Corals Disolving

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Your calculator is a blessing

Thank jdieck above. He wrote it. :)
Click to expand...

I have just made it grow. Actually it was MG Kademani who wrote the first version inspired by a similar more simple calculator from Andy Hipkiss Thanks to both of them and to the manufacturers that have given the OK to have them included. :D
 
Great calculator!!

Last night, added 15 tsps of Kent Turbo Ca and reading this morning is 295 ppm for Ca. After (2) days of Ca addition, the product has raised Ca 130 ppm.

I also tested for Alkalinty and now have a dKH of 15.4 or 5.49 meq/l. This is down from the original dKH of 19.2 reading.

Once I get to the 420 ppm on Ca, where should reading be for alkalinity? This may be a moog point question at this time as I need to concentrate on getting my Ca up. However, alkalinity is dropping and that is a plus!

If the 15 tsps did not raise the ppm as much as the 10 tsp, does this mean I need to wait and take readings 24 hrs after dosage or that the molecular structure is becoming more complex or more concentrated in mixture.
 
Once I get to the 420 ppm on Ca, where should reading be for alkalinity?

That depends on how long it takes to get there and the demand in the tank. Alkalinity will decline as it is used in the tank, and should soon be in more typical ranges (say, 7-11 dKH).

Calcium readings should be accurate as soon as the additive is mixed in, but don't try to pinpoint the exact day to day values as most kits have a fair amount of testing noise.
 
Another dose of (15) tsps of Kent Turbo:

Ca--------385 ppm
Alk--------14.4 dKH/ 5.14 meq/l

Alkalinity is still very high and I am not sure it will be at the level that is normal when I reach Ca of 420 ppm!! What I have noticed in tank is that some of the corals are expanding more and some zoas that were closed are opening.

Final dose of Kent Turbo will be tonight and I will post readings Tues. Using my original readings of Ca 160 ppm and Alk of 19.2 dKH, what happens to invertebrate, such as, shrimp and anemones?

Thank You---Randy
 
Not the readings I was expecting as I also topped-off tank due to evaporation with (2) gal of RO water.

Added (6) tsps of Kent Turbo, which I thought would be the final large dose, but my readings are Ca 390 ppm and Alk 13.1 or 4.69 meq/l.

Do you lose Ca to evaporation besides being absorbed by corals?
Does the addition of water dilute the alkalinity level?

Reason I am asking questions is that after the addition (6) tsps of Kent Turbo and (2) gal of water my Ca only went up 5 ppm but my alkalinity went down 1.3 dKH.

Let me know and THANKS
 
Don't try to infer too much from small calcium variations. It is likely just testing noise. The values are OK as is, and the next step is another smaller dose of calcium to keep it in line, and allow alkalinity to drop a bit more. :)

There is no calcium loss to evaporation. Replacement of evaporated water with RO water does not impact it either.

Calcification will drop both calcium and alkalinity, and if you are dosing only calcium and find calcium steady or rising and alk dropping, that is fine, IMO. :)
 
Excellent results this morning after adding (6) more teaspoons of Kent Turbo: Ca 430 ppm and Alk 11.8 dKH/4.23 meq/l.

What are the next steps??

Is alkalinity low enough?

Do I keep adding Kent Turbo Calcium once a week if needed?

Do I use up the (2) bottles of liquid Ocean's Blend?(One calcium and one pH/Alkalinity?

I plan on testing tank every other day, then (2) times per week, finally only testing (1) per week at this point.

Finally, again, I want to thank you for your time and advice that has not gone unheeded. This forum was beyond what I was expecting. Reef Central is the true place to get factual answers.

I soon will close this thread but I do want to ask a couple of more questions as to the "WHY DID THIS HAPPEN" and I will do that in the next few days. I am pointing the finger to the person that is at fault, "ME"
 
I would not worry about getting alk lower, just about adding some once it drops down near the bottom end of the range of 7-11 dKH. :)

I'd start at a very low dose of equal parts of the Oceans Blend, and use alkallinity as a guage of whether you are adding enough of both parts.

