BB Demons
- Thread starter jsweir
- Start date
Much better. Florida Seawater should be between 8.4 (Florida Bay) and 8.7 (Oceanside, greater peninsula). mmol/mol Sr/Ca. A value of 8 ppm Sr (assuming ~400 ppm Ca) gives a Sr/Ca of about 9 mmol/mol.
Again, assuming 400 ppm Ca, your aquarium water has a Sr/Ca of 4.5 mmol/mol
Therefore, your aquarium is relatively depleted in Sr relative to natural seawater (World Ocean surface average is about 8.55 mmol/mol)
Weatherman
New member
Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve been wondering about my long-term use of natural seawater. For the past three years Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve used nothing but.
I normally change out around 5% a week through skimmate production and siphoning, and then, once every six months, perform back-to-back 30% changes about a week apart. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m wondering whether that routine is allowing some important elements to become too depleted and thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s affecting the health of my most sensitive animals.
I know, with some artificial salt mixes, some ions are available in quantities greater than NSW values (Sr++ being a good example). Maybe the chemists at Instant Ocean tweak those levels higher on purpose?
For the past year Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve supplemented nothing but Ca(OH)2. Maybe, with NSW, thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s simply not enough. This has led me to believe that it may be valuable to go back to using a calcium reactor, even though my alkalinity demand is low. Maybe dissolving calcium reactor media will restore some of those important ions that water changes and Ca(OH)2 supplementation just doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t adequately take care of?
Lots of questions... not a lot of answers...
The other alternative, of course, would be to perform larger water changes on a more frequent basis.
Well, if you use coral-based media, coral aragonite tends to have similar Sr/Ca ratio as seawater (actually, we're finding that branching species tend to have slightly elevated Sr/Ca relative to seawater), so it may maintain, but a bump up using a strontium addition (or a large water change?) would be necessary before you go on the media if you want to maintain NSW values...
Dr.King
New member
I started my BB tank 2 years ago. I added a small 1" frag of ORA orange Cap to the tank about 18 months ago. I had almost no growth at all for the first 12 months, and I actually forgot about it. Then all of a sudden it took off and grows like a weed. My wife asked me a few weeks ago when I added the cool new orange coral to the tank...and for once I told her the truth when I said, "That old coral, I've had it for years." I haven't done anything differently other than switching to phoenix 14K bulbs about 12 months ago. I seem to run my MHs alot moer than everyone else with a BB tank. My photo period is 12 hours of (2) 6 foot VHO actinics and 10 hours of (3) 250 watt 14k Phoenix bulbs. My corals don't appear to be bleached to me.
rutz81
New member
drock59:I understand your frustration, but, I think Dr. King was not rying to brag at all. Earlier in the post, there were some comments on lower photoperiods, and I think he's just saying that he has a longer photoperiod and is still successful. I think you are being a little too defensive on "your" post. This is the second time you just about yelled at someone for going a little off-track.
The problem you are trying to figure out seems to a little more than the usual, so, I' be appreciative if I was you, for atleast the thread bump.
The problem you are trying to figure out seems to a little more than the usual, so, I' be appreciative if I was you, for atleast the thread bump.
jsweir
New member
To clear up any confusion - my initial thoughts with this thread was that I have encountered some strange growth with some of my coral, and since alot of us jumped on the BB wagon a year or so ago, maybe others were having strange unexplained problems with their BB tanks as well. I am open to comments on my cap growth and lack of corralline. I would also encourage others to step up and state their BB tank "demons" that remain a mystery.
clkwrk
Active member
I am just going to add that I too run a long photoperiord 11hrs and have no problems. I had a few corals lighten up and so that don't want to grow. The one the lightend up I moved into more light (Problem solved bulb age the cause) The pnes that don't grow are the ones that receive less light and less chaotic flow.
Most of you have seen pics of my tank so you know my colors are good.
Also I lack corraline on the tank but not my rocks.
Most of you have seen pics of my tank so you know my colors are good.
Also I lack corraline on the tank but not my rocks.
Wiskey
New member
I wanted to mention that I was running a short photoperiod due to bleaching. On the 20th (only 8 days ago keep that in mind) when I said I might bump my photoperiod I did, up to 6 hours. My coral did not bleach, infact most are doing better, specifically incrusting faster and showing better color on their baces.
It is too early to make any blanket statements though.
Right now I think the inital bleaching I experianced that made me drop my photoperiod was due to new tank unstability, and not feeding enough (I feed triple what I used to). I don't beleave my bleaching problems were due to light, and I am going to continue to up my photoperiod until I see the corals retract their pylops before the MH shut down. I am going to go by 1/2 hour incraments per week though.
Another thing I have been doing in the last month or two is turning off my return pump for 1/2 hour when I feed my tank, this alows the food to bounce around the tank for that time without being skimmed out. I don't know if this helps, but I am not going to stop doing it.
I am going to get a handle on this sooner or later,
Whiskey
It is too early to make any blanket statements though.
Right now I think the inital bleaching I experianced that made me drop my photoperiod was due to new tank unstability, and not feeding enough (I feed triple what I used to). I don't beleave my bleaching problems were due to light, and I am going to continue to up my photoperiod until I see the corals retract their pylops before the MH shut down. I am going to go by 1/2 hour incraments per week though.
Another thing I have been doing in the last month or two is turning off my return pump for 1/2 hour when I feed my tank, this alows the food to bounce around the tank for that time without being skimmed out. I don't know if this helps, but I am not going to stop doing it.
I am going to get a handle on this sooner or later,
Whiskey
jsweir
New member
Wiskey - I'm with ya on this (same observations) My photoperiod will get another 1/2 hour bump to 5 hours next week. I too turn off the pump for 1/2 hour and things are definately looking up. I have a pink milli that is growing so fast now that about 1/2" of the tips are white
