DanW's 187 SPS Dominated Reef Journal

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15583997#post15583997 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PnoyReefeR
Dan sorry to hear your loss as well.. hopefully it will all recover soon and if you are ready let me know i think I have some to spare ... hang in there..

Thanks Steve, it would be an honor to have anything from your tank in my humble bucket.

 

[Dejavu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584309#post15584309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DanW

Anyone know the life of probes?

Depends on the type of probe. Normal it about once a year if they are not lab grade. I'll know there bad if it will not calibrate.

 

[DanW]

Well, got home from a short three day vacation wondering how the tank would fare. Had my brother feed the fish but he's not a reefer so I was a bit apprehensive given the recent issues. To my relief, the corals look good, no new tissue recession however there were two casualties. First was a frag of the Tyree Red Watermelon that was flipped over in the sand and all the tissue had dissolved. The second was my golden rhomboid. I didn't see him during feeding so I started searching and I found his remains behind some rocks with hermits and nassarius snails cleaning up. I guess that's just how the saltwater flows.

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584453#post15584453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dejavu
Depends on the type of probe. Normal it about once a year if they are not lab grade. I'll know there bad if it will not calibrate.

Thanks Brian. The lab grade probes are $24 more at MD do you think they are worth it? How long do the lab grade probes last and are they more accurate? Do you know of any other places to buy probes for a good price?

 

[mpoletti]

Dan, I try to replace my probes once a year. I need to replace mine as its been about 14 months but since it does nothing except a reading on my ACjr, its not so paramount.

 

[pookstreet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584525#post15584525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DanW
Thanks Brian. The lab grade probes are $24 more at MD do you think they are worth it? How long do the lab grade probes last and are they more accurate? Do you know of any other places to buy probes for a good price?

I spoke with some guy at MD and he said there is no significant difference between the regular and lab grade. They have about the same life span. So I just got the regular.

 

[DanW]

How do you guys control your CA reactors? I monitor the effluent to make sure that the PH is around 6.5 and my controller turns off the CO2 if the tank PH drops below 7.9. I measure CA and dKH weekly to adjust the drip rate.

Anyone have feedback on the Bulk Reef Supply generic probes? They are much cheaper than the ones at MD.

 

[aquariumclown]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584743#post15584743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DanW
How do you guys control your CA reactors? I monitor the effluent to make sure that the PH is around 6.5 and my controller turns off the CO2 if the tank PH drops below 7.9. I measure CA and dKH weekly to adjust the drip rate.

Anyone have feedback on the Bulk Reef Supply generic probes? They are much cheaper than the ones at MD.

That's how I used to do my CA reactor.

Dan, I believe the probes at BRS is the same.

 

[aquariumclown]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584651#post15584651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pookstreet
I spoke with some guy at MD and he said there is no significant difference between the regular and lab grade. They have about the same life span. So I just got the regular.

Fancy boy! You got a guy at MD? Is that like Premier banking where you get your own assigned rep to assist your every need?

 

[pookstreet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584796#post15584796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquariumclown
Fancy boy! You got a guy at MD? Is that like Premier banking where you get your own assigned rep to assist your every need?

Nope, I just call their toll free number and get the next extremely knowledgeable rep available

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584782#post15584782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquariumclown
That's how I used to do my CA reactor.

Dan, I believe the probes at BRS is the same.

Thanks Leo.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584796#post15584796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquariumclown
Fancy boy! You got a guy at MD? Is that like Premier banking where you get your own assigned rep to assist your every need?

Kenny = :bum:

 

[aquariumclown]

When I grow up I wanna be just like Kenny.

 

[pookstreet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584877#post15584877 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquariumclown
When I grow up I wanna be just like Kenny.

Me too. I just hope that I don't end up like the Kenny on South Park :eek2:


So, Dan. Looks like you are back. How's everything doing?

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584946#post15584946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pookstreet
...So, Dan. Looks like you are back. How's everything doing?