Finally, again, I want to thank you for your time and advice that has not gone unheeded. This forum was beyond what I was expecting. Reef Central is the true place to get factual answers.

You're quite welcome. :)
 
Readings this morning with no addition of any calcium were: Ca 425 ppm and Alk 11 dKH/3.95 meq/l

Do you or anybody know much about the Ocean' Blend and how often it has to be added? Jeremy, at Premium Aquatics, recommened this instead of using the Kent Turbo and only for the reason that the Kent sometimes could build up on impellars of the pumps. He did say, however, that it still would be okay to continue with the Kent instead of using the (2) part Ocean's Blend.

My gratitude to all.
Denny
 
Like any two paert additive, it needs to be added as often as the tank demand determines,which is usually from once a day in many aquaria, to once every 2-3 day or even longer in low calcium and alkalinity demand aquaria.

Gauge when it is needed by when the alkalinity drops below about 7-8 dKH. :)
 
Readings after adding another (2) gal of water due to evaporation are Ca 420 ppm and Alk 10.2 dKH/3.66 meq/l

I feel very comfortable with how tank is coming around with your advice! I have noticed that there is not as much of the green diatom algae, if that is what the lower alkalinity has done for tank.

I also read a 2002 article that you do not like to use dKH as a term of alkalinity. Is this true?

Other questions: Has this chemical equillibrium in tank caused the algae to slow down?

With my original chemical unbalance of low calcium and high alkalinity cause the loss of my bubble tip anemone and my cleaner shrimp?

Thanks......Denny
 
Green algae is probably not diatoms, which are typically golden brown, but I'm glad you have less. I do not know if altering the tank chemistry has had an effect, but if the alkalinity were very low, calcifying organisms like coralline algae won't grow, and will use less nutrients. It may be growing now, and using nutrients, keeping them away from the green algae.

I doubt the low alkalinity caused a loss of an anemone or a shrimp, but I can't be sure.
 
Here are my testing figures of calcium and alkalinity after (1) wk since last addition of Kent Turbo:

09-27-05===Ca 430 ppm===Alk 13.1 dKH or 4.69 meq/l
10-05-05===Ca 395 ppm===Alk 9.2 dkh or 3.25 meq/l
Fall: Ca -35 ppm Alk -3.9 dKH or -1.44 meq/l

Do I now start adding the (2) part Ocean's Blend?

If not, what do the readings need to be before adding the buffers?

Can I just keeping adding a few tsps of Kent Turbo to keep Ca at the 420 level and just keep watch on the alkalinity level?

I just need to be able to differenciate the timing issue of additions!!

Thanks, Denny
 
With the salifert test kits, I am having trouble with the bubble in syringe. Sometimes it can be off after filling about +.00 and -.04 of a ml. Can I get truer readings by buying a syringe with a needle attached at a drugstore. I am a stickler for accuracy, but I can live with it if everytime you filled syringe with plastic tip attached, solution would come to the same mark on syringe with bubble, but it does'nt.

Also, I have started adding the (2) part Ocean's Blend and readings are going down just a little. I will fine tune this over the next (2) weeks and give you my new readings. Tanks is looking 100% healthier.

Thanks....Denny
 
The syring in the Salifert kit is designed to have a bubble in it, and that is taken into account in the kit. I do not think it would be any better to use a different syringe.
 
After (2) weeks of testing and with the addition of the (2) part solution of Ocean's Blend, results are, with my tank load:

Ca 380 ppm and alk 7.7dKH/2.74 meq/l

Add 50 ml of Ocean" Blend (2) part solution every (7) days equals:

Ca 405 ppm and alk 8.1 dKH/2.91 meq/l


Are these now the correct readings that I should maintain with the load that I have on tank?

Thanks, as always, Denny
 
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