calcium and KH

[sadie]

I had to run off this morning, but I tested and dosed before I left.

 

My Phos was higher then 0, but not quite .03  I added a bit more Phos then I have been (4 ml instead of 3 ml)

My Nitrates were 10 

 

I will test both tonight and dose as needed. (full dose 😉)

 

So I guess this is how it will go for a while.

 

thanks all

 

 

 

[mcarroll]

If nitrates are rising, that can make the demand for phosphate rise too (if it gets too out of balance if can cause bleaching!)....be prepared with those phosphate doses, and don't be stingy!   Dose to 0.10 ppm every time.  If the tank registers zero (or even close to zero) then that means you should dose 6 mL.  👍   

 

There is no danger whatsoever from overdosing phosphates.  So always round up or dose more if there's a question about "how much".

 

There is only danger when the system is low/defficient in phosphates.  If the test kit reads 0.02 ppm, you can presume that there is 0.02 ppm of error in the test, so that makes it 0.00.

[sadie]

56 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

If nitrates are rising, that can make the demand for phosphate rise too (if it gets too out of balance if can cause bleaching!)....be prepared with those phosphate doses, and don't be stingy!   Dose to 0.10 ppm every time.  If the tank registers zero (or even close to zero) then that means you should dose 6 mL.  👍   

 

There is no danger whatsoever from overdosing phosphates.  So always round up or dose more if there's a question about "how much".

 

There is only danger when the system is low/defficient in phosphates.  If the test kit reads 0.02 ppm, you can presume that there is 0.02 ppm of error in the test, so that makes it 0.00.

Thanks so much for explaining this.  

[sadie]

I just read this whole thing all over again (there is a lot of info)

 

I just added 6 ml of the NeoPhos, I will check the levels again in about a half hour and dose again.  Keep doing this until I have 0.10 ppm of phos

[sadie]

BOTH my levels are where they should be  😁  Now to keep them there.

 

Hopefully my xinia will be happy again.

 

I put an order if for some snails before it got too cold, so hopefully all the ugly algae will be gone soon too.

[sadie]

OH MY GOODNESS!! I HAVE A PHOSPHATE EATING GREMLIN IN MY TANK!!👹

 

I tested this morning and they were .03 so I added 6ml of Phos. (around 9:30 am)  I had to run off and couldn't test again.

I tested them again tonight around 5:00 PM and they were 0!!  I added 6 ml and tested in about 1/2 an hour and they were .03.  I added 6 ml again and will test in a few minutes, 

 

But what the heck!!  I swear a gremlin is eating all my phosphates!! 👿

 

[A.m.P]

The algae on your rocks looks like chrysophytes, and on the sand looks like it could be larger-cell dinos, or diatoms/cyano as mentioned earlier. 
P04 can be very difficult to bring up if you ever end up bottomed-out (N03 or P04), sounds like you're on the right track already though.

[sadie]

I hope so.  My tank is looking a bit better in some ways and a bit uglier in others.  The fuzzy stuff on the rocks is getting worse, but the algae on the sand is getting better.  I have a bunch of snails coming in soon, and hopefully keeping my N03 and P04 up and balanced will help.  It's just so frustrating.

 

I do have a microscope ordered and hopefully will be here soon.  Not that it will help, but it would be nice to know what kind of algae it is.  

[sadie]

I tested at 7:15PM  and the Phosphates were around .10.  Thought I would check just before  I went to bed (10:45 PM) and they weren't quite 0, but not quite 3.0.  I added 6 ml of Phos.

 

Does this sound right?  Can it really be consumed this quickly?  Is there another way to keep my Phos up?

[A.m.P]

It sounds like your test kit might be a little bit on the low-res side for trying to determine anything past ">0" or "0". 
If you have color on your P04 test, showing a concentration, I wouldn't worry too much about it and would just focus on what manual removal you can and on keeping your N03 and P04 up.
Seachem also has a cheap phosphate test which you might find more helpful, but they're all difficult to decipher in the low ranges.

[mcarroll]

5 hours ago, sadie said:

OH MY GOODNESS!! I HAVE A PHOSPHATE EATING GREMLIN IN MY TANK!!👹

 

I tested this morning and they were .03 so I added 6ml of Phos. (around 9:30 am)  I had to run off and couldn't test again.

I tested them again tonight around 5:00 PM and they were 0!!  I added 6 ml and tested in about 1/2 an hour and they were .03.  I added 6 ml again and will test in a few minutes, 

 

But what the heck!!  I swear a gremlin is eating all my phosphates!! 👿

 

This is what I was trying to get across to you the whole time!  😉  And now you see how pinched the demand for phosphates has been!!

 

Keep it up!

 

If you need more time in between doses before PO4 reaches zero, you can dose the tank up to a higher target like 0.20 ppm...once demand levels off (it will sooner or later) you can resume targeting 0.10 ppm if you want.  

