WTF IS WRONG WITH MY ALK

[The Propagator]

The bulk reef supply goodies, are a little wimpy if you ask me.

 

I switched back to seachem for most of my stuff. I'm still using my large bucket o'alk though.

 

I'm going to go ahead and start testing daily, after hearing your results prop. It sounds like we have the same problem and its sounding like testing at more regular intervals will give us a clue as to what is happening.

 

If you want a no risk sample of the bulkreef stuff prop shoot me a pm on where to send it.

 

Yeah I am finding out alot more about my tanks usage then I new before by testing daily. I am no closer to knowing why its depleting though. I guess I am just affraid of another crash so I am keeping a very close eye on it. SO far so good. I mean it hasnt dropped below 7 yet so ....

Technically we should have been testing from the start and dosing in smaller incriments so we know exactly how much to dose Ah well... so much for " I dont need no stinking directions mane !"

 

Seachem is da shiat. Reef builder raises ALK very nicely.

I am buying more of it tomorrow. FYUUUK !! a bunch of Kent pro dkh !!

[The Propagator]

You know, I think I need to take my own advice here.

I am freaking out and chasing numbers. One thing you should always try to avoid in these types of situations is chasing a number. You will never realize that magic number unless every thing is in balance. I would bet a dollar against a dough nut I am probably doing more harm then good by chasing the illusive number.

I think I just need to take my own advice and keep my hands and chemicals out of the tank for a few days let things try to even out on their own and see where its at then.

 

I am making n00b mistakes by freaking out and trying to quickly hammer this out.

I need to sit back relax and wait on my mag test kit to get here. In the mean time I just need to read up on all possible scenarios and weigh them out. It simply has to be something I am doing. My calcium is on the money. Since my CA is in the green and not being used up rapidly that tells me it snot coral growth doing it.

Since I haven't switched salt brands and the current batch tested out ok that tells me its not my salt doing it. It could very well be just me overdosing alk chasing a number and screwing it up.

 

I am threw messing with it until Thursday evening. I'll test daily and watch closely until then but I will not add unless it drops below 7.

 

I am also going to try and find out if to much iodine can cause a problem like this.

I never test for it but I dose it twice a week as the bottle says ( seachem ).

[The Propagator]

I think I am going to get some MAG Flake from HD in the morning and some Epson salts from Wally world or wall greens. I just read a big ass article written up by Dr Randy Holmes Farley and 7 3/4 cup Mag flake mixed with 1/4 cup Espon salts seems to be the best method for avoiding nasty build up caused from just dosing Mag Flake.

And.. its cheaper then bulk reef supply.com

( IF I can find the mag flake it will be any ways )

 

No worries though... Even if I have it all tomorrow I am sticking it out !

I will not dose anything else until Thursday evening unless something drops drastically.

 

I have an iodine, and new Alk and a Mag test kit on the way.

Should be here friday/ sat.. maybe monday tuesday ? Depends when they ship it.

 

Oh yeah.. check this out .....

 

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

[bdare]

yea, but it takes 2 cups of powder to make a gallon, of mix and you get 2 gallons of powder for like $25 or so

It takes 2 cups. And yes it costs $32 for 2 gallons of dry, but like I said... you get 16 gallons for $32 vs. $26 for 2 gallons...

 

So.. even if it uses 2x the solution to adjust your levels it's still half price!

[bdare]

I think I am going to get some MAG Flake from HD in the morning and some Epson salts from Wally world or wall greens. I just read a big ass article written up by Dr Randy Holmes Farley and 7 3/4 cup Mag flake mixed with 1/4 cup Espon salts seems to be the best method for avoiding nasty build up caused from just dosing Mag Flake.

And.. its cheaper then bulk reef supply.com

( IF I can find the mag flake it will be any ways )

 

No worries though... Even if I have it all tomorrow I am sticking it out !

I will not dose anything else until Thursday evening unless something drops drastically.

 

I have an iodine, and new Alk and a Mag test kit on the way.

Should be here friday/ sat.. maybe monday tuesday ? Depends when they ship it.

