Dosing

[gandolf8]

Here is my question
I dose with B-ionic ,but also I use kalk for part of top off and the rest w/ro water. Now would you keep doing this or would you stop kalk I use a litermeter3 for kalk 2.5 mil a day .Plus I use bubble magus for b-ionic. Thx

 

[SkiFletch]

If your methods are effective in keeping calcium/alkalinity where it needs to be, why change it? If you ask me there are really only 2 downsides to b-ionic dosing with kalk supplimentation. First, b-ionic is over-priced. It's way more affordable to mix your own 2-part from somewhere like bulkreefsupply. Second, the slowly increasing salinity means you need to somewhat frequently monitor salinity and correct for it.

Personally, I'm a lazy reefer and prefer as much hands-off approach as possible. So I use as much kalkwasser as I can pump into the tank which barely keeps up with Ca and CO3 demand. I only correct minor amounts with 2-part and those minor corrections rarely get my salinity to creep up too high in-between water changes.

 

[gandolf8]

well I am having a lot of problem with salinity trying to keeping it at 1.025 BTW I like B-ionic. So what should I do about this it has been an on going problem. Stop kalk ?

 

[tmz]

Kalk doesn't effect the salinity. The chloride and sodium in two part do as it buids up. usually regular watr changes offsets it..

I prefer kalk as the mainstay for alk and calcium for a number of reasons with extra form two part only if needed. So, if it were my tank , I'd drop the two part and increase the kalk ; either way is acceptable. I dose 18 liters of fully saturated kalkwasser daily to the 650 gallons with a liter meter 3, fwiw.

 

[gandolf8]

so what about the r/o water as part top off stop it ?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

why does your salinity keep dropping?

why does your salinity keep dropping?

IS it actually dropping?

HOW do you measure it?

With the described situation (Litermeter) the LAST thing I would suggest is stop using limewater and the FIRST thing I'd suggest is to stop using (extremely expensive!) B-ionic.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

so what about the r/o water as part top off stop it ?

RO or kalk for makeup (evap)- neither should be affecting salinity because solids (salts) don't evaporate

 

[gandolf8]

yes and I have to bring it back up to 1.025

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

yes and I have to bring it back up to 1.025

if true, WHERE are the solids (salts) going?

do you wet skim?

 

[gandolf8]

Here is my setup.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

well... to be honest that picture doesn't help me.

You use Dialyseas (sp)?
Somewhere you are losing saltwater down the drain.

Is new ASW made up at 1.025?

 

[gandolf8]

Asw ?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Asw ?

ASW= artficial sea water

 

[gandolf8]

no just kalk and r/o water

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

is new ASW made up at 1.025?

 

[gandolf8]

1.023

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

well I am having a lot of problem with salinity trying to keeping it at 1.025 BTW I like B-ionic. So what should I do about this it has been an on going problem. Stop kalk ?

keep dosing kalk for makeup. Prepare all new saltwater to SG 1.025

 

[gandolf8]

should I stop the R/O water for top off and just do kalk

 

[cardiffgiant]

Are you saying that when you make a new batch of salt water it's salinity is measuring 1.023? If that's the case, we found your problem. Start making it at 1.026 instead

Are you using a refractometer to measure salinity?

 

[gandolf8]

my tank is 1.023 my Dialyseas is set for 1.025 just having hard time keep it there for some reason