Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have a question regarding my water parameters for this tank
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/tank-journal-125-reef-125546.html
I have been consistently testing and recording for about a year. Over the last 3 months, I have made some major changes to the system, mainly added a bunch of LR and corals and have noticed the effects on the levels.
I have been adding Brightwell Aquatics Alkalin8.3-P to raise alkalinity in doses of 4g (1 tsp) mixed with RO water, and Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium to raise Calcium (along with Magnesium and Strontium, but mainly Ca).
Below is my test log and other pertinent information since right before adding the bulk of the new LR and corals. Prior to that, I was maintaining the KH between 9.0 and 10.5 by added the buffer to the top off water, then decided to stop that and monitor and add manually to get a grasp on the level changes.
The items in Red Bold are when I added Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium. I figured out that 3 tsp / 12g of the Seachem stuff raises the Ca by about 10 points.
The items in Black Bold are when I added Brightwell Alkalin8.3-P. I have figured out that it raises the KH about 2x what the label directions say it does. So adding 1 tsp / 4g raises the alkalinity by approximately 1.2-1.5.
I always add the powder to a dry, empty 1 QT container, then pour RO water in, cap it, and shake well before adding to sump.
Here is the log:
8/19: KH = 11.2-11.3, Ca = 360-370, Mg = 1190-1210
8/20: Added roughly 50lb Live Rock & mushrooms, zoas (3), green polyps, frogspawn, 3 fish, did 18% PWC (20 g)
8/22: KH =11.2-11.3, Ca = 370-375, Mg = 1170-1210
8/24: KH = 10.4, Ca = 350-360. Added 12g Calcium
8/25: Ca = 360-365. Added 12g Calcium
8/26: KH = 10.2-10.4, Ca = 375-380. Added 12g Calcium
9/1: KH = 9.3-9.5, Ca = 375-385, Mg = 1185-1200. Added 12g Calcium
9/2: Added 12g Calcium
9/9: KH = 7.7-8.0, Ca = 400-405, Mg = 1200-1230. Added 8g KH Buffer
9/10: KH = 9.0-9.3
9/12: Rearranged tank (4 hours). Did 18% PWC (20 g)
9/13: KH = 9.0-9.1, Ca = 390, Mg = 1180-1200. Added 12g Calcium
9/15: Added 4g KH Buffer
9/16: KH = 9.3-9.4, Ca = 395. Added 12g Calcium.
9/24: KH = 7.7-8.0, Ca = 405-410, Mg = 1210-1230. Added 4g KH Buffer
9/26: 8.0-8.3, 10% PWC & fish added
9/27: KH = 8.3-8.6, Ca = 405-410, Mg = 1140. Added 12g Calcium
10/4: KH = 7.2-7.4, Ca = 430-460, Mg = 1200-1230
10/5: Added 4g KH Buffer
10/10: Changed to ATS, removed skimmer & filter sock system
10/11: added 10-15 pound Live Rock
10/12: KH = 7.4, Ca = 430-440, Mg = 1200. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/14: KH = 8.3, Ca = 430
10/16: added 5g saltwater (to raise sump level)
10/18: KH = 7.4-7.7, Ca = 450. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/21: Added 7-head Dendro & Trumpet Coral
10/22: KH = 7.7-8.0. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/25: KH = 7.0-7.4, Ca = 450, Mg = 1230-1260, Iodide = 0.01, Iodide+Iodate = ?, Strontium = 0-3. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off w/RO 2.5g once in afternoon, once in evening to lower salinity & raise sump level. Salinity was at 37 at “minimum” point on sump (top of pump exposed)
10/26: KH = 7.4-7.7. Added 4g KH Buffer, topped off 2.5g RO
10/27: KH = 8.3, salinity “ideal” point established and marked on sump = 35
10/29: KH = 7.7, Ca = 410. Added 12g Calcium.
11/1: KH = 6.7, Ca = 430. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off 0.5 gal RO.
11/2: KH = 7.5-7.7, Salinity = 36. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off 3g RO.
As you can see, I spent about 3 weeks (8/24 - 9/13) slow ratcheting the Calcium up to the low-mid 400s. Since then it really hasn't dropped much at all.
The Alkalinity seems to drop rather rapidly, in fact, if I go more than 3 or 4 days without adding the buffer, it drops below 7 and I have to dose it 2 days or more in a row, meanwhile Calcium hardly seems to fluctuate at all.
I also realize that when I stop in to check on the tank, I take my sample and then top the tank off if it needs it (it usually does), so immediately my sample is outdated, but I stay consistent with that practice, so the samples are well mixed and stable.
I would think that I would see more of a calcium drop with all the corals in the system. Am I missing something?
Current pics of the tank for coral reference:
and a quick list:
30-40 Xenia
huge Anthelia colony
Sun Polyp
Green Polyps
Purple, Green, Spotted, Fuzzy mushrooms
3 leathers
2 med-large frogspawn
2 head branching hammer
ORA green birdsnest
acan
Zoa colonies, 3 large, 3 small
tri-color valida
blue, green, tri-color Florida Ric
Kryptonite Candy Cane
Trumpet Coral (big)
7-head Dendro
War Coral
Red Caps (6-8 spread out)
Rose Millepora (2 small)
Green Star Polyp
Anemone
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/tank-journal-125-reef-125546.html
I have been consistently testing and recording for about a year. Over the last 3 months, I have made some major changes to the system, mainly added a bunch of LR and corals and have noticed the effects on the levels.