 

Oh yeah.. check this out .....

 

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

 

Prop,

 

If they don't have Mag Flake at your home depot, check this out:

 

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/

 

They are in Ohio so maybe you could even pick it up to save on shipping? Also, Randy Holmes-Farley replies to pretty much EVERY question in the Chem forum over at RC. I'm pretty sure he could give you a definitive answer on the iodine thing...

 

Ben

[The Propagator]

If I weren't banned I would ask

[bdare]

Can't you create a new ID? How do they keep you banned?

[The Propagator]

Prop,

 

If they don't have Mag Flake at your home depot, check this out:

 

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/

 

They are in Ohio so maybe you could even pick it up to save on shipping? Also, Randy Holmes-Farley replies to pretty much EVERY question in the Chem forum over at RC. I'm pretty sure he could give you a definitive answer on the iodine thing...

 

Ben

 

Hey !

Those fackers are right here in Cincinnati!

How did I not know about this before?

Thanks!

I think I will go there 1st today !

 

They have it in 16 cup ( one gallon/8lbs) bags but not the 50lb bags. ( mysterious isnt it They know how to make money)

Same for the Dow flake.

 

I am gonna follow Dr Farely's recipe and use both mag and baking powder I think.

I'll mix up a gallons and store the rest in an old salt bucket ( rubber sealed) in the untility room. Same with the Dow flake.

 

Can't you create a new ID? How do they keep you banned?

 

I could but I REALLY Hate a HUGE majority of those losers.

Mainly the 1.2 million nazi moderators they have.

[bdare]

Just remember it's baking SODA... not powder. Also keep in mind the difference between baked baking soda and unbaked...

 

I hear ya about the Nazis... I pretty much live in the Chem forum so I don't have to deal with too many of them.

[The Propagator]

Just got off the phone with Buckeye field supply and they don't have a public store front

I have to pay $8.00 shipping so it can go down town and back.

Ah well......

 

I am still gonna do it. Its only a dollar cheaper but its local and I get to support a local biz. .

 

Oh one thing that may be of interest to you guys....

The fella I just spoke with on the phone asked me if I had an RO DI unit. Told him I ha done on the way off ebay.. yada yada shmadda...110gpd ( its really only 100gpd they just use that false number as a selling point) and told him it was dual DI. He says when I 1st get it immediately remove the DI housings from their horizontal positions and mount them vertically.

Said they do a horrible job mounted on their side and thats why no one else does it that way.

Makes sense. I mean what filters better a sloppy loose membrane or a tight and compact one ya know.

( Yes I know DI is not a membrane. It was an analogy )

[bdare]

Just got off the phone with Buckeye field supply and they don't have a public store front

I have to pay $8.00 shipping so it can go down town and back.

Ah well......

 

I am still gonna do it. Its only a dollar cheaper but its local and I get to support a local biz. .

 

Oh one thing that may be of interest to you guys....

The fella I just spoke with on the phone asked me if I had an RO DI unit. Told him I ha done on the way off ebay.. yada yada shmadda...110gpd ( its really only 100gpd they just use that false number as a selling point) and told him it was dual DI. He says when I 1st get it immediately remove the DI housings from their horizontal positions and mount them vertically.

Said they do a horrible job mounted on their side and thats why no one else does it that way.

Makes sense. I mean what filters better a sloppy loose membrane or a tight and compact one ya know.

( Yes I know DI is not a membrane. It was an analogy )

 

Yeah... I've read that in the past. When they are mounted on thier side you get "channeling". I have a refillable DI cartrige from bulkreefsupply and pack the cartrige myself when it's time to refill. You just have to make sure you pack it in there TIGHT.

[The Propagator]

Just remember it's baking SODA... not powder. Also keep in mind the difference between baked baking soda and unbaked...

 

I hear ya about the Nazis... I pretty much live in the Chem forum so I don't have to deal with too many of them.

 

Yeah that would suck if I got baking powder I meant soda.

Baked is for raising PH and unbaked is not right?

