Dosing tank-weird flaking

[Clown79]

Hi all

 

I have had to start dosing my 15g and 10g for mag, ca, and alk. This is the second week.

 

Even with weekly water changes with io reef crystals, my levels dropped.

 

Well i dosed the 10g this morning and the esv bionic flaked upon hitting the water, looked like i added a bunch of mysis.

 

Its never done this and it only happened in my 10g?

 

Anyone know why it would do this?

[Astinus]

I too am having the same thing happen. I am using "Reef Fusion 1 & 2" I mentioned this to my LFS and they told me to wait 5 minutes between the 1 and then dose the #2. I did this, I still got flakes.

I am guessing that the "Buffer" may be the culprit.

TBH, I really don't know! I hope someone will chime in and help explain this.

[Clown79]

I waited in between as well.

 

Its the first time I used the alk part which clouded-stated on bottle but then it seperated like flake food.

 

I waited then added ca- the same flaking which never happened before when i added this.

 

Its very weird and more weird that it only happened in one of my tanks.

 

I hope someone can chime in because its happened to both of us with different products.

[Mariaface]

What mag, calcium, and alk levels do you actually have? What are you aiming for? Do you have enough magnesium to prevent precipitation?

 

Calcium and alk should be dosed at least an hour apart, in my opinion. I've split them up so that calcium happens during the day and alk during the night in my tank, on a doser.

[holy carp]

Can you film what's happening? I've had ESV#1 form little jelly globules, but they break up in the current after a few minutes.

[Sk8n Reefer]

where in the tank are you dosing? You'll want to place it in a heavy flow area ( sump or filter area w/aio tank)to disperse the Alk. ,Ca and Mg. throughout the tank. Dose Alk. and Mg. but wait a good 10min. before adding the Ca. Sounds like you still have some Alk that hasn't dispersed and the Ca. is having a reaction with it.

[Clown79]

A few mnths back i switched to io reef crystals because my numbers were dropping on the reg io.

In both tanks, weekly water changes wasn't enough. I even tried bigger wc.

 

Well that didn't help and my numbers dropped to below normal levels and my corals were showing it.

 

My mag had dropped to 1110 and less in the 10g

Ca dropped to 370 and 360

Alk was fine until I started dosing. It just dropped thats why I started dosing it.

 

Even after my weekly water change and all week dosing my numbers are:

 

Mag 1230 and 1170

Ca 390 and 400 back to normal

Alk is 3 and 3.5

 

Corals are already improving.

 

Today is the first time the flaking-actually the jelly description is better has happened and only in the 10g.

 

I dose in the high flow area, right at my powerhead.

 

I thought it was odd as its the first time it happened and only in 1 tank...

 

The esv bottles say to add 1ml of each component per 4g of water 5 mins apart.

 

So its better to dose ca in the am and alk in pm?

[Clown79]

Holy carp- thats what happened, how you described it.

 

This is the first time with any tank i've had, to dose. For 15g and 10g tanks with weekly water changes, I was surprised at the need.

 

Its all new to me so thank you all for the help, I really appreciate it.

 

I understand the 3- mag, ca, alk effect eachother greatly but chem was not my strong subject nor math. Biology-great.

[Mariaface]

Try bringing magnesium up to about 1350, but those tiny white globules that immediately disperse are normal for me, too. Seems as if the levels are high enough that that small area has some precipitaation.

[Clown79]

Took your advice and it worked

 

Doses mag in the am

Waited an hr

Doses alk in my filter chamber

 

No seperation!

 

Going to wait for ca

 

Thank you so much!!!

* dosed not doses...stupid phone. Lol