I have been adding Brightwell Aquatics Alkalin8.3-P to raise alkalinity in doses of 4g (1 tsp) mixed with RO water, and Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium to raise Calcium (along with Magnesium and Strontium, but mainly Ca).
Below is my test log and other pertinent information since right before adding the bulk of the new LR and corals. Prior to that, I was maintaining the KH between 9.0 and 10.5 by added the buffer to the top off water, then decided to stop that and monitor and add manually to get a grasp on the level changes.
The items in Red Bold are when I added Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium. I figured out that 3 tsp / 12g of the Seachem stuff raises the Ca by about 10 points.
The items in Black Bold are when I added Brightwell Alkalin8.3-P. I have figured out that it raises the KH about 2x what the label directions say it does. So adding 1 tsp / 4g raises the alkalinity by approximately 1.2-1.5.
I always add the powder to a dry, empty 1 QT container, then pour RO water in, cap it, and shake well before adding to sump.
Here is the log:
8/19: KH = 11.2-11.3, Ca = 360-370, Mg = 1190-1210
8/20: Added roughly 50lb Live Rock & mushrooms, zoas (3), green polyps, frogspawn, 3 fish, did 18% PWC (20 g)
8/22: KH =11.2-11.3, Ca = 370-375, Mg = 1170-1210
8/24: KH = 10.4, Ca = 350-360. Added 12g Calcium
8/25: Ca = 360-365. Added 12g Calcium
8/26: KH = 10.2-10.4, Ca = 375-380. Added 12g Calcium
9/1: KH = 9.3-9.5, Ca = 375-385, Mg = 1185-1200. Added 12g Calcium
9/2: Added 12g Calcium
9/9: KH = 7.7-8.0, Ca = 400-405, Mg = 1200-1230. Added 8g KH Buffer
9/10: KH = 9.0-9.3
9/12: Rearranged tank (4 hours). Did 18% PWC (20 g)
9/13: KH = 9.0-9.1, Ca = 390, Mg = 1180-1200. Added 12g Calcium
9/15: Added 4g KH Buffer
9/16: KH = 9.3-9.4, Ca = 395. Added 12g Calcium.
9/24: KH = 7.7-8.0, Ca = 405-410, Mg = 1210-1230. Added 4g KH Buffer
9/26: 8.0-8.3, 10% PWC & fish added
9/27: KH = 8.3-8.6, Ca = 405-410, Mg = 1140. Added 12g Calcium
10/4: KH = 7.2-7.4, Ca = 430-460, Mg = 1200-1230
10/5: Added 4g KH Buffer
10/10: Changed to ATS, removed skimmer & filter sock system
10/11: added 10-15 pound Live Rock
10/12: KH = 7.4, Ca = 430-440, Mg = 1200. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/14: KH = 8.3, Ca = 430
10/16: added 5g saltwater (to raise sump level)
10/18: KH = 7.4-7.7, Ca = 450. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/21: Added 7-head Dendro & Trumpet Coral
10/22: KH = 7.7-8.0. Added 4g KH Buffer
10/25: KH = 7.0-7.4, Ca = 450, Mg = 1230-1260, Iodide = 0.01, Iodide+Iodate = ?, Strontium = 0-3. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off w/RO 2.5g once in afternoon, once in evening to lower salinity & raise sump level. Salinity was at 37 at “minimum” point on sump (top of pump exposed)
10/26: KH = 7.4-7.7. Added 4g KH Buffer, topped off 2.5g RO
10/27: KH = 8.3, salinity “ideal” point established and marked on sump = 35
10/29: KH = 7.7, Ca = 410. Added 12g Calcium.
11/1: KH = 6.7, Ca = 430. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off 0.5 gal RO.
11/2: KH = 7.5-7.7, Salinity = 36. Added 4g KH Buffer. Topped off 3g RO.
As you can see, I spent about 3 weeks (8/24 - 9/13) slow ratcheting the Calcium up to the low-mid 400s. Since then it really hasn't dropped much at all.
The Alkalinity seems to drop rather rapidly, in fact, if I go more than 3 or 4 days without adding the buffer, it drops below 7 and I have to dose it 2 days or more in a row, meanwhile Calcium hardly seems to fluctuate at all.
I also realize that when I stop in to check on the tank, I take my sample and then top the tank off if it needs it (it usually does), so immediately my sample is outdated, but I stay consistent with that practice, so the samples are well mixed and stable.
I would think that I would see more of a calcium drop with all the corals in the system. Am I missing something?
Current pics of the tank for coral reference:
and a quick list:
30-40 Xenia
huge Anthelia colony
Sun Polyp
Green Polyps
Purple, Green, Spotted, Fuzzy mushrooms
3 leathers
2 med-large frogspawn
2 head branching hammer
ORA green birdsnest
acan
Zoa colonies, 3 large, 3 small
tri-color valida
blue, green, tri-color Florida Ric
Kryptonite Candy Cane
Trumpet Coral (big)
7-head Dendro
War Coral
Red Caps (6-8 spread out)
Rose Millepora (2 small)
Green Star Polyp
Anemone