 

I have to look again ......

[bdare]

Yeah that would suck if I got baking soda I meant powder.

Baked is for raising PH and unbaked is not right?

 

I have to look again ......

 

You got it. Also you can't dissolve as much unbaked in RO/DI as you can the baked. In addition, the raise or fall in Ph is temporary. Once it interacts with the Oxygen and C02 in your system it will return to simply acting as a buffer and becoming available for coral consumption.

[The Propagator]

Might as well quote this now for safties sake huh !!

 

unbaked:

Dissolve 297 grams of baking soda (about 1 1/8 cups) in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 950 meq/L of alkalinity (2660 dKH). As mentioned earlier, Arm & Hammer is a fine brand of baking soda to use in these recipes. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

 

Baked:

Spread baking soda (594 grams or about 2 ¼ cups) on a baking tray and heat in an ordinary oven at 300°F for one hour to drive off water and carbon dioxide. Overheating is not a problem, either with higher temperatures or longer times. Dissolve the residual solid in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). I prefer to use baked baking soda rather than washing soda in this recipe as baking soda from a grocery store is always food grade, while washing soda may not have the same purity requirements. Arm & Hammer brand is a fine choice. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient

.

[SeeDemTails]

what is perfect?

 

A nice stable 3.0. Works great for me.

[bdare]

One more thing to note... I've noticed that the ph drop from recipie 2 (unbaked) is MUCH less dramatic than the ph increace from recipie 1 (baked). This is why I prefer to make large adjustments with unbaked and Litermeter dosing with baked.

 

I was getting some pretty bad precip when adding the baked stuff. My hope is that the Litermeter will add it slowly enough that the localized Ph spike won't be as bad. (Precip is more likely at a Ph > 8.3).

[Maeda]

my tank seems to be stabilizing.

 

alk 7 dkh today

magnesium ~1300

[bdare]

Hey !

Those fackers are right here in Cincinnati!

How did I not know about this before?

Thanks!

I think I will go there 1st today !

 

They have it in 16 cup ( one gallon/8lbs) bags but not the 50lb bags. ( mysterious isnt it They know how to make money)

Same for the Dow flake.

 

I am gonna follow Dr Farely's recipe and use both mag and baking powder I think.

I'll mix up a gallons and store the rest in an old salt bucket ( rubber sealed) in the untility room. Same with the Dow flake.

 

 

 

I could but I REALLY Hate a HUGE majority of those losers.

Mainly the 1.2 million nazi moderators they have.

 

Yo Prop,

 

Make SURE when you get the dow flake that it's the OLD stuff. The new dow flake has elevated levels of bromide! Check out these threads:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...hreadid=1275153

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...hreadid=1271282

 

I'm pretty sure even if you're banned you can read them

[The Propagator]

All Dowflake at Buckeye was manufactured prior to 1 Jan 2007

I'll check now and make sure that this date is in the green.

[The Propagator]

Well sh!t ! Farley says any Dow made after 05 contains elevated bromide.

WTF does bromide do and why is it a problem?

[bdare]

I don't have an exact link... but I did just read about it the last few days over at RC. Farley wrote something about the uptake of cerain macro algaes and average dosing rates, water changes and how the bromide will accumulate over time. I'm pretty sure theres literature out there that it's toxic in high doses.

 

In the twopartsolution (bulkreefsupply) sponsor forum at RC they claim they have a source without the high bromide. I'm sure you could also call buckeye and ask them about it. They have a pretty good reputation.

[The Propagator]

I'll do that tomorrow.

Thanks for all the helpful information bdare.

You have been a great resource for me guy !

[bdare]

Here ya go...

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...ghlight=bromide

[The Propagator]

In light of that information I will definitely NOT be using Dow flake.

My main frag system is definitely a high calcium demand system.

[cmador]

So, are any of you guys dosing two part and dosing kalk? I'm thinking of starting to dose kalk in addition to my dosing of the bulkreefsupply.com two part in my 50 gallon.

 

Edit: Which salt mix are you guys using?