Acro help!

[bct15]

I say stop using the 2 part for now, as you really dont need it yet. I would just use kalk and try to figure a way to drip it slowly at night, instead of using it in your ATO. That way you can trully dial in what you need and not over do it and cause swings.

He could just use one of his brs dosing pumps and timers to dose it...that is what I would do.


If you're only using 1 mL of two part a day then you definitely don't need to be using two part yet.

 

[greg0385]

He could just use one of his brs dosing pumps and timers to dose it...that is what I would do.


If you're only using 1 mL of two part a day then you definitely don't need to be using two part yet.

Im glad you and Chris brought this up as i was brain storming last nite.

How about this:
I was putting 1tsp of kalk(mrs wages) into 4-5gallons of rodi for my ATO(+/- .25tsp/gallon)

2tsp/gallon=saturated kalk

Thats 8x as strong of a dose then i need.

So 16cups÷8=2 cups needed to dose a day.
236.5ml=1cup
236.5x2cups=473ml
473ml÷24hours=19.7mins of dosing



So thats 10min for each doser to run each hour all day to match what i was dosing or 20min for one doser to dose every hour each day.

Does that sound right?


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[.AcroKiller.]

I only run kalk on my tank and my sps love it all I do is add a cup is brs kalk on my 35 gallon brute trash can ato reactor lol. And it works great my parameter stay stable. I'm thinking about upgrading to a 44 gallon trash can or bigger

 

[Dowtish]

I dont know about all that math, but I'm assuming since you have a 1.1ml pump, you could just add 2 tsp of kalk to 2 gallons of water and have it dose at night for say 10-15 minutes total to start and see how your parameters are. Test at the same time each day and see if they go up or drop and adjust your timing accordingly. Pretty simple.

 

[schooleyosis]

So those of you who are dosing KALK. Are you also dosing anything else to keep your ALK and CAL levels up? Or will the KALK handle the demand?

 

[greg0385]

True, i did get in new alk reagent yest. It tested at 8.34dkh, i will test again tomorrow to see where its at. I also checked Cal at 430(1.5ml on the salifert test).
I did think more about this last nite and thought, what difference does it make if i use 2part or kalk?

As long as my levels are where they need to be, then can the corals tell the difference between kalk and 2part?

As everyone can see, when it comes to this dosing stuff, i dont know much. So i really do appreciate everyone's help.

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[schooleyosis]

I'm learning from your questions as well Greg, so keep them coming!

 

[bknapp]

I only run kalk on my tank and my sps love it all I do is add a cup is brs kalk on my 35 gallon brute trash can ato reactor lol. And it works great my parameter stay stable. I'm thinking about upgrading to a 44 gallon trash can or bigger

This maybe the first (and probably last) time I have ever seen the words upgrade and trash can in the same sentence. Lol

 

[greg0385]

After my last question gets answered i would love to change topics from dosing to reasons acros die.

For example, my aqua sd rainbow milli was doing well, then it lots its flesh at the tip and slowly peeled away down to the base. Why is that?
It wasnt at the top of scape(too much light), it was in good flow.
Was it due to the alk spike of 8.7dkh?
Was it due to stress?
Was it due to nutrients?
Was it due to PH?
I have lost a few acros over the pass 3months while others are doing well. So im still struggling to understand what make some acros live, while others die right next to it.
Any thoughts?

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[Dowtish]

After my last question gets answered i would love to change topics from dosing to reasons acros die.

For example, my aqua sd rainbow milli was doing well, then it lots its flesh at the tip and slowly peeled away down to the base. Why is that?
It wasnt at the top of scape(too much light), it was in good flow.
Was it due to the alk spike of 8.7dkh?
Was it due to stress?
Was it due to nutrients?
Was it due to PH?
I have lost a few acros over the pass 3months while others are doing well. So im still struggling to understand what make some acros live, while others die right next to it.
Any thoughts?

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If someone could truly answer that question they would be a GOD in the reef aquarist industry. No one can definitively answer why acros die. There could be a 100 reasons or just one. And the one reason might never be known. Welcome to the mysterious, frustrating, wonderful world of keeping Acropora.

 

[greg0385]

Let me reword that, what are some things to check when:
Recedes from tip down
Recedes from base up
No polyps
Faded color
Skin peeling
Not encrusting
Not growing
STN
RTN

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[cee]

Kalk is CaOH, so it tends to raise pH quite a bit. 2-part calcium supplement is CaCl which can increase salinity but not pH. Baking soda (most 2-part) doesn't move pH but baked baking soda (sodium carbonate) raises pH. Baking baking soda releases CO2 which is why cookies, etc., "swell" up.

Let me reword that, what are some things to check when:
Recedes from tip down
Recedes from base up
No polyps
Faded color
Skin peeling
Not encrusting
Not growing
STN
RTN

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Tip down is usually alkalinity in a ULNS. Base up and/or peeling can be many things, STN, RTN, even invasive sponges. Lack of PE is often some form of pest. Some others not mentioned are pale colors in montis is usually lack of potassium. Pastel colors is likely too low in nutrients. And there are other conditions too lengthy to get into here.

 

[greg0385]

Kalk is CaOH, so it tends to raise pH quite a bit. 2-part calcium supplement is CaCl which can increase salinity but not pH. Baking soda (most 2-part) doesn't move pH but baked baking soda (sodium carbonate) raises pH. Baking baking soda releases CO2 which is why cookies, etc., "swell" up.



Tip down is usually alkalinity in a ULNS. Base up and/or peeling can be many things, STN, RTN, even invasive sponges. Lack of PE is often some form of pest. Some others not mentioned are pale colors in montis is usually lack of potassium. Pastel colors is likely too low in nutrients. And there are other conditions too lengthy to get into here.

Interesting, but can a acro tell the difference in
8.3dkh/430cal- dosed by 2part
Vs
8.3dkh/430cal-dosed by kalk?

Im trying to understand why some are saying i should dose kalk instead of 2part.


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[cee]

Yes. Kalk raises pH, maintains alk (but won't raise it) and precipitates po4.

 

[greg0385]

Yes. Kalk raises pH, maintains alk (but won't raise it) and precipitates po4.

Okay now im really confused
Kalk maintains alk but wont raise it? 1/4tsp/gallon maintain my levels, but if i did anymore than 1/4tsp/gallon it would raise my levels?

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[pickupman66]

Yes. Kalk raises pH, maintains alk (but won't raise it) and precipitates po4.

I've never heard that it will precipitate po4. And thought one used a kalk. Solution to raise alkalinity.

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[jdccroad]

Iiluisii is right. Par meters have a tough time with LEDs. The issue I see with people that switch from MH to LEDs is that they want the tank to look the same as it did with halides so they over light it. SPS react differently to LEDs than MH and don't require as much light as you see with you eyes or a par meter. I had the same issue. Over lit my tank and had no growth or color. Par meter said I didn't have enough light so I added more and just exasperated the problem. Now I run about 50% and have great growth and color. Reduce your photo period and turn your lights down for a couple days and see what happens. Stop chasing a meter. Your corals will tell you what they like.