Kat's Ol' Max

[jedimasterben]

Mike, the salinity may be an issue I have not looked into. Thank you for the clue.

Yes I am calibrating using RO water per the instructions which said use RO or distilled. Will nothing other than calibration fluid work? Will Distilled work? Thanks.

You should only ever calibrate with a solution that matches your target. Purchase a 53ns/35ppt calibration solution.

[Veng]

You should only ever calibrate with a solution that matches your target. Purchase a 53ns/35ppt calibration solution.

 

This. Calibrating to RO/DI will yield a bad calibration. Bulk Reef Supply and many other places sells 35ppt/1.026 calibration solution. Get some of that.

 

Like this one:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-craft-r...tion-fluid.html

Edited December 10, 2012 by Veng

[mike c]

[metrokat]

You should only ever calibrate with a solution that matches your target. Purchase a 53ns/35ppt calibration solution.

 

 

This. Calibrating to RO/DI will yield a bad calibration. Bulk Reef Supply and many other places sells 35ppt/1.026 calibration solution. Get some of that.

 

Like this one:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-craft-r...tion-fluid.html

 

Thanks guys, my LFS do not carry the fluid so yes I will have to order online. In the meantime I'm going to calibrate using distilled.

 

oh yeah, he's been attempting to kill me with his purring ways for over 13 years.

[metrokat]

Yea, I think I will try and stick with ORA for the future as the tank bred corals seems to be much hardier. That blue polyp stylophora that survived my tank mishap is tank bread, supposedly an older ORA variety that they stopped selling in favor of the purple polyp stylophora. All my other SPS are random frags from unknown sources.

All the ORA corals I have are very hardy. Come to think of it, even the aqua cultured corals I am aware of in my tank are pretty hardy.

[jedimaster1138]

All the ORA corals I have are very hardy. Come to think of it, even the aqua cultured corals I am aware of in my tank are pretty hardy.

 

+10000

 

My ORA SPS are my most hardy, colorful, and growth-tastic SPS. Compared to my other SPS (50-50 split), they win the health/growth/color olympics hands down. I think my brood consists of ORA pieces including:

 

Purple Stylophora

Green Monitpora Digitata

Purple Nana acropora

Purple Plasma acropora

Red planet acropora

 

I did lose an ORA Forest Fire Digitata, but I blame the vendor I got it from or something. It didn't look happy from the minute I put it in my tank.

[metrokat]

Purple Stylophora

Green Monitpora Digitata

Purple Nana acropora

Purple Plasma acropora

Red planet acropora

That is a fabulous list! My ORA's are

Green Birdsnest

Scripps

Green Psammacora

 

I think those are it.

[metrokat]

Oh, I have to say my water is crystal clear today. Thanks to the carbon in the reactor. I'm running a lot of carbon. If the millepora wasn't so fluffy I would have to check if the powerheads were on, it is that clear!

[jedimaster1138]

That is a fabulous list! My ORA's are

Green Birdsnest

Scripps

Green Psammacora

 

I think those are it.

 

The Purple Plasma gets nutty PE for you hammer it with flow. I recommend it if you see it. Nice color form. I wish it wasn't getting crowded out by my monti cap. I have to reorganize...

 

I really want a Pearlberry and Tri-Color Valida, but I need a bigger boat...er tank first

 

[metrokat]

Oh I just gave my valida to Zeph when he came over last, it was from TomToothDoc over at MR, he's awesome that guy.

[metrokat]

I forgot to tell y'all. Beebes has given me an APEX code challenge. He didn't specify a prize, but here's the puzzle

 

1. If you wanted to dose once every 20 minutes for 1 minute, but shifted over to the middle of the 20 minutes (so starting at the 10 minute mark), what would the OSC code look like?

 

Example of pattern:

 

8AM, off. 8:10, on. 8:11, off. 8:30, on. 8:31, off. 8:50, on. 8:51, off. 9:10, on, 9:11 off. Etc etc.

 

2. What would the OSC code look like if I wanted to dose once every 2 hours, in the middle of the first hour, for 10 minutes?

 

Example of pattern:

 

8AM, off. 8:30, on. 8:40, off. 10:30, on. 10:40, off. 12:30PM, on. 12:40, off. Etc etc.

 

I haven't worked on it yet but I have all night.

[Veng]

1. If you wanted to dose once every 20 minutes for 1 minute, but shifted over to the middle of the 20 minutes (so starting at the 10 minute mark), what would the OSC code look like?

For what you said here:

OSC 10:00/01:00/09:00 THEN ON

 

8AM, off. 8:10, on. 8:11, off. 8:30, on. 8:31, off. 8:50, on. 8:51, off. 9:10, on, 9:11 off. Etc etc.

For your example (which is different)

OSC 10:00/01:00/19:00 THEN ON

 

2. What would the OSC code look like if I wanted to dose once every 2 hours, in the middle of the first hour, for 10 minutes?

 

OSC 30:00/10:00/80:00 THEN ON

[metrokat]

For what you said here:

OSC 10:00/01:00/09:00 THEN ON

 

 

For your example (which is different)

OSC 10:00/01:00/19:00 THEN ON

 

 

 

OSC 30:00/10:00/80:00 THEN ON

ARGH, I got the second one wrong.

[Veng]

ARGH, I got the second one wrong.

[metrokat]

Okay, I'm adding on to the data, ALK and Calcium readings

 

Nov 30: 10.2, 350

Dec 1: 7.8, 400

Apex Dosing online, equal parts, constant.

