ccejka Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 Below you will find my water parameters over the last month. So far I am pretty happy with it all but I would like to raise my calcium to around 400 to 450 ppm. I have been doing some reading and it sounds like some people use Ken's Marine Nano-Reef Part A & B to raise this but I am looking for recommendations. Tank is 1 month old today and 2 weeks with coral and fish. I do weekly water changes of 4 gallons with Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. 11/12/2018 11/20/2018 11/24/2018 11/25/2018 11/26/2018 11/27/2018 11/27/2018 12/04/2018 Temp 77 Temp 77 Temp 78 Temp 78 Temp 77 Temp 77 Temp 76.5 Temp 77.4 Salinity N/A Salinity 1.028 Salinity 1.026 Salinity 1.026 Salinity N/A Salinity 1.025 Salinity 1.025 Salinity 1.024 PH N/A PH 8.2 PH 8.2 PH 8.2 PH 8.0 PH 8.0 PH 8.2 PH 8.2 NO2 N/A NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO2 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM CA2 400 PPM CA2 N/A CA2 360 PPM CA2 340 PPM CA2 N/A CA2 N/A CA2 340 PPM CA2 N/A KH 10 dKH KH N/A KH 7 dKH KH 8 dKH KH N/A KH N/A KH 8 dKH KH N/A 12/11/2018 Temp 77.7 Salinity 1.026 PH 8.2 NO2 0.00 PPM NO3 0.00 PPM NH3/NH4 0.00 PPM PO4 0.00 PPM CA2 0.00 PPM KH 8 dKH Note I add the following to the tank on 11/25/2018 Coral - Zoa, GSP, Acan Fish/Invert - Clown, Cleaner Shrimp, 2 Turbo Snails Quote Link to comment
SaltyBuddha Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 You really shouldn't need to start dosing anything. Alk and calcium are used for coral growth. The only stony coral you have is the acan and those don't use up much alk or cal compared to many corals. With your tank, weekly water changes will maintain proper parameters. If you really want to increase your calcium, I would change to a different salt mix. Much easier to change to a salt mix that has the parameters you want. Also, your tank is still very young. Let it mature for a few months before worrying about Alk/CA. Keep doing your water changes and you should be good to go for a while. For reference, I had to start dosing Alk/Ca in my 10g tank after 1 year. 3 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 The purpose of dosing is to replenish what corals use, not to reach a number. 400 or 450 provide no difference to corals. Stability is what's important. Your target numbers are what your salt mixes at. If your salt mixes at 400 ca and 7.8 dkh(example) that is what you want to keep stable. Dosing requires a lot of testing and understanding of what it can do if done wrong. If your salt mixes low numbers and you want higher params, it's best to get a different salt because trying to dose to reach a magic number will cause fluctuations when you do a waterchange, or you will have to dose the waterchange water too. In the end that's a lot of dosing and testing. 2 Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 11, 2018 Author Share Posted December 11, 2018 34 minutes ago, Clown79 said: The purpose of dosing is to replenish what corals use, not to reach a number. 400 or 450 provide no difference to corals. Stability is what's important. Your target numbers are what your salt mixes at. If your salt mixes at 400 ca and 7.8 dkh(example) that is what you want to keep stable. Dosing requires a lot of testing and understanding of what it can do if done wrong. If your salt mixes low numbers and you want higher params, it's best to get a different salt because trying to dose to reach a magic number will cause fluctuations when you do a waterchange, or you will have to dose the waterchange water too. In the end that's a lot of dosing and testing. 57 minutes ago, SaltyBuddha said: You really shouldn't need to start dosing anything. Alk and calcium are used for coral growth. The only stony coral you have is the acan and those don't use up much alk or cal compared to many corals. With your tank, weekly water changes will maintain proper parameters. If you really want to increase your calcium, I would change to a different salt mix. Much easier to change to a salt mix that has the parameters you want. Also, your tank is still very young. Let it mature for a few months before worrying about Alk/CA. Keep doing your water changes and you should be good to go for a while. For reference, I had to start dosing Alk/Ca in my 10g tank after 1 year. If there is no issue with it the calcium being at 340 - 380 ppm then I will keep at it and do my best to keep everything stable. I just hear about these magic numbers that you should have your tank at so that is the only reason for wanting to get it up. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 The magic number is stability. 340 is low. It shouldn't be 340. Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 11, 2018 Author Share Posted December 11, 2018 14 minutes ago, Clown79 said: The magic number is stability. 340 is low. It shouldn't be 340. Any recommendation for what salt to go to? I bought the Red Sea Coral Pro and have done two water changes but it has never gone over 380 since the water change. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 1 hour ago, ccejka said: Any recommendation for what salt to go to? I bought the Red Sea Coral Pro and have done two water changes but it has never gone over 380 since the water change. Coral pro is usually high in parameters. Do you stir the salt/roll bucket to get an even distribution? Are you mixing it properly? Did you check the batch levels online? There are particular mixing instructions for this salt or it will precipitate. Per red sea. Add salt to water and stir. Ensure sg is correct. After 2 hrs add heater and powerhead. Salt shouldn't be mixed for more than 4hrs This salt is not to be stored for more than a week. 1 Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 11, 2018 Author Share Posted December 11, 2018 1 minute ago, Clown79 said: Coral pro is usually high in parameters. Do you stir the salt/roll bucket to get an even distribution? Are you mixing it properly? Did you check the batch levels online? There are particular mixing instructions for this salt or it will precipitate. Per red sea. Add salt to water and stir. Ensure sg is correct. After 2 hrs add heater and powerhead. Salt shouldn't be mixed for more than 4hrs This salt is not to be stored for more than a week. I am going to mix some salt up tonight and check it. I did a water change last week so a few days early shouldn't be an issue. What batch level online should a I be checking? I assume they mean to that the salt is not to be stored for more than a week mixed not in the bucket as you buy it? Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 There is a batch number on every box that can be checked online for that batch of salts parameters. Mixed salt water made with RSCP can only be saved for 1 week before it precipitates. If its mixed incorrectly it can also precipitate 1 Quote Link to comment
MrObscura Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Yea, there's no reason you cal should be low. What are you using to test it? If you still get low cal readings I'd verify it with another test. Your test might be inaccurate. 1 Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share Posted December 12, 2018 6 minutes ago, Clown79 said: There is a batch number on every box that can be checked online for that batch of salts parameters. Mixed salt water made with RSCP can only be saved for 1 week before it precipitates. If its mixed incorrectly it can also precipitate I will check that online also thanks for all the information! 5 minutes ago, MrObscura said: Yea, there's no reason you cal should be low. What are you using to test it? If you still get low cal readings I'd verify it with another test. Your test might be inaccurate. Just an API test kit my brother has the Red Sea Test kit. I plan to test the CAL the water I mix for the water change, if it is still low I will get his test kit tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 5 minutes ago, ccejka said: I will check that online also thanks for all the information! Just an API test kit my brother has the Red Sea Test kit. I plan to test the CAL the water I mix for the water change, if it is still low I will get his test kit tomorrow. I never had issues with my api Ca test other than it's how long it took to do. Lol. You're welcome. Its nice using a salt with batch controls, you can always find out what you salt should be mixing to. 1 Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share Posted December 12, 2018 6 hours ago, Clown79 said: I never had issues with my api Ca test other than it's how long it took to do. Lol. You're welcome. Its nice using a salt with batch controls, you can always find out what you salt should be mixing to. I assume this is where the batch number should be lol So mixed about 3.5 gallons, was suppose to be 4 gallons but a series of unfortunate events caused it to be slightly less. Nevertheless tested the new water after mixing per the described directions and calcium was at 420 PPM. Did the water change will test in the afternoon tomorrow. Thanks again for the help! Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 You're welcome. You can test right after the water change to see where the tank is at. That's basically the number you want to keep stable. You shouldn't have much consumption of alk or ca and the most important is alk 1 Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share Posted December 12, 2018 43 minutes ago, Clown79 said: You're welcome. You can test right after the water change to see where the tank is at. That's basically the number you want to keep stable. You shouldn't have much consumption of alk or ca and the most important is alk I Will be sure to test after my next water change I had already left my office when I posted. Quote Link to comment
ccejka Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share Posted December 12, 2018 11 hours ago, Clown79 said: You're welcome. You can test right after the water change to see where the tank is at. That's basically the number you want to keep stable. You shouldn't have much consumption of alk or ca and the most important is alk Checked the water ca was between 400 and 420 PPM. Maybe you can shed some light on the alk... Some people have told me that KH and ALK are not the same test and some people tell me they are. So if that is true I stay in the 8.0 to 8.2 dKH, Quote Link to comment
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