surfy Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 I just started using B-ionic a day ago. My question is, if I get my cal/alk levels where I want them with this stuff, then do a weekly water change, what do I do? Say I was using 5ml each day. Then I do a one gallon weekly water change, and it lowers my cal/alk levels. Do I just put in 5ml or do I gradually work it back up? Who knows, maybe it won't lower my cal/alk levels when I do a water change. I have never used this stuff before, as you can tell. Just want to be on the safe side. Thanks Link to comment
ELGORDOINAVW Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 basically you dose the amount it takes to get it to he level you want it. if in the water change the levels go down slowly use b-ionic to raise it again.- cheers Link to comment
moorediddy Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 What are the main differences in effect between Kalk/Lime and B-Ionic? I've read that they affect Calc/Alk and pH differently. i.e. B-Ionic part 1 raises only calc, and part 2 only alk, without changing the pH.... whereas with kalk/lime water, the pH is raised as well. I'm new to the whole dosing thing, and am weighing my options between these two different methods. B-Ionic seems to be pretty popular, but so does Kalk. What's a guy to do? -moore Link to comment
surfy Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 B-ionic will change the PH of your water. B-ionic is alot easyr to dose in small aquariums that don't have a whole lot of evap. Other people use kalk/pickeling lime and say it is easy, I have never used the stuff. Calcium, Alkalinity and PH are different from eachother but they have a strong relationship with eachother. If you change one then you change the others. Alk. is the measurement of water's ability to neutralize acids, or buffering capacity of the tank. PH, is effected by a few things- poor water circulation, which alows acids to accumulate and will depress alkalinity. Nitrification can lower the PH due to Nitric acid. Also misapplication of calcium supplements. The tanks water can only hold so much dissolved solids. Which means, if you put too much calcium then it will lower the alk./PH since there is no longer any more room for that alk. you replaced with calcium. Cal. and Alk. will usually always have one higher than the other. The waters alk. usualy should be kept around 8.4 dkh and calcium around 350-450ppm, the higher end is harder to keep in solution. I hope this makes some sence, I have never tryed to explain it before. The B-ionic bottle says, Component #1 is the alkalinity component of the 2 part B-ionic Calcium buffer system. When used in equal parts with the B-ionic Calcium Buffer component #2 the aquarist can easily maintain calcium and alkalinity levels with no mixing of powders, disruption of ionic balance, or addition of organic chemicals. Also in addition to that, it is formulated to provide all other important major,minor,and trace elements in the proper ratios to duplicate the composition of natural sea water, without the addition of phosphates or nitrates. It will help restore inorganic ions lost from protein skimming and help maintain the ionic balance of aquarium water. There are alot of good sites that will explain alot better about alk. ph and cal., but I hope this helps you any. Hope this helps any Link to comment
moorediddy Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 B-Ionic it is then. I'll pick some up tomorrow. The only thing I'm still unsure of, is how exactly I dose it. I tested my water the other day, and my dkh was about 6, and calcium was only around 350. I guess I will just dose a little of each to try and bring them up, and then vary the amounts accordingly once they get closer to the right levels. -moore Link to comment
surfy Posted August 9, 2003 Author Share Posted August 9, 2003 Thats how you do it. Right now my cal. is at 380 after 4ml b-ionic and my alk is around 7.4 after 3.5 ml. so tomorrow I will add 4ml alk. and 3.5ml cal. to try and get the alk. closer to 8, then slowly raise both until I get calcium up to 400 or higher. I love B-ionic now that I have been useing it. I also love Salifert test kits and would recomend them to everyone. After your first couple tests with them, you will get the hang of it and it becomes a breeze. Link to comment
moorediddy Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 Ok, I just got done testing and: Alk: 11.2 Calc: ~350 My ALK looks fine, so when I get back from the LFS I will just add some of the Calcium solution, and try to bring that up to around 400-450. By the way, do I just dump it straight into the tank? -moore Link to comment
surfy Posted August 10, 2003 Author Share Posted August 10, 2003 You slowly dump it in a high flow area. 350 is good. I want to bring mine up because I now have two clams, an acro and a monti so they will be consumeing alot of calcium.. Just make sure to follow the directions closely so you don't crash your tank. How is your PH? What are the specs on your tank? I have- 7g mini bow, 64w csl retro-03 and 10,000k bulbs, aqua clear 300 w/ac mini impeller, picolo skimmer in HOB, Rio 180 ph, 50w heater, 3-4" sand bed, 10-15 pounds live rock. 1 false perc, cleaner shrimp,various snails, Zoo's, yellow polyps, GSP, hairy mush?, watermelon mush, blue stripe mush, blastomussa wellsi, green/yellow acro, brown/w yellow polyps monti, crocea clam, squamosa clam, BTA, and one new bleached ricordia rock. Hopefully it will pull through. Also alot of macro algae growing everywhere:( Link to comment
moorediddy Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 surfy, Ok, my order of B-Ionic and stuff is on its way. Specs on my tank are: 10g AGA with ~2-3gallon fuge (DIY plastic container) 2x40w CSL PC/Moonlight 19lbs Fiji, 20lbs of LS Rio 50 CPR Aquafuge 18" and Ebo-Jager 50w on their way too. AMM: 0 NITRITES: 0 NITRATES: 5 CALCIUM: ~350 dKH: ~12 pH: Around 8.2 (my current testkit is a useless Aquarium Pharm. ) btw, Let me know when your Blasto is ready to frag. =] ... and do you still have that frogspawn? I didn't see you list it in your specs. -moore Link to comment
surfy Posted August 12, 2003 Author Share Posted August 12, 2003 Yes I have the frogspawn. It is in my 35g, so that is why I didn't list it:) My blasto is almost ready to frag. I am going to wait until the polyps get a little bigger before I do though. I have been trying to find my dremel tool so I can frag the frogspawn, I think my dad hid it from my brother, or he already got his hands on it and lost it. Tomorrow when he gets home I will have him help me look for it. Link to comment
Ascensive Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 if any of you have mail/internet ordered your b-ionic, how much what it? who has the cheapest price? jAy Link to comment
surfy Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 I have naver oredered it before. I get mine at my LFS for $23.00 for the two 32 fl oz bottles. Link to comment
~_~ Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 I got mine from marinedepot...I live right next door to them, so they didn't need to ship it. $12 for the 64oz bottles. Link to comment
surfy Posted August 28, 2003 Author Share Posted August 28, 2003 I wish I lived right next to marine depot. $12.00 is pretty cheap. I only have one LFS that sells the stuff so I am stuck with paying $23.00:( Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.