Dec 2: 8.0, 370

Dec 3: 8.4, 400

Dec 5: 7.3? , 400

Dec 8: water change

Dec 9: 7.0, 400 with increased dosing of Alkalinity

Equal and increased dosing. Also changed the dosing schedule. Till yesterday the ALK was dosed at night, 8pm to 8am and the calcium during the day between 8am and 8pm. Now it alternates every 15 minutes 24 hours a day.

Dec 10: 6.4, 415

 

Really? WTF!

[Veng]

This may give you more questions than answers, but I think it's the start of the path you need to go down:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

It looks like you are moving into zone 4.

[metrokat]

This may give you more questions than answers, but I think it's the start of the path you need to go down:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

It looks like you are moving into zone 4.

I've been in zone 4 for the longest time.

Upping the dosage for both, again.

[Looselyhuman]

FFS.

 

You tested twice right?

 

Two things almost everybody does differently from you - you know all this but I will just point it out again:

 

1.) Kalk. This is usually what people do before they start dealing with 2-part, and for SPS-ers, it's almost always an "and" thing. You went the other way for all sorts of seemingly good reasons, but I still think it's an ongoing mistake - especially if you're determined to be in the high and stable Alk club.

 

2.) BRS 2-part. Again, good reasons, but something is up with that. It should obviously not be falling while increasing the dose.

 

Silver lining: At least your Ca is going the right way.

 

I predict that within an hour someone is going to be asking you about your source water (for WCs, top off and mixing the 2-part). What's your TDS right now?

[metrokat]

FFS.

 

You tested twice right?

 

Two things almost everybody does differently from you - you know all this but I will just point it out again:

 

1.) Kalk. This is usually what people do before they start dealing with 2-part, and for SPS-ers, it's almost always an "and" thing. You went the other way for all sorts of seemingly good reasons, but I still think it's an ongoing mistake - especially if you're determined to be in the high and stable Alk club.

 

2.) BRS 2-part. Again, good reasons, but something is up with that. It should obviously not be falling while increasing the dose.

 

Silver lining: At least your Ca is going the right way.

 

I predict that within an hour someone is going to be asking you about your source water (for WCs, top off and mixing the 2-part). What's your TDS right now?

TDS is zero. New carbon and silica blocks in my RODI.

Directions on the soda ash said 2 cups to 4/5 of a gallon. If I mixed in more to get a more saturated solution, would that help.

 

Also noticed that the alk tube gets cruddy and almost clogged with deposit. Is this normal? How to prevent it?

 

Are you suggesting I start KALK? And if so should I stop the 2 part?

[Looselyhuman]

TDS is zero. New carbon and silica blocks in my RODI.

Directions on the soda ash said 2 cups to 4/5 of a gallon. If I mixed in more to get a more saturated solution, would that help.

 

Also noticed that the alk tube gets cruddy and almost clogged with deposit. Is this normal? How to prevent it?

 

Are you suggesting I start KALK? And if so should I stop the 2 part?

Hmm. When you mix it and let it sit, is there a bunch of sediment? Are you drawing from the very bottom?

 

Do you think there's any chance it's clogging enough to restrict the flow? It's not normal for b-ionic. It is normal for Kalk if you let the output touch saltwater... It's not in the water right?

 

Yes, I've always been pro-Kalk, but you had a bad experience and there was no telling you that at the time. I would keep the 2-part where it is* and go hyposaturated on the Kalk (1tsp/gallon) and go up from there.

 

*Actualy, where it was yesterday, you're probably dialing it up too much in reaction mode right now. Something is going on w/the 2-part that if/when you figure it out will probably put you in OD territory. I suggest small changes and let it sit for a couple days between (and try Kalk).

[metrokat]

Do you think there's any chance it's clogging enough to restrict the flow? It's not normal for b-ionic. It is normal for Kalk if you let the output touch saltwater... It's not in the water right?

this might be the problem, it is touching the water.

[SerenityReef]

For what you said here:

OSC 10:00/01:00/09:00 THEN ON

 

 

For your example (which is different)

OSC 10:00/01:00/19:00 THEN ON

 

 

 

OSC 30:00/10:00/80:00 THEN ON

 

[beebes]

For what you said here:

OSC 10:00/01:00/09:00 THEN ON

 

 

For your example (which is different)

OSC 10:00/01:00/19:00 THEN ON

 

 

 

OSC 30:00/10:00/80:00 THEN ON

 

I could be wrong Veng, but I believe both my statement and example were the same, and your first solution is the correct answer to the question.

 

Here is a diagram I made to show the question in a bit more detail:

 

 

As you can see more clearly in the diagram above, dosing occurs once every twenty minutes, for one minute - starting at the 10 minute mark. The times in my diagram match with my example and the first OSC solution you provided. I believe it all matches with my statement, unless I wrote it confusingly.

[metrokat]

<--- new avatar to celebrate your TOTM! One of my favorite pairs!

Love it!

I could be wrong Veng, but I believe both my statement and example were the same, and your first solution is the correct answer to the question.

 

Here is a diagram I made to show the question in a bit more detail:

 

 

As you can see more clearly in the diagram above, dosing occurs once every twenty minutes, for one minute - starting at the 10 minute mark. The times in my diagram match with my example and the first OSC solution you provided. I believe it all matches with my statement, unless I wrote it confusingly.

I love nerds on my thread.

 

I was writing the answers to the code challenge while having dinner last night, my brother asked what I was doing so I told him. He had an expression a little bit like this:

[markalot]

Did I miss the magnesium test?

 

From what I understand low alk can be caused by fuzzy sticks using it more than calcium or low magnesium causing a slow conversion of alk and calcium into sand (precipitating out of the water).

 

I've been seeing the ups and down with Alk too, prior to losing most of my SPS, and now that most are gone Alk is steady so I have evidence that indeed the few small frags I had were gulping it up.