Part A Part B question

[newb_reefer]

I have been using Kent Part A and Kent Part B with water changes for a few months. Lately I've noticed when I put in the Part B it clouds up as usual but then it looks like it solidifies into fine particles like dust. Does this mean I should check something else like magnesium or something?

[Playapixie]

I have been using Kent Part A and Kent Part B with water changes for a few months. Lately I've noticed when I put in the Part B it clouds up as usual but then it looks like it solidifies into fine particles like dust. Does this mean I should check something else like magnesium or something?

 

If you are having precipitation, your mag could be low, yes. Adequate mag allows higher levels of calcium & alkalinity before precipitation occurs. Is there white precipitation on your rocks or equipment? Definitely a good idea to monitor mag too. What are your calcium & alkalinity levels? Also wondering why you dose with your water changes? Water changes should replenish some of your levies, so it might make more sense to dose in between changes, when levels are getting lower again. Of course the only way to know when to dose is to check levels regularly until you know how your system responds to changes...

[brandon429]

also, the time of day and the time frame in between adding the two bottles matters greatly, all magnesium perfect even an error in these two variables will cause the cloud of white.

 

The two bottles should only be added 25 mins apart to the tank, not the change water, which is usually already at ideal ion levels depending on salt mix used. Driving up great levels of calcium and alk even higher does not help the consumption in your tank. The two dosers should be added 25 mins apart, in the early mornings only, not at any other time of day. Before lights on, never ever in the afternoon.

 

The pH of the tank is higher in the afternoon than it is in the morning, and the alkalinity portion of the doser is a high pH fluid, so it should only be added to the acidic portion of the tank which is the early morning before lights on. Doing these two tricks alone may fix your problem, but I agree you shouldn't be using them without testing for calcium and alk demands, you could actually be dropping your params by precipitating everything out of solution each time you add the two part in the wrong manner.

[newb_reefer]

Thanks for the replies. I usually add the part A and B to the tank to maintain the levels of calcium ph and alk. Whenever I just depend on water changes my ph starts to drop and the alk and calcium levels start to move opposite directions. I've used instant ocean salt in the past and my calcium was always 250 and lower. I tried coralife salt this time because it is supposed to keep the calcium at 390 to 410, but it still does not come up much. I use ro di bottled water. It is a 16 gallon tank with a coralife pc fixture above it. For the past 6-8 months the part a/b with water changes seems to keep everything in check. I do changes usually every week but sometimes skip a week. Never more than 2 weeks between changes. I think I found some of my recent problem. I went away for a week and put in 2 of those feeder blocks and I think it threw my parameters out of whack. Here is where they were when I checked today

 

PH 7.7 (low normally 8.1)

nitrate 10ppm (normally nitrate stays here for me)

ammonia and nitrite 0

calcium 680 (much higher than normal)

dKH 6 (lower than normal)

Phosphate 0 (this is normally here. I haven't had a phos problem yet)

Salinity 1.027

 

I did a water change 2 days ago. I try to keep it simple and not use all kinds of additives or make drastic changes. Are feeder blocks normally a problem?

[brandon429]

its the salinity driving up your calcium. You used to keep normal calcium levels per unit of dosing...but now the salinity is spiked and calcium will follow.

 

salinity should always been .023

 

take it down really slowly

[brandon429]

to read up on it I once googled "the relationship of salinity and calcium in the reef aquarium" I think an article by Sanjay Joshi came up can't remember it was like 5 years ago

[newb_reefer]

Seems odd though because I've always kept it 025-027. The spike happened sometime during a week and a half period when I went on vacation.

[brandon429]

I have never heard of a long term nano reef keeping salinity that high, I recommend you bring it down.

 

 

The testing of your calcium and alk should be double checked against other test kits. making dosing changes based on a single interpretation is a very big risk.

 

There are numerous, numerous tanks that do not dose. look at el fabs tank in the pico reef forum, look at ParisHilton's 5 gallon sps reef that does not dose.

 

There is no reason to do this to your tank if you don't want the ups and downs. All you have to do is not add doser, switch to the water mixes they are using, and change alot of the water every week and the tank will run indefinately. The more water you change weekly, the less you have to test for any param other than specific gravity and temp. You could easily stop all the dosing and precip problems and just copy a known method.

 

we need a pic of your whole tank. Many missed clues can be had with a good full tank shot. There has to be something very special and obvious in your tank consuming all this ion

 

In ten years of using reef crystals, that's never happened to me so there's one start on a guaranteed mix.

