NEED HELP WITH TANK PARAMS.....

[TRIP23]

I am having trouble raising the parameters in my tank...hoping someone could help me out with this ...Is there one that should be done first if so in what order????? Or is there anything else i can do????

 

alk 6.8

cal 385

mag 1300

phos 0

nit 0

salinty 1.027

temp 79.7

I am using salifert test kits.......Thanks

[Mojorizn]

Kinda depends on what your stocking list consists of. Assuming your after SPS, then here goes:

 

My tank -----

ALK = 9-10 (dkh / kh )

Cal = 440 - 460

Mag = 1350 - 1500

I keep my Salinity 1.026

Temp is fine as long as it is stable within a couple degrees.

 

You can raise these levels by dosing a two part additive like Bionic AKL / Calc or BRS Two part (I use BRS) BRS Two Part Kit

 

The Reef Calculator on Bulk Reef Supply will tell you exactly how much to add to achieve your desired levels depending on the product you use. BRS Reef Calculator

 

You wanna raise the levels SLOWLY over a period of a few DAYS. Then you can see what your tank uses on a weekly basis, divide that by 7 and you'll get a round about daily dosing schedule.

 

Remember that dosing Alk will / can raise your PH...not that big of a deal just make the change slow and don't dose alot at once. The key is stability and several doses through out the day.

 

In my 65 mixed reef my tank uses ~ 24ml of Alk a day. I'm working on a Calc schedule but, for now, I dose Calc by hand.

 

I do two 4-5 gallon WC's a week and my Mag stays @ 1500 all by itself.

 

hope that helps ya out -

 

best-o-luck

[TRIP23]

Thank you ....

[bdare]

When dosing, always add Mg first. Mg helps prevent precipitation so this will help when you add the Ca and Alk doses.

 

I agree with everything Mojorizn said except I will add one thing... I've found when making large adjustments to Alk it's better to use Recipe #2. This will slightly and temporarily lower Ph, but will also prevent localized pH spikes which can cause precipitation.

[aquariumdude]

When dosing, always add Mg first. Mg helps prevent precipitation so this will help when you add the Ca and Alk doses.

 

I agree with everything Mojorizn said except I will add one thing... I've found when making large adjustments to Alk it's better to use Recipe #2. This will slightly and temporarily lower Ph, but will also prevent localized pH spikes which can cause precipitation.

 

This may sound like a dumb question, but what is Recipe 2 consist of? What product do you use? Is it the BRS product? I'm trying to determine the best way to start dosing my tank. Prefer to go with some sort of automated system.

[bdare]

This may sound like a dumb question, but what is Recipe 2 consist of? What product do you use? Is it the BRS product? I'm trying to determine the best way to start dosing my tank. Prefer to go with some sort of automated system.

Sorry. Recipe 2 uses baking soda vs baked baking soda. The Difference is recipe

2 will SLIGHTLY lower ph TEMPORARILY. You also use half as much dry product when you mix it (1 cup vs. 2). This also means you have to add twice as much.

 

So... Why use recipie 2 you ask? If you are dosing manually I've found that the localized ph spike in recipe 1 causes precipitation. I had to learn this the hard way. Now, I use a litermeter III for dosing. Since it automatically adds a very small amount several times over a 24 hour period I use recipie 1 in my dosing resivor. If I need to make an adjustment to ALK I'll revert back to recipie 2.

 

If you want this thing automated I prefer a pump that you can tell it how much to dose vs. trying to do it with timers, a separate controller or dripping.

 

Just my experience. I'm sure others my see differently.