 

You could dose all the way up to 1.00 or 2.00 and it wouldn't hurt anything, BTW, so be brave – if you need more time, dose to a higher target.  

 

[sadie]

10 hours ago, Amphrites said:

It sounds like your test kit might be a little bit on the low-res side for trying to determine anything past ">0" or "0". 
If you have color on your P04 test, showing a concentration, I wouldn't worry too much about it and would just focus on what manual removal you can and on keeping your N03 and P04 up.
Seachem also has a cheap phosphate test which you might find more helpful, but they're all difficult to decipher in the low ranges.

I use Salifert.  I'm not sure exactly what you mean by low-res.  It gives you directions like 4 drops in 10 ml and then it gives you a low-res directions like 2 drops in 5 ml.  But I think they just do that so you get more tests out of the kit.  

[sadie]

8 hours ago, mcarroll said:

This is what I was trying to get across to you the whole time!  😉  And now you see how pinched the demand for phosphates has been!!

 

Keep it up!

 

If you need more time in between doses before PO4 reaches zero, you can dose the tank up to a higher target like 0.20 ppm...once demand levels off (it will sooner or later) you can resume targeting 0.10 ppm if you want.  

 

You could dose all the way up to 1.00 or 2.00 and it wouldn't hurt anything, BTW, so be brave – if you need more time, dose to a higher target.  

 

I know...*bows head in shame*  It just didn't feel right adding all that stuff at once.  But now I see it WAS needed.  I tested this morning and they were near 0 again.  I will dose close to 2 and see how long that lasts.

[A.m.P]

I meant lower range, not resolution, so a gradient with more steps. In that context I should have said higher resolution, come to think of it, would have made more sense.

 

 

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, sadie said:

I use Salifert.  I'm not sure exactly what you mean by low-res.  It gives you directions like 4 drops in 10 ml and then it gives you a low-res directions like 2 drops in 5 ml.  But I think they just do that so you get more tests out of the kit.  

Not all kits are good at reading low phosphate levels and kits where you have determine colour difference can be difficult to read.

 

With salifert until your results are high enough to get a lot of colour, its really hard to tel between faint blue, light blue, and slightly not light blue.

 

Hanna ULR is what i use for that reason. Costs more but no more guessing.

 

Reads the lowest levels of phosphate accurately and its a digital read out.

[sadie]

26 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Not all kits are good at reading low phosphate levels and kits where you have determine colour difference can be difficult to read.

 

With salifert until your results are high enough to get a lot of colour, its really hard to tel between faint blue, light blue, and slightly not light blue.

 

Hanna ULR is what i use for that reason. Costs more but no more guessing.

 

Reads the lowest levels of phosphate accurately and its a digital read out.

That sounds amazing!  I keep bringing it to my husband to ask him what he thinks because it is sooooo close in color between the 3.  I'll look into that, thanks.  

[sadie]

 

https://www.marinedepot.com/hanna-instruments-checker-low-range-phosphate-colorimeter?utm_source=bingshopping&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=bingshopping&utm_content=CMFSSWSKU-HN1183-1142&msclkid=4e422c9f38cc1d9bd4a5730aa7283cab&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bingshopping(BSC)&utm_term=4577885383739117&utm_content=adgrp1&&

 

is this the one you use?  

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, sadie said:

That sounds amazing!  I keep bringing it to my husband to ask him what he thinks because it is sooooo close in color between the 3.  I'll look into that, thanks.  

Ya we got fed up trying to figure out the different blues. I could never tell. I only knew when it was 0 because it was clear.

 

Its been so much easier with hanna. No more colours😀

[sadie]

sweet, gonna order that. 

[mcarroll]

7 hours ago, sadie said:

That sounds amazing!  I keep bringing it to my husband to ask him what he thinks because it is sooooo close in color between the 3.  I'll look into that, thanks.  

If you can have a second vial of tank water (plain) to compare with the test vial, you'll do better on the comparison...you're eyes/brain have a third point of reference.

 

Then again, now you're shooting for higher on the test kit's range, so it should be easier to read anyway.

 

(Watch some videos on how to use those digital test kits...they aren't as simple as the kits you're using now.  Not for everyone, IMO.)

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

If you can have a second vial of tank water (plain) to compare with the test vial, you'll do better on the comparison...you're eyes/brain have a third point of reference.

 

Then again, now you're shooting for higher on the test kit's range, so it should be easier to read anyway.

 

(Watch some videos on how to use those digital test kits...they aren't as simple as the kits you're using now.  Not for everyone, IMO.)

Its pretty easy.

 

Takes me no time and i test 4 tanks.

[sadie]

my friend just caught me "tough talking" my tank-  I'm like- "oh yea, you think you can eat up all my phosphates and get away with it?  I'll show you"... and she walks around the corner.  She gave me a look...I think when all this balances out, I will have a victory drink!...I mean dance...😜