Edited July 19, 2011 by brandon429

[pschom]

I also don't get all the hyped up benefits of a wc. Other than lowering the nitrates. It's never risen the calk or Alk. That's why I started dosing A and B. I do agree that dosing wc water is not helpful. I started doing this recently and will stop this week.

[brandon429]

see El Fabs thread stickied in the pico forum, and ParisHilton's thread about a 5g sps tank. only water changes

 

the reason they have no trouble with calcium and alk is because consistent water changes do more than just export nitrate. they balance the ion loading in a tank if they are frequent enough and of enough wc volume to matter.

 

Many tanks get by with lax water changes. using a good mix helps. but doing more than the necessary water change work is a way of ensuring you aren't on the unlucky side of ion balance. all it does it reset the tank values close to the new salt water values, but it brings them up equally, rather than constantly out of balance and in precipitation as this thread is stating.

 

reef crystals does not mix to a low calcium and alk, neither does tropic marin

 

the salt mix matters if a no dose approach is used, per those threads that are years established.

 

so many approaches to two part dosing are off for this OP that a water change only option is a perfect solution instead of two part dosing.

Edited July 19, 2011 by brandon429

[Formula462]

its the salinity driving up your calcium. You used to keep normal calcium levels per unit of dosing...but now the salinity is spiked and calcium will follow.

 

salinity should always been .023

 

take it down really slowly

 

Sometimes you say stuff that makes sense, and other times....well. PLENTY of people have successful long term nanos that stay higher Sg than 1.023. I keep mine at 1.025-26 with no ill effects. Your calcium is at 680 or whatever because you are over dosing it. You don't have anything consuming it quickly enough in between adding more in. The fact that your calcium is past 430 tells you that your magnesium has got to be at least 1230 or so ppm. Your tank is at its saturation point for calcium. It cannot absorb any more into the system so it is beginning to precipitate. Stop dosing without testing. Your salinity has absolutely nothing to do with why your calcium is so high and it never will.

[brandon429]

Im not here to sell you on anything man, looks like you've been around plenty long to know plenty about nano reef chemistry. I stated what I know works, take it or leave it no prob w me. Next decade i'll still be on here with the same reefs using the same approaches. hardly any nano reefs from today will be around then, just like two years ago, that means something about the current widely accepted methods.

Edited July 20, 2011 by brandon429

[Formula462]

Im not here to sell you on anything man, looks like you've been around plenty long to know plenty about nano reef chemistry. I stated what I know works, take it or leave it no prob w me. Next decade i'll still be on here with the same reefs using the same approaches. hardly any nano reefs from today will be around then, just like two years ago, that means something about the current widely accepted methods.

 

Im not trying to be a dick man, but if my nano is gone in two years it will be because I chose to take it down out of boredom/wanting different setup.

[brandon429]

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f43/can-...high-30363.html Edited July 20, 2011 by brandon429

[newb_reefer]

Thanks for the help. I do think my salt levels are a little high and will bring them down a little. I don't feel that it is causing my calcium problem though. The tank has been running with high salinity for almost a year and my calcium was always low (250 or so). I do test my tank. I have found over time that when i wasn't adding the part A/B my calcium and PH would would drop a little each time I did a water change until it would become a problem after about 2 changes. That is why I began using it. In the beginning I would do a change and test then add part A/B and test until eventually I came to the method which worked for me, and it has worked for a long time. This problem I had was a sudden problem. I do use two different test kits (API and Tetra). I use the API all of the time and have confidence in the results, but when I get a reading which is way off I test again to verify I didn't screw up the first time, and then I test again with the other kit if I got the same result. I will test Magnesium just to make sure it is where it is supposed to be, and I'll cut out the part A/B for now to see what happens. Thanks again. I think my whole problem may have started with using those dissolving food pyramids when I went on vacation. I think they threw it all out of wack. I think they caused my calcium to shoot up and my ph and alk to go down. My water never moves that drastically and the only thing I did different was add the feeder blocks. I just thought it was odd that the part B clouded up as usual but then turned to a white dust which is not normal for me. That is why I asked.

[lakshwadeep]

What is the test kit brand, and is it expired?

[Joshb]

I dowsed for the first time today with nano reef a/b i did not test due to being stupid. My alkalinity which might have been fine due to my corals acting fine. I noticed my pulsing zenia shriveled up in 30 minutes. I then took my water to my local store alk was at 16k I then. Bought 10g of water and changed 10 out was this a bad change?