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https://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/E.S.V.-B-Ionic-Calcium-Buffer-2-part-System-2-x-32oz.html

ESV B-Ionic is often used for small tanks or small dosing requirements.

 

Sure Seachem Reef Fusion 1 and 2 is another suitable product.

 

Many of these two part solutions still require a magnesium component.  Proper magnesium levels are required to maintain the desired alkalinity and calcium levels.

 

There are even DIY recipes.

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

But most people use some off the shelf system to help ensure purity and balanced levels.

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Kindanewtothis
On 12/27/2021 at 9:40 AM, Kindanewtothis said:

@seabass My KH is 8, it's usually around 9.5 but I think I need to test more often.

 

Should I start dosing KH? Testing Mg and Ca?

KH is now 7.6 so consumption seems to be around 0.4 a day.

 

Ca 440

Mg 1480

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Kindanewtothis

Quick update on the YWG, little guy "Abeille" ("bee" in english) now eats mysis also and even tried a flake. The name is from my 3 yo because it's yellow.

 

Did a KH test again and I must have messed something because previous results were 8 then 7.6 and now more than 9?

 

I've order Seachem fusion 1 and 2.

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Not really sure what's going on with your testing.  Alkalinity won't go up on its own, so it's testing errors.  You'll need to improve that somehow.  What kit do you use?  I really like Salifert's alkalinity test kit.

 

Once you figure out how to get reliable test results, you can figure the daily consumption rate.  I would probably use the drop taken over seven days, and divide that by seven to get your daily consumption rate.

 

After you start dosing, you will need to continue to test to check stability.  If dosing is pushing alkalinity up, you'll need to decrease your daily doses; and likewise, if alkalinity is still dropping, you'll need to increase the dosage.

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Kindanewtothis
6 hours ago, seabass said:

Not really sure what's going on with your testing.  Alkalinity won't go up on its own, so it's testing errors.  You'll need to improve that somehow.  What kit do you use?  I really like Salifert's alkalinity test kit.

 

Once you figure out how to get reliable test results, you can figure the daily consumption rate.  I would probably use the drop taken over seven days, and divide that by seven to get your daily consumption rate.

 

After you start dosing, you will need to continue to test to check stability.  If dosing is pushing alkalinity up, you'll need to decrease your daily doses; and likewise, if alkalinity is still dropping, you'll need to increase the dosage.

I use Redsea for KH, Ca and Mg so I don't know what happened. Will test again.

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Kindanewtothis

Retested KH still 7.6, really don't know what I did to get that 9.

 

Should I test newly mixed water and try to reach that level of KH or just bring it back above 9?

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10 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Should I test newly mixed water and try to reach that level of KH or just bring it back above 9?

Stability is the key.  I feel that maintaining alkalinity at the same level as your water change water helps to prevent swings (no matter how much water you need to change out).  So I try to target all the major elements (alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium) at salt mix levels, with alkalinity being the most important of the three.

 

I consider dosing to be replenishing the consumed elements, not elevating levels to some other ideal.  So if you aren't happy with the levels that your salt mix mixes to, you might consider switching mixes.

 

That said, in the dosing video that I previously linked, BRS suggested keeping levels at:

  • Alkalinity: 9 dKH
  • Calcium: 420 ppm
  • Magnesium: 1350 ppm

Those levels are perfectly fine provided that you can maintain stability.

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10 minutes ago, seabass said:

I consider dosing to be replenishing the consumed elements, not elevating levels to some other ideal.  So if you aren't happy with the levels that your salt mix mixes to, you might consider switching mixes.

This is good advice, stability is key. Corals will be happy in a range of dKH but it needs to be maintained once they are acclimatised to it.

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Kindanewtothis

Anyone knows this model? Would it work with a simple 5 gallons bucket under the tank?

 

https://www.aquariumdepot.ca/hydor-smart-level-control-ato-automatic-top-off.html

 

Edit: no pump with this one so...

 

 

But about this Amazon model https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09FPRN3GT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_A1DV3SBADJEF42XPN2PF

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Kindanewtothis
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Kindanewtothis
15 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Anyone knows this model? Would it work with a simple 5 gallons bucket under the tank?

