Balanced Dosing

[BigDora]

Sorry this is kind of long. I'm trying to give as much background as possible. I guess there are two parts to this:

1) I am having trouble keeping my parameters at the proper levels since I started dosing with Kalk due to dinoflagellates that I can't quite eliminate. My main question is...what is the correct ratio of Alk and Ca to add to keep them in balance?

My tank is 6 months old and levels were always good until I started dosing kalk. It is 54 gallons with 250 w MH that are 6 months old. I do regular water changes 1-2 times a week for a total of 10%/week. In the past, the regular water changes kept parameters in check. Some batches of water are definately better than others, and my current batch isn't great.
Today, my tank parameters are:
Ca 380 (salifert)
Kh 7 (elos)
Mg 1100 (elos)
NO3 0-5 (elos)
PO3 .01 (elos)

I had bought the "Kalk Starter Kit" from Bulk Reef Supply. This recommends using Recipe 2 which is what I have been using to try to get levels in check. How often are people adjusting levels when they are dosing with Kalk? I obviously have never been able to get my levels in the right place and the Kalk is pushing it out of whack.

2) I can't stop dripping Kalk since I can't eliminate the dinos. So, what should I do? The sand gets a "rusty" look that if left alone grows to slimy stringy patches that start to spread across the corals. I have had reduced light and dripped Kalk for 2 months now. The stringiness stays gone as long as the light cycle is 4 hours or less. At one point I thought it was gone and started increasing the light cycle, but the rusty look continued to grow and the stringy stuff came back. I stopped water changes for a while because the articles about dinos said to stop, but how long can you go without a water change? 2 months?

My corals include 3 montipora caps, a small birdsnes, monti confusa, gsp, yellow fiji leather, mushroom leather, brain coral. Everything looks happy enough, but looked happier when the lights were on more.

Sorry this is so long, I just don't know what to do.

Thanks.

 

[abwalker]

Maybe I'm not following, but it seems to me that your Ca and Alk are roughly balanced, but both a touch low. They certainly aren't anything to get to stressed about-- just maybe not ideal for maximum growth. Are you familiar with the Reef Chemistry Calculator here:

http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html

The chart there puts you in Randy's "zone 2," and recommends adding any of the balanced supplements (2-part, kalk, ca rxter) in greater amounts than you are now.

If you just started with the kalk, it may take a bit to figure out how much 2-part (or more kalk) you need to add to maintain the levels. Since you said, "the Kalk is pushing it out of whack," are you noticing a particular trend? What were the levels last time you checked?

Also, have you had your Ca level tested with a second test-- I think there were some questionable results coming from Salifert kits-- but I don't remember which ones. Maybe take water to a meeting or good LFS to verify the Ca?

Abby

 

[BigDora]

Thats a great link. I had been using a different one without the graph. Its good to see that I'm on the "edge" of "normal".

Sometimes I have seen the Ca going up while the Kh is going down. But this week, everything seems equally low.

Is it ok to be adjusting the levels while dripping Kalk, or are you supposed to stop the Kalk for a period of time?

I have not had my water tested recently at a LFS, but I'll do that soon.

Thanks.

 

[naturebatslast]

Almost sounds more like diatoms rather than dinos by the description. Bubbly snot is probably the best description. I don't think your soft corals wouldn't be as happy if it was dinos also.

If your using kalk and the 2 part, that's probably the source of the trouble and may work against each other. Kalk is used to get the levels up to where you want them, then you would start the 2 part system. However, if it is dinos, for simplicity don't start (or stop) using the 2 part altoghter, until you eliminate the problem and get a bit of stability.

You really can't adjust CA and Alk separately with kalk since it's already has them balanced. So when your adding kalk, it's a matter of the concentration of it (somewhat saturated vs saturated). Since your levels are somewhat balanced now, you could just make sure your using a saturated kalk solution (2tbl spoons/gal) and dose more. IME, stop using the 2 part, stick with a more kalkwasser and shoot for a 10dKH and 420 Ca. Just watch your salinity a bit.

Also, if it is dinos, keep your skimmer super clean and the slighly higher pH from dosing kalk should take care of most dino issues.

 

[JohnK]

How are you testing the salinity? The initial numbers you listed sound like water that's low in SG (so ca, alk, and mg are all basically in correct ratios but all low)?

If your using a swing arm type hydrometer, you can bet that it's off by at least a few points.


Edit, adding,
Yea, I'm wondering if it's really dino's. Can you post a pic?

 

[KSC]

I run a similiar setup as yours and I'm at the 6 month mark myself. It does sound like diatoms and could be caused by low flow as it sounds like you have coral on the sandbed. If you are using saturated Kalk (2 teaspoons/gal.)to replace all evaporated water then you need to dose with something else too, to raise your levels. I would get the 2 part (really three parts, alk, CA, and MG) kit from Bulk RS and use their formula to dose daily. I fought alk swings, 6-12 DKH, until I did this. A squirt a day of each, using their dosing jugs, is probably all you need. Also check the levels of your water change water as well, and adjust the levels accordingly with the 3 part solutions. As your tank grows you simply increase the number of squirts as needed (I call them "squirts", each squirt is one ounce according to their site).

 

[Jim Tansey]

BigDora,

You may also find it to be helpful to get your Mag up closer to 1600.

Jim

 

[BigDora]

Thanks everyone for all your ideas.

Here are a few not-so-good pictures. You can see the "rusty" areas on the sand. If I let the light cycle go longer than 4 hours, then the rusty areas have gotten much bigger and after a while, cover more of the sand grow into snotlike strands with some bubbles (not tons of bubbles though). I don't have any photos of the snotlike stuff, but it looked like the pictures posted by Aboundguy a while ago.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=69806

I started dripping Kalk to combat the dinos, then my levels stopped being as stable as before.

My salinity is usually at 1.025 tested with a refractometer. I just checked the calibration and it was off a tiny bit. So my salinity is at 1.024. I have been keeping the refractometer in the basement where it is about 60 degrees. I usually test the water from the sump while I'm in the basement. Could this lower temperature affect the readings? (water is still obviously at 79, but probably is chilled when dropped on the lens). I'll adjust and retest.

I have 2 hydor Koralia #2s (600 gph each), plus about 600 gph with my return pump. Sometimes I think it is too much flow.

KSC - Do you drip Kalk at the same time your are dosing the 3 part?

Jim Tansey - What would the Mg at 1600 so for the parameters. Would that be for getting higher Ca and Kh levels?

Thanks again.

 

[Jim Tansey]

Higher Mg levels can be very helpful in fighting algae, do a search here and on RC you should pick up some useful info.

PS. Not for Ca or Kh levels.

Jim