Is steady 500ppm Calcium ok?

[mrvincent]

Hi, since I started my reef aquarium, I have a steady 500ppm calcium, and it doesn't drop when I make a water change (RODI + Fluval Sea salt).

Is it ok ? Also I'm not sure about magnesium, but I think it's low... It keep dropping Over time... The firsts days it was at 1500mg, and now a month after it's at 1160ppm.

Here's parameters:
Temp: 26.5C° (Unsteady, I had lot of power failure this month)
Ph: around 8.1
KH: 8.4 dKH°
Ca: 500ppm
Mg: 1160ppm

I'm dosing daily incremental vodka since two weeks.

Are thoses parameters ok IYO ?

 

[Sniperhank]

That depends on what your alkalinity is at, since calcium and alk go hand in hand.

 

[bribo12]

Hi, since I started my reef aquarium, I have a steady 500ppm calcium, and it doesn't drop when I make a water change (RODI + Fluval Sea salt).

Is it ok ? Also I'm not sure about magnesium, but I think it's low... It keep dropping Over time... The firsts days it was at 1500mg, and now a month after it's at 1160ppm.

Here's parameters:
Temp: 26.5C° (Unsteady, I had lot of power failure this month)
Ph: around 8.1
KH: 8.4 dKH°
Ca: 500ppm
Mg: 1160ppm

I'm dosing daily incremental vodka since two weeks.

Are thoses parameters ok IYO ?

Your mag is low which explains why your calcium never changes. Magnesium makes it available to be used by your corals? Are they growing? How long are you mixing the water before water changes? Just wondering why're you vodka dosing? You realize it zaps most of the nutrients from the water and the corals colors will probably turn a whiter color, especially sps. Contrary to popular belief corals do require some nutrients to thrive.

 

[mrvincent]

I mix the water with a powerfull powerhead for 2 hours or more, as it is long to osmose RODI water.

For the vodka dosing, I didn't saw any changes in what the skimmer produce, i'm at the first week. According to the website I found information on vodka dosing, it says I won't see results until I put big doses of vodka after 5-6 weeks...

I can't tell if the corals grow, I have them for 2-3 weeks... My Zoa spreads, but my frogspawn stay closed... My blue/purple mushroom grows for sure ! He's biggers day to day...

Some coraline just start to grow in little spots everywhere... Not on the glass. My clownfish seems happy...

I target feed my corals once a week with seringe... So how to raise magnesium ? Buy Mg and throw it in water ?

 

[daney90]

Do you have sps in your tank? They take up most of the calcium in your water. If you just have few zoas and lps your calcium probably doesnt drop as much.

 

[mrvincent]

Zoas frags, a little birdsnest SPS, 1 little blue mush, 1 little frogspawn frag that dosen't open anymore...

 

[bribo12]

Stop vodka dosing. Your tank is in no need for it. Your bioload is so small that it has probably already wiped your tank of nutrients. Hence why the frogspawn is closed. Idk why your mag is so low but it could be due to the dosing.

 

[mrvincent]

It was already low before I started dosing, last week it was 1200ppm... SInce I dose vodka, coraline is growing everywhere instead of hair algae... I dose vodka cause I had algae problems...

Forgspawn was already closed before I started to dose too... I think it's because I moved it in a too much flow area... I just put it on the sand to see what it does...

 

[bribo12]

Oh gotcha I guess if it works just be careful with it. Once the tank
Is completely derived of nutrients your corals will be quite upset. I'm not a big fan of carbon dosing

 

[mrvincent]

Kk... at now I don't see any results, I'm at 0.4ml/day... I should see a difference when I'll reach 2ml/day according to my source...

 

[Jmkb02]

Kk... at now I don't see any results, I'm at 0.4ml/day... I should see a difference when I'll reach 2ml/day according to my source...

I dose no3po4-x once a week and 3 ml total for my system of 220 gallons. 2ml a day is huge! You have to be able to maintain some phosphate and trates in the system for coral growth. Unless you are crazy over stocked, you shouldn't really be dosing as it is. Maybe look into a refugium or reactor instead of dosing. I run both and am pretty heavily stocked which is why I dose.

So for your calcium, it will stay up with consistent water changes. You are using good salt and sounds as of your water quality is also good. Your hair algae problem going away is also a good sign of this.

Dosing helps yes, but there are far more factors going for you that you are doing right. Water changes and a good skimmer as well as feeding less and less light will kill your algae problem. Starting with water changes which you seem to be doing, best thing for a tank IMO. I don't know who is telling you about dosing 2 ml a day, but that's a bit much. I have several fellow reefers who dose 5 ml slowly over a week for 300 gallon sps and Lps dominated tanks.