 

https://www.aquariumdepot.ca/hydor-smart-level-control-ato-automatic-top-off.html

 

Edit: no pump with this one so...

 

 

But about this Amazon model https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09FPRN3GT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_A1DV3SBADJEF42XPN2PF

 

 

 

 

 

 

8FhXc8w45aN32.gif

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Kindanewtothis
4 hours ago, seabass said:

Any return pump (that can pump the water high enough) would work.  Actually, lower flow rates are typically better for an ATO pump.

I found the pump that goes with it but I find it too expensive.

 

I've oredered the Amazon one.

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Not sure if bubble algae or not.  However, you could try to:

  • remove the frag
  • peel off the algae
  • dab the area with a Q-tip soaked in hydrogen peroxide
  • rinse the frag with some tank water (but not inside the tank)
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Kindanewtothis
2 hours ago, seabass said:

Not sure if bubble algae or not.  However, you could try to:

  • remove the frag
  • peel off the algae
  • dab the area with a Q-tip soaked in hydrogen peroxide
  • rinse the frag with some tank water (but not inside the tank)

I think it was a bubble forming, it was hard and not on the plug but on the acan skeleton. I've cut a part of the skeleton to remove it. Cleaned the zone with a Q-Tips and peroxide and rinced it in tank water. Then I glued it back on another rock in the 50g.

 

The acan frag was on a small rock that I put in a plastic bowl. It seems I have a lot of pods in my tank because I could count easily a dozen in the bowl. The small rock is now in the Qt tank that needed more rocks.

20220104_132153.jpg

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Critteraholic

That looks like ulva to me.  Veggie eaters will eat that.  I've never had any trouble with it. Actually, I kinda like it.  But I have seen that some people feel they have too much and want to get rid of it.  So it's up to you!  Also, bubble algae begins as a teeny weeny little green bubble.  I've never seen it leafy looking. I think it's kinda pretty, too. 😆  But it's been known to get out of control if you don't have anybody to eat it or pluck it.

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Kindanewtothis
1 hour ago, Critteraholic said:

That looks like ulva to me.  Veggie eaters will eat that.  I've never had any trouble with it. Actually, I kinda like it.  But I have seen that some people feel they have too much and want to get rid of it.  So it's up to you!  Also, bubble algae begins as a teeny weeny little green bubble.  I've never seen it leafy looking. I think it's kinda pretty, too. 😆  But it's been known to get out of control if you don't have anybody to eat it or pluck it.

Must not have been a bubble algae then. Thanks !

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Kindanewtothis

I starting to have a lot of GHA patch on my rocks. I suppose high phosphate contributes and that it is normal but what is the approch here? Should I do something about it? What?

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Kindanewtothis
14 minutes ago, seabass said:

Manual removal with herbivorous snails.

 

 

I'm 100% with the snails part, maybe I need more (I have maybe 1 snail / 2 gallons). 

 

Not sure you ever recommanded me (if you agree with the method from the video) to reduce phosphate to 0 over night. I will not do that.

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No, I wouldn't bottom out phosphate.  This was a 2014 video.  However, I feel that recently, depriving nutrients has lost most of it's favor.  It's the method of manual removal that's most compelling about the video.

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Kindanewtothis
Just now, seabass said:

No, I wouldn't bottom out phosphate.  This was a 2014 video.  However, I feel that recently, depriving nutrients has lost most of it's favor.  It's the method of manual removal that's most compelling about the video.

Yeah with the dinos experience, I prefer a little high than too low.

 

Still, I did some manual removal, the bigger patchs were easier than expected.

 

Also, impulsive purchase alert, I bought 30 snails (astraea, margarita and trochus). 🤷‍♂️

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Those are all good herbivores.  However, keep in mind that Margarita snails are a temperate species, whose life spans will be shortened by typical reef temperatures.  I've purchased some before, but tend to stick with tropical species when I can.

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  • Kindanewtothis changed the title to Kinda's Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

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