metrokat Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Man I wish I had your problem. My Alk has been elevated up around 11 due to dosing TechM for Bryopsis. Well, the bryopsis is gone now, but now I cant get my damn Alk to come back down to where I want it around 8. Don't mean to steal your thread Arce, but since we have some people that know a lot more about dosing in here, anyone have any ideas? with high Alk you can safely raise your temperature to 79-80 degrees, feed more and give the tank more light/longer photo period. You will see exponential growth as the corals work that carbonate and bicarbonate into their skeletons. Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nope. I haven't dosed Alk in months. Im pretty sure that the TechM dosing just threw the parameters off real bad and now everything is just unbalanced. It takes a LOT of magnesium chloride/sulfate and as such will increase salinity. Per Randy Holmes-Farley: A 100 ppm addition to magnesium with any brand of additive (except maybe Seachem which may be higher due to their unusual recipe) will add about 0.4 ppt to the salintiy, so 35 ppt to 35.4 ppt, or sg 1.0264 to 1.0267 Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Negotiated for more pay from the job offer. Got bumped up and even got a guaranteed increase by the end of summer based on performance. Super stoked. Signed that paper as fast as i could lol!!! 8 Quote Link to comment
itzju Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Negotiated for more pay from the job offer. Got bumped up and even got a guaranteed increase by the end of summer based on performance. Super stoked. Signed that paper as fast as i could lol!!! congrats dude! 1 Quote Link to comment
D Z Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 It takes a LOT of magnesium chloride/sulfate and as such will increase salinity. Per Randy Holmes-Farley: Well that makes sense since I bumped my Mag up by about 600ppm. Explains why I saw an increase in salinity during that time, which I had a feeling was due to the TechM. This is all great information, but it still doesn't answer my original question - now what do I do about the raised Alk? Everything else is pretty much in line, just need my Alk to come down from 11 to around 8. Is it safe to drop it by means of 1 or 2 large water changes? Negotiated for more pay from the job offer. Got bumped up and even got a guaranteed increase by the end of summer based on performance. Super stoked. Signed that paper as fast as i could lol!!! Now were talking dude. That the way to do it, especially on your first big job out of school. 1 Quote Link to comment
metrokat Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I think Ju and I should check on your tank when you're away. Nap time. You know, time to sleep for you on the vacation. Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 I think Ju and I should check on your tank when you're away. Nap time. You know, time to sleep for you on the vacation. Lolol with all these alk issues i considered it. 1 Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Well that makes sense since I bumped my Mag up by about 600ppm. Explains why I saw an increase in salinity during that time, which I had a feeling was due to the TechM. This is all great information, but it still doesn't answer my original question - now what do I do about the raised Alk? Everything else is pretty much in line, just need my Alk to come down from 11 to around 8. Is it safe to drop it by means of 1 or 2 large water changes? With elevated magnesium, there really is no way to lower cal/alk without changing water with a mix with lower alk. I would recommend to do several large water changes - 50% or greater. You'll hear a lot of people say 'oh, you can't do large changes like that, the change is too big, stability stability stability!' but then you ask them if they've ever added a coral to their tank (which is very different from the tank it came from) and they'll say 'why yes, of course'. 1 Quote Link to comment
itzju Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Lolol with all these alk issues i considered it. bro, get a foscam or something lol. i have one for when i go on vacation, so i can look at the tank just to ease my mind. Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 bro, get a foscam or something lol. i have one for when i go on vacation, so i can look at the tank just to ease my mind. Going to just make my mom facetime me lol 1 Quote Link to comment
D Z Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 With elevated magnesium, there really is no way to lower cal/alk without changing water with a mix with lower alk. I would recommend to do several large water changes - 50% or greater. You'll hear a lot of people say 'oh, you can't do large changes like that, the change is too big, stability stability stability!' but then you ask them if they've ever added a coral to their tank (which is very different from the tank it came from) and they'll say 'why yes, of course'. Well, my mag is not longer elevated, thats what I am trying to explain. I was still thinking, though, that a couple larger water changes would be the way to go. 1 Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Well, my mag is not longer elevated, thats what I am trying to explain. I was still thinking, though, that a couple larger water changes would be the way to go. OH! Ok, I think I'm on the same page now lol. I think large water changes are the best course of action. Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Man this week has been so hectic!!! Ok, fish talk time.... So i raised my dosages for 2part to see if my calcium would increase... I jumped my calcium dose up 5mL/ day and my alk about the same. Alk shot up, calcium floating around 390 still. So im just assuming im going to have to dose more calcium than alkalinity. My tenius colony is super pissed, no PE and had a small amount of necrosis on one of the tips. Super worried about the tenius because its honestly one of my favorite corals. Hoping it pulls through..... Other than the tenius my hawkins is also not looking so hot, a little bit of necrosis as well. Really wish i could get my alk under control because this is the cause of all the problems. Prepping the tank for my vacation. Everything should be ready to go.. Did a 5 gallon water change and cleaned it like crazy. Everything's on a timer and should be good. Going to make adjustments to my dosages based on tomorrows test readings to hopefully not cause a huge rise or drop in alk while I'm gone. I guess that will be the real test to see if it will remain stable when i get back. Really nervous about leaving my tank. Just have to get through a senior project presentation tomorrow, my aunts bday dinner and final tank preparation then ill be on a beach with a beer in hand in no time . 2 Quote Link to comment
NanoFever Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Good luck...alk issues suck! In either case the beach and a beer makes everything better! 2 Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 17 hours till im on a plane to Cancun . Rocked my senior project presentation despite how crappy my group members were. Did like 95% of the work. Happy i can finally relax and get ready for vacation. 1 Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Seriously getting tired of these alk issues. Bumped up my calcium dose from 23 mL to 30mL the other day, still hasnt even budged from 380 ppm. Alk stil fluctuating for no damn reason. My corals are suffering from theses issues, three pieces are showing signs of necrosis. Really regret switching 2 parts.... Not sure what the hell to do.... Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 See ya in 5 days NR =] 2 Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 The view from our balcony. =] http://flic.kr/p/qGzDE5 2 Quote Link to comment
D Z Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Awesome view bro! Enjoy it and drink one(or ten) for me! I wish you the best of lock on the Alk issue for when you get home. Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 On the way home =[ Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hope you enjoyed the vacation! Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Home. It was amazing. Posting updates tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Got home, first thing i did was play with my dogs. Missed them so much. Then i went to check the tank. Visually everything looks good, had some good growth over the past couple days. Tenius along with my other blue acro are stn'ing though. Check alk and it was 5.8, before i left it was 7.5 soooo thats a problem. Posting pics and details about the vaca tomorrow. Just had to rant about my tank. 1 Quote Link to comment
Arce Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 DSCN0562 by justinarce5692, on Flickr 4 Quote Link to comment
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