I know I said a lot and I hope it makes sense, but going slow on dosing is key and dosing a small amount is better. Not dosing eventually is what I hope to achieve one day.

 

[mrvincent]

I dose no3po4-x once a week and 3 ml total for my system of 220 gallons. 2ml a day is huge! You have to be able to maintain some phosphate and trates in the system for coral growth. Unless you are crazy over stocked, you shouldn't really be dosing as it is. Maybe look into a refugium or reactor instead of dosing. I run both and am pretty heavily stocked which is why I dose.

So for your calcium, it will stay up with consistent water changes. You are using good salt and sounds as of your water quality is also good. Your hair algae problem going away is also a good sign of this.

Dosing helps yes, but there are far more factors going for you that you are doing right. Water changes and a good skimmer as well as feeding less and less light will kill your algae problem. Starting with water changes which you seem to be doing, best thing for a tank IMO. I don't know who is telling you about dosing 2 ml a day, but that's a bit much. I have several fellow reefers who dose 5 ml slowly over a week for 300 gallon sps and Lps dominated tanks.

I know I said a lot and I hope it makes sense, but going slow on dosing is key and dosing a small amount is better. Not dosing eventually is what I hope to achieve one day.

Carbon dosing take time before bacterias develops... On my article it says we start at 0.1 ml/day, and after 5-6 weeks I should be at 2ml/day. Anyway, my algae problem is going away, coraline just start to replace the hair algae. I think I will stop dosing vodka soon.

I do 4g change / 2 weeks, my setup is a 20g. So that's 20% each two weeks. Is that too much ? Should I raise Mg ?


That's where I found infos on vodka dosing http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

 

[Jmkb02]

Carbon dosing take time before bacterias develops... On my article it says we start at 0.1 ml/day, and after 5-6 weeks I should be at 2ml/day. Anyway, my algae problem is going away, coraline just start to replace the hair algae. I think I will stop dosing vodka soon.

I do 4g change / 2 weeks, my setup is a 20g. So that's 20% each two weeks. Is that too much ? Should I raise Mg ?


That's where I found infos on vodka dosing http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

Yes building up the bacterial before dosing is good, your doing that right. Like I said, I dose a total of 3ml over a week, so 2 a day seems very high. 20% is a good volume very two weeks. As long as you are consistent it will show. The good thing about dosing is it pulls the organic phosphate out as well if you have that problem. You can't test for it, but if you have algae and you aren't over feeding, pretty much you have that. Just make sure your testing for trates when you dose. You don't wanna strip your tank clean.

Your levels should stay in the good with your water changes. Using good quality water and good salt will keep it where it needs to be and the algae down. Best thing you can do for a tank is a water change.

 

[mrvincent]

I can't read my NO3 or PO4 with my API test kit, it isn't enough accurate... I always get 0 and 0 in my SW tank...

PO4 always read 0 in both my 2 FW tanks... I think there may be an issue with my PO4 test kit...

 

[Sniperhank]

API tests outside of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are garbage. I would suggest investing in dependable test lots, like Red Sea or Hanna checkers.

 

[mrvincent]

API tests outside of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are garbage. I would suggest investing in dependable test lots, like Red Sea or Hanna checkers.

I've got RedSea for Mg,Ca,KH, thoses the most important values IMO in reef aquariums...

 

[Sniperhank]

I've got RedSea for Mg,Ca,KH, thoses the most important values IMO in reef aquariums...

Correct. You stated your readings were off and figured you'd like an alternative to research the solution to what is going on in your tank.

 

[mrvincent]

Correct. You stated your readings were off and figured you'd like an alternative to research the solution to what is going on in your tank.

Yeah, but I don't want to invest anymore in tests kits, especially for phosphates... Anyway, bioload is low, and I only use RODI water... I just think you convinced me to stop vodka dosing, anyways, algae problems is going out slowly overtime. It's a new setup.

I'll just dose myself with the remaining vodka instead .

Should I add a bit magnesium to the water ? Does corals or fishs or inverts don't like Mg fluctuations ?

 

[Jmkb02]

Mg is for calcium and alk to stay stable and help corals to grow and use it. It's important but your at a good level. It should come up with more water changes. Not dosing is good, but it wouldn't cut cold turkey. Maybe stay at low amounts and only dose a few times a week then in a couple weeks, cut it to once a week.

 

[mrvincent]

Mg is for calcium and alk to stay stable and help corals to grow and use it. It's important but your at a good level. It should come up with more water changes. Not dosing is good, but it wouldn't cut cold turkey. Maybe stay at low amounts and only dose a few times a week then in a couple weeks, cut it to once a week.

So I should add progressively Mg until I reach 1400 overtime ?