. Glad to chat with you too!
I have been pumping household air into the sump (not straight CO2) to agitate the surface in 2 slow moving areas. I will look to see if the water clears around the bubbles. Does it have to be straigh CO2?
Thanks, later, Monty
DonW
R.I.P.
sytnom said:
Not less nature type of people, just more expeienced reef keepers. "Natural" macro filtration is one thing but the chemical balance is another. Since there is no way for mother nature to maintain the balance in a glass box we have to intervien with mechanical or chemicals. In order to do this we need fairly accurate methods of testing and dosing. I'm all for the macro filtration but you will need to maintain the chemical balance with either waterchanges or additives. Everything in our system is a consumer but there isnt anything to give back as in nature.
I'd test you water, get it in balance and give it alot more time.
Don
liveforphysics
Banned
Basically yes, it needs to be a higher CO2 concentration than the outside atmosphere to create the effect in a readily visible mannor. Your goal is anything that creates a local pH drop, which will instantly strip the precipitated Ca into a disolved ion.
If I wasn't at work I would work the equation out for you, but I belive that useing a dribble of lemon or orange juice should have a similar effect. It's only a weak acid though, and it would have some sugars and things as byproducts. I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't just be rapidly consumed by bacteria and become food for other things, but I'm not Boomer, and I dont have time to work it out now, so use your own discression.
Likewise, its good to meet another member here who has an appreciation for natural means to maintain natural equilibriums.
If I wasn't at work I would work the equation out for you, but I belive that useing a dribble of lemon or orange juice should have a similar effect. It's only a weak acid though, and it would have some sugars and things as byproducts. I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't just be rapidly consumed by bacteria and become food for other things, but I'm not Boomer, and I dont have time to work it out now, so use your own discression.
Likewise, its good to meet another member here who has an appreciation for natural means to maintain natural equilibriums.
sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
I do add some additives, but not chemical filtration. I will eventually be adding alk & calcium as needed. I also add iodine additives for the invert molting, etc. Those are the only three things I ever added to my other tank, besides top-off water. It was doing great before I sold it. THanks for all of the input and advice. I'll be looking into a better calcium test kit, I have always wondered how the calcium could REALLY be that high.
liveforphysics
Banned
I agree with you Don in reguards to Ca consumption. My crushed coral bed kept shrinking to keep things in equlibrium, and as I grew more and more stone corals, I eventually setup my sugar/yeast DIY calc reactors. As far as actually needing to change the water out though, I dont see the need if the system is designed properly.
*EDIT, I add a few drips of Iodine every week or so. Very important to keep a bit of I in the water.
*EDIT, I add a few drips of Iodine every week or so. Very important to keep a bit of I in the water.
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sytnom
Idaho Reef Adict
Well, water is cleared up. I didn't do anything. I am going to say algae. Thanks everyone for your advice and input.
Monty
Monty
