RSM250 Running 7 Weeks Now - Water Chemistry So Far
- Thread starter eric w
- Start date
N83259
Member
Nice job of record keeping. Your parameters are quite good all around. Yes, maybe nudge ALK upward to the 9 range, maybe a little higher, especially if you're going to do a reef tank with stony corals.
Any inhabitants yet..are you feeding anything? As you progress and add more bio load, I'd keep a sharp eye on the NO4 & PO3. It's much better dealing with it earlier than later after algae blooms are underway, IMO. If I had to do it all over again, I'd do up flow reactors with GFO and/or bio pellets from the start instead of waiting for problems to develop (or a refugium perhaps). Squelch it from the beginning! Good luck!
Any inhabitants yet..are you feeding anything? As you progress and add more bio load, I'd keep a sharp eye on the NO4 & PO3. It's much better dealing with it earlier than later after algae blooms are underway, IMO. If I had to do it all over again, I'd do up flow reactors with GFO and/or bio pellets from the start instead of waiting for problems to develop (or a refugium perhaps). Squelch it from the beginning! Good luck!
I would just leave things alone and do your normal water changes. When it comes to water parameters, one of the most counter productive things you can do is to chase a number. If the livestock is doing well, and the water parameters are within reason, don't mess with the system. Also, keep in mind that all of the aquarium grade test kits can be a little bit off, and test kits can go bad. Often a "problem" can be traced to a test kit.
Obviously, if something is way out, then action need be taken. Even so, unless it's an emergency, make the change slowly.
Obviously, if something is way out, then action need be taken. Even so, unless it's an emergency, make the change slowly.
eric w
Active Member
Thanks.. The only thing I have is a cuc, hairy mushroom coral, and a duncan coral.... And I actually just bought 2 reactors that I will be plumbing into my tank soon... I'm going to put valves on them and keep them off until I need them at all.. What is the best way to bring up the alk if I do... Thanks again
N83259
Member
I agree with the common advice of "don't chase numbers" as well. Of course this statement usually applies ro PH, calc, alk, mag and maybe some of the major trace elements. However, no harm will be done by upping your alk 1 point as you dial in your dosing program (I assume stony corals are in your future) with minimal life in your tank. In fact , now is the ideal time to learn...not when you have dozens of specimens IMHO. Just be patient & methodical, go slow & observe your tank.
But believe me, there is no harm chasing PO4 numbers....as long as the direction is always DOWN! Same for NO3.
For example, anyone who has had and beaten back a serous bryopsis algae outbreak knows what I'm talking about. it's awful and makes garden variety HA and Cyano look like a day at the beach. The stuff can grow in minimal levels of PO4. .25 is a pretty good number, but will support some bryopsis growth, and probably rise as you add more life and feed it. While water changes are important for many reasons, it's rarely a total solution for these nutrients if you ever find yourself with high numbers. It's a good move on your part having reactors ready to quickly supress PO4 and NO3 quickly once detected. It's much easier to supress in the early stages instead of waiting until it is established. In my case, I'm certain that I introduced it on frags from a local seller and was too green to recognize it right away. in retrospect, I wish I had taken action earlier, like you have, and will do so in any future tanks I may set up. Nutrient numbers? I say chase them DOWN! And stay on em!
But believe me, there is no harm chasing PO4 numbers....as long as the direction is always DOWN! Same for NO3.
For example, anyone who has had and beaten back a serous bryopsis algae outbreak knows what I'm talking about. it's awful and makes garden variety HA and Cyano look like a day at the beach. The stuff can grow in minimal levels of PO4. .25 is a pretty good number, but will support some bryopsis growth, and probably rise as you add more life and feed it. While water changes are important for many reasons, it's rarely a total solution for these nutrients if you ever find yourself with high numbers. It's a good move on your part having reactors ready to quickly supress PO4 and NO3 quickly once detected. It's much easier to supress in the early stages instead of waiting until it is established. In my case, I'm certain that I introduced it on frags from a local seller and was too green to recognize it right away. in retrospect, I wish I had taken action earlier, like you have, and will do so in any future tanks I may set up. Nutrient numbers? I say chase them DOWN! And stay on em!
N83259
Member
2 Part solution is one way to manage calcium & alk at the same time with the same product.
Kalkwasser is another. It's best dripped with a dosing set up of some kind. It's said to bind to phosphates and boost your skimmer production.
Your parameters look good & you don't need to do anything quickly. But it will be nice to have your plan all mapped out when your reef inhabitants start using these materials in larger quantities.
dmatt88
Has been struck by the ban stick
I've found Kalc does a poor job in a tank with low dkh. Bake baking soda to remove excess co2 dilute with rodi and drip into tank or they top offs. Engineer goby just stabilized his dkh using the above method. Easy n cheap. However ur dkh is fine.
........... we cut living things into pieces. sheez
........... we cut living things into pieces. sheez
N83259
Member
Interesting stuff Matt. Couldn't find the tread U referenced. Do U happen to know how he doses...QTY of baking soda & frequency?
Now that U mention it, kalkwasser seems to hold my numbers stable but not push them up much. I was reading in a magazine where the author was suggesting that the high calc/alk numbers (like 450/12) so often recommended are too high & actually don't accomplish anything that 380/8dkh to 400/9dkh wouldn't do regarding stony coral health & growth. I have no idea what the true ideal number is, but found it interesting that there isn't full agreement on things like this.
engineer goby
Has been struck by the ban stick
Thanks for the shout out big guy :rougiem:
1.5 TSP of soda ash (baked baking soda) dilluted in 1 gallon of RODI water dripped into the sump over 2 to 3 hour time period will raise DKH by 1 in 100 gallons. Depending on your total water volume this number will change. I used the calculator on BRS to determine how much to use REEF CALCULATOR - English
To bake the baking soda just spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake at 300 for around 1hr time you can bake it longer with no ill effects so don't stress on the time. Aslo if you have a convection oven make sure you turn off the fan first
I learned the hard way.FrostJoker
Member
So what did you use to keep track of everything as am getting ready to start a tank and I keep a note book but would prefer something on my laptop like this I was thinking of just using excel, but here my question did you use excel and draw it up or did you download this from some place?