Hopefully the tank is settling down and getting back to its normal brown self. The dKH was back down to 8 yesterday and I'll shoot to keep it around 8-9 and see what happens. Hopefully no more LE Polar White acros, as you know it's painful to watch. I'll be testing the dKH level every day this week as I am pretty sure that the alkalinity yo-yoing was the root cause. Definitely my issue, try to do all the right things and overlook the probe calibration. Thought me a good lesson and reminds me how touchy SPS are (lost no LPS). BTW I'm still working on that other thing and should have more info later this week.

 

[Dejavu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15584525#post15584525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DanW
Thanks Brian. The lab grade probes are $24 more at MD do you think they are worth it? How long do the lab grade probes last and are they more accurate? Do you know of any other places to buy probes for a good price?

The only real advantage to lab grade is that you can replace/add more of a salt bridge to prolong there life. I don't think one is more accurate than the other... lab grade are suppose to hold calibrate for longer. If you calibrate more often than there not much of an advantage. Just calibrate once or twice a month and you'll be fine.

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585105#post15585105 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dejavu
The only real advantage to lab grade is that you can replace/add more of a salt bridge to prolong there life. I don't think one is more accurate than the other... lab grade are suppose to hold calibrate for longer. If you calibrate more often than there not much of an advantage. Just calibrate once or twice a month and you'll be fine.

Thanks Brian but what is a "œsalt bridge"? In my mind I'm picturing a stone like structure over a river that people and animals can walk across but I'm pretty sure I'm wrong.

 

[aquariumclown]

Hey Dan, I meant to ask you, you sent your water to a lab for testing, where did you send it to and what did you ask them to test for?

I'm getting some discrepancy on my cal and alk testing...

Elos - ca @475, alk at 8.5
Tropic Marin - ca @392
Salifert - alk @9.3

Any thoughts?

 

[Dejavu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585329#post15585329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DanW
Thanks Brian but what is a "œsalt bridge"? In my mind I'm picturing a stone like structure over a river that people and animals can walk across but I'm pretty sure I'm wrong.

A salt bridge is the solution the electrode is fulled with. It must always be filled with the salt bridge solution. For most electrodes, saturated potassium chloride, KCl, is normally used. The presence of KCl crystals in the salt bridge assures saturation.

Salt bridges allow current to flow though it like a wire. In most probes that are not "lab grade" they use a wire. The current that flows though the salt bridge allows the monitor to read potential difference in the solution being measured and than calculated in to pH. This is the shorten version.

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585378#post15585378 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquariumclown
Hey Dan, I meant to ask you, you sent your water to a lab for testing, where did you send it to and what did you ask them to test for?

I'm getting some discrepancy on my cal and alk testing...

Elos - ca @475, alk at 8.5
Tropic Marin - ca @392
Salifert - alk @9.3

Any thoughts?

Wow Leo, big differences. I say have another reefer or a LFS to retest for you with their stuff to see which one is correct. AWT (Aquarium Water Testing) you know the lab that does the tests on water samples? They did the controversial salt tests a few months ago. A little expensive but I bought a 4 test kit from them about a year ago. The one I just sent back was my last. I'll can post my results if it interests you, got them back on Friday.

 

[DanW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585465#post15585465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dejavu
A salt bridge is the solution the electrode is fulled with. It must always be filled with the salt bridge solution. For most electrodes, saturated potassium chloride, KCl, is normally used. The presence of KCl crystals in the salt bridge assures saturation.

Salt bridges allow current to flow though it like a wire. In most probes that are not "lab grade" they use a wire. The current that flows though the salt bridge allows the monitor to read potential difference in the solution being measured and than calculated in to pH. This is the shorten version.

OK I understand everything except for one part. The part after "A salt bridge is" (signed Maxwell Smart). Brian, do you think that there is a quality difference between a Neptune standard grade probe and a Bulk Reef Supply generic standard grade probe?