Chemistry Issues

[yote]

When I moved every thing over from my 55 to the 75( all in about 2 or 3 hours).I never saw a mini-cycle.
As long as you use live sand,I doubt you'd have any problems what so ever.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

Same with me yote. Except i used my old sand too.

 

[Bifferwine]

I don't think you'll have any problems either. You're still going to have all the original rock and water.

 

[Rcpilot]

So, is this the final conclusion? I need to replace my DSB with 100% aragonite sand. Helluva big expense and risk.

 

[Bifferwine]

I can't figure out any other reason why you are having alkalinity problems. You can try to see if dosing differently fixes it before you switch out the substrate.

 

[Rcpilot]

So, what do the rest of you do to keep your parameters stable?

Are you dosing certain things on a regular basis to keep the water chemistry at a certain level?

Is this just part of reefing? Am I being whiny? Shut up and dose it! Be happy.

Or is this REALLY a problem that can be fixed with a different setup?

I'd rather avoid the dosing if I can get away with it.

 

[yote]

As your tank matures,I think your gonna end having to dose something.
Even with using limewater and weekly water changes,I have to stay on top of my calcium and alkalinity.I have to dose both about mid-week.Plus I just started dosing magnesium this week.
I'm thinking its just another part of the hobby.

 

[yote]

Poppin posted this in Salty's thread about lime water.
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Theres a part on vineger and picking lime to bring PH down.Maybe theres something in there that might help you out.

 

[reeffreak]

So, what do the rest of you do to keep your parameters stable?I feel like calcium is something I need to start keeping an eye on.

Are you dosing certain things on a regular basis to keep the water chemistry at a certain level?nope

Is this just part of reefing?yes Am I being whiny?yes Shut up and dose it! Be happy.sounds good

Or is this REALLY a problem that can be fixed with a different setup?Of course,the larger the more stable.IMO,the smaller the system the more dosing that will be needed.

I'd rather avoid the dosing if I can get away with it.

Rc,your a worry wart a little like me when I got in the hobby.Relax,drink a beer,roll a joint.....whatever you need to get relax.

 

[Rcpilot]

Rc,your a worry wart a little like me when I got in the hobby.Relax,drink a beer,roll a joint.....whatever you need to get relax.

Well, I don't drink very much, so I guess I'll have to do something else and sit in front of the tank with my flashlight and look at critters. :mrgreen:

 

[Doc]

I would just dose and be happy with your tank. Just me.

If you do want to change out the substrate, but the live sand a few days before and let it adjust to the temp of your house and change it all out. When I started my 90, I used 40 gallons of water from my 125 and made 40 of new salt water. I used live sand and rock from my 125 (I had a lot of rock to spare). I added my corals and fish the same day, it took about 5 hours. There was no cycle, I lost no fish nor a single coral. You will be fine.

Again, just dose it

-Doc

 

[Doc]

BTW Biff, I recognize there is some major explaination for buffering ph and other random stuff related to DKh. It makes sense to my chemically uneducated mind to believe that if I add something that seems to go away, that it got used up. I hope I do not offend your brilliant mind with my thinking.

-Doc

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

BTW Biff, I recognize there is some major explaination for buffering ph and other random stuff related to DKh. It makes sense to my chemically uneducated mind to believe that if I add something that seems to go away, that it got used up. I hope I do not offend your brilliant mind with my thinking.

-Doc

Marco dont feel bad. I kinda figured the same thing!

RC I have learned the more you over analize this hobby the worst you do. I only test once every 2-3 weeks now or if I think theres a problem and I'm doing way better than I was.

 

[Doc]

ooo, I like your way of thinking Hawk, I am in the same boat

-Doc

 

[Bifferwine]

I have tested the parameters of my new tank twice since I set it up three months ago. I can tell by how my animals look and act if there's a problem, usually.

 

[Rcpilot]

OKAY! :bounce: I think I might have figured this out. Went all the way across town today to a store.

We tested the water from my tank with his tests kits and mine. We got completely different results from the different tests. He said not to worry about it. The main point is the low Alk and high calcium.

He listened to the entire description of the tank and my problem. I told him that I had used the ESV Alk to bump the Alk in the tank. He asked if I had also used the Calcium at the same time. I told him that I had not. He said that was my problem. He said that even though my calcium was reading very high--it didn't matter. I MUST use the ESV as a combination or package. He said the 2 chemicals will balance each other out when used together.

He did not seam at all concerned that I had so much CC in my DSB-- as long as it was ground up into tiny pieces-- and it is. He told me that unless I see white slime on my rocks and powerheads--I am not melting the calcium from low pH and building limestone in the tank. He told me that with stable Alk and lowered calcium--the pH should stabilize on it's own.

I am going to figure out just how much it takes to get this tank back on track by using the ESV on a daily basis. When it gets back to normal parameters--I will monitor it every day. I will establish how fast the tank changes and then dose the ESV accordingly to keep it stable. Might be once a week. Might be twice a week. I'll figure it out with testing. It may take several days to saturate the water with enough to bring the Alk up to normal. I don't want to dump a lot in suddenly, and shock the tank.

Maybe the guy was full of :pooh:? He sure seamed to understand my problem. I presented all the theories about high co2 and low pH and CC being a poor buffer. He said those were valid theories--but he did not think my problem was that complicated.
Same thing you all told me. Worrying about nuthin'. :goodnight

Next time, I'll save myself an hour of driving and 2 gallons of fuel. I'll listen to my buddies at Living Reefs. :Cheers: Dose the F'ing thing and smoke a bowl!! :mrgreen:

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

GOOD TO HEAR RC I always freaking hit caps instead of shift.

 

[Doc]

I will forgive you....this time! :mrgreen:

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

And to lazy to fix it but mentions it.

Rc,I glad you figured it out.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

I know its great isnt it!