Kinda's Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

[Kindanewtothis]

dKH is now 10.2

 

So now I test again in one week and adjust?

[seabass]

Why in a week?  I'd be testing daily until I was sure of the rate of consumption.  Once it reaches 9.5 dKH, dose 7ml to bump it back up to 10 dKH.  I don't know if this will take a week or a day; but keep monitoring alkalinity until you can accurately predict it.

 

If you can't predict the alkalinity level before you test, you aren't testing enough.

[Kindanewtothis]

On 12/30/2021 at 12:44 AM, seabass said:

I would probably use the drop taken over seven days, and divide that by seven to get your daily consumption rate.

That is what I did at the time.

[seabass]

Yeah, you can certainly compute consumption that way (especially when alkalinity doesn't change very much).  However, with the problems that you've been having, I'd prefer that you to test daily and dose 7ml of Reef Fusion as soon as alkalinity hits 9.5 dKH.  Like I said, without knowing the rate of consumption, that could be every other day, or even every other week.

 

Eventually you'll know precisely what the rate of consumption is and how often you need to dose.  Then you can work out a daily dosage.  For example, if you need to dose 7ml once a week, you might decide to dose 1ml daily to further stabilize alkalinity.

[Kindanewtothis]

On 4/2/2022 at 4:13 PM, Kindanewtothis said:

No3 7.8

Po4 0.28

No3 6.6

Po4 0.28

 

GHA on the back wall but other than that not really. 

 

Could the chaeto be starting to work (No3 is low for this tank and stays low now)?

 

Used to see one asterina starfish here and there but now it's 3 or 4 at the time.

 

Lost a pink hammer head as predicted....

 

The single head green hammer that @Melfy77 gave me seems unaffected since beginning.

[Kindanewtothis]

dKH 9.5 already so I'll dose 7ml of reef fusion 2

[seabass]

Also keep track of calcium and magnesium (which are also being consumed).

[seabass]

According to Seachem:

"Dose aquarium every 1-2 days. Shake well before using. Add 1 mL of Reef Fusion 1™ per 25 L (6.5 US gallons) of water. (For reference purposes, the cap holds 5 mL.) Add this to a high current area of the tank. Wait a few minutes, then add Reef Fusion 2™ in the same manner, 1 mL per 25 L (6.5 US gallons), after shaking well. It is preferred that the two products be added to separate locations in the tank. This dose contributes 4 mg/L of calcium, and 0.176 meq/L of alkalinity. Never mix Reef Fusion 1™ with Reef Fusion 2™ directly."

 

So just to be clear, 7ml of Reef Fusion 1, will raise calcium by 4ppm in 45.5 gallons of water.

 

Reef Parameters

 

[Kindanewtothis]

dKH 10.5 

Ca 470

Mg 1280 is it ok?

 

 

[seabass]

On 4/15/2022 at 10:35 AM, Kindanewtothis said:

dKH 9.5 already so I'll dose 7ml of reef fusion 2

 

3 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

dKH 10.5

Did you dose more than 7ml?

 

 

3 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Mg 1280 is it ok?

According to the reef parameters page that I linked above, magnesium should be between 1250 and 1350 ppm.  While it's still within an acceptable range, I feel that it is a bit low.  I would dose it up to at least 1300 ppm.

 

3 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Ca 470

So that's a bit high, no need to dose Reef Fusion 1 at this time.

[Kindanewtothis]

2 hours ago, seabass said:

Did you dose more than 7ml?

I did not. I don't know why it's so high.

 

2 hours ago, seabass said:

.  I would dose it up to at least 1300 ppm.

Any product recommandations? 

[seabass]

54 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Any product recommandations? 

Just about anything would do.  Check online, or with your local store.

[seabass]

You could use the same brand, or even switch to another brand.   Being from Canada, you don't always have the same choices that we do.

amazon.ca/Seachem-Reef-Advantage-Magnesium-300-Gram/dp/B0002DGLPI/

 

[Kindanewtothis]

3 hours ago, seabass said:

You could use the same brand, or even switch to another brand.   Being from Canada, you don't always have the same choices that we do.

amazon.ca/Seachem-Reef-Advantage-Magnesium-300-Gram/dp/B0002DGLPI/

 

I saw this one but it's a powder, is it ok?

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I saw this one but it's a powder, is it ok?

You dissolve it in RO/DI water (1 level teaspoon to at least 1 cup of freshwater) before dosing it in your tank.  Then pour it into a high flow area of your tank.  Dose at a separate time than a carbonate supplement.

 

But like I said, any reputable brand (like Brightwell, ESV, Red Sea, AquaForest, Fritz, etc) should be fine.  So whatever is available.

[Kindanewtothis]

dKH back to 9.5

 

Will dose 7ml of reef fusion 2 again and hope it end up to 10.

[Kindanewtothis]

17 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

dKH back to 9.5

 

Will dose 7ml of reef fusion 2 again and hope it end up to 10.

So it's back to 9.5 this morning (dosed 17 hours ago). Do I dose again is it too soon?

[seabass]

I might retest to confirm; however, if it's actually 9.5 dKH, then you can dose back up to 10 dKH.

 

If you haven't already, dose magnesium up to 1300 ppm too.  I'm a little concerned about precipitation due to low magnesium.

[Kindanewtothis]

8 hours ago, seabass said:

I might retest to confirm; however, if it's actually 9.5 dKH, then you can dose back up to 10 dKH.

 

If you haven't already, dose magnesium up to 1300 ppm too.  I'm a little concerned about precipitation due to low magnesium.

Retested a few hours later and it was down to 9.2. I dosed 10 ml.

 

I don't have anything for magnesium right now. I gonna have to send someone get it for me... I have covid...

[seabass]

You could always order it online.

 

Plus, you could also potentially look at more common sources:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

However, I assume that the actual reef products contain appropriate ratios and minimal contaminants.

[Kindanewtothis]

dKH is down to 9, will dose 14ml.

 

Did not test or dosed yesterday.

[Kindanewtothis]

I got Red Sea Magnesium.

 

Will test again and dose what's needed.

[Kindanewtothis]

On 4/16/2022 at 1:37 PM, Kindanewtothis said:

Mg 1280 is it ok?

That result was wrong. 

 

Re-tested 3 times, Mg is 1440-1480

 

dKH consumption is about 0.5 per day.

 

I lost another hammer head yesterday. Only 2 left...

 

 

[seabass]

While high, that level of magnesium shouldn't be causing problems.  For magnesium, a little high is typically better than a little low.  Although the large deviation in test results is a bit concerning because the actual amount of magnesium in the water is really pretty stable.

 

13 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I lost another hammer head yesterday. Only 2 left...

Awhile back, I listed a number a potential issues.  You've concentrated on alkalinity (one of the most likely culprits).  However, there could be something else (or even several things).

 

Also, as I posted earlier, don't expect immediate results.  In fact, you have been pushing up alkalinity as instructed.  However, that isn't the model of stability.  Once the issue or issues have been resolved (whatever it or they might be), it will still take some time (when things are stable) for your coral to respond and recover.  These are animals in poor health and they won't make an immediate recovery the moment your parameters are fixed.

[Kindanewtothis]

6 hours ago, seabass said:

Although the large deviation in test results is a bit concerning (the actual amount of magnesium in the water is actually pretty stable).

When I though Mg was 1280, my test did not reach the right colour. So titrant used was only 0.64 but it should have been more. I also think I went too fast (and not drop by drop).

 

The 3 test I did yesterday all gave results between 1440-1480. How can it be this high if I never dosed magnesium ?