Frank's LPS Grow Out Contest Update #1

[Lacy]

Sorry to hear that you are still having problems. How are all the corals doing?

 

[itz frank]

Rough. Acros are stn'd at the tips and base. I feel that I've managed to put a clamp on everything stability wise with the exception of phosphates now.

If I hadn't had signed up for this, I probably wouldn't have found these issues this early.

 

[AquamanE]

It appears you are loosing anywhere between 0.3-0.6 ppm per day of Alk. Its time either use Kalk for all evaporated water or 2 part dose, or eventually both. Choose your method, and go for it.

 

[itz frank]

I've been doing two part but primarily dosing the alk of it as that seems to be the only thing fluctuating.

I just started my mr1 reactor with 25grams of phosban. 20gal water change scheduled for Friday as well.

 

[itz frank]

It appears you are loosing anywhere between 0.3-0.6 ppm per day of Alk. Its time either use Kalk for all evaporated water or 2 part dose, or eventually both. Choose your method, and go for it.

I manually top off about a gallon at night. Will this effect pH or cause huge swings.

 

[AquamanE]

I manually top off about a gallon at night. Will this effect pH or cause huge swings.

i\If you top off with Kalk yes, but only temporarily, nothing to worry about.

 

[itz frank]

i\If you top off with Kalk yes, but only temporarily, nothing to worry about.

And this will be ok and not torch my corals like I've been experiencing?

 

[itz frank]

Alk- 7.7
Ca-420-430
Mag-1350
Phos- less than .03

No dosing in the last 48 hrs.

 

[itz frank]

Had about 1gal top off last night and 1 gal this morning. Water had 1/2tsp kalk which was half the recommended dose. This morning, after top off, alk was about 8.0 maybe a little higher but definitely not 8.3. Going to see how this effects me for the next few weeks and adjust the amount needed.

 

[itz frank]

Alk-8.1
Cal-420
Mag-1320
Phos- less than .03
pH-8.1

More stn. My chalice also looks worse. I have about a nickel sized amount of flesh left. For the life of me I can not figure out my issues

My hard corals are all stning aside from one.

 

[Miamiangler]

what are your nitrates at ? I would invest in a ATO it is much better then doing manually .You may be shocking the system by adding Kalk and RO at one time . What Is your SG at w before you add the RO water ?

I also have a 60 gal tank ,why are you losing so much water ? my ATO hold 3 gals and I fill it every 3 or 4 days .

 

[itz frank]

I'll get it set up. Salinity before and after top off doesn't appear to change. Although, my refractometer does read 1.027. So I will work on lowering that over the next week or so.

 

[itz frank]

what are your nitrates at ? I would invest in a ATO it is much better then doing manually .You may be shocking the system by adding Kalk and RO at one time . What Is your SG at w before you add the RO water ?



I also have a 60 gal tank ,why are you losing so much water ? my ATO hold 3 gals and I fill it every 3 or 4 days .

Got the ato set up. Didn't see your question about the top off amounts. My tank seems to run fairly hot. I have a fan that runs 24/7 in the canopy to help drop it and that seems to be my amounts. I have about 3-4gallons of r/o in the reservoir so let's see how long it takes to empty now.

 

[Miamiangler]

I only have the fans running during the day when lights are on then half hour after dark . if you do that it might help reduce evaporation

 

[itz frank]

I only have the fans running during the day when lights are on then half hour after dark . if you do that it might help reduce evaporation

Well, my fuge light is on at night opposite that of my display. The fan is really on for that reason. But if I don't run the fan during the day and night I'll never see temps below 83 degrees.

 

[AquamanE]

For those looking into silent yet efficient fans... google silenx fans. That is what i use, Try finding a fan that does 90 cfm at 18 dda. 90 being cubic feet per minute, dba meaning sound. I challenge you.....

Changing that alone will make a world of difference if your using cheap computer fans.

 

[itz frank]

For those looking into silent yet efficient fans... google silenx fans. That is what i use, Try finding a fan that does 90 cfm at 18 dda. 90 being cubic feet per minute, dba meaning sound. I challenge you.....

Changing that alone will make a world of difference if your using cheap computer fans.

It's not a computer fan. I found a clip fan, probably about 8" circumference. It dropped my tank temps enough that I need to run a heater. It's fairly quiet. You hear the overflow over the fan.

 

[Lacy]

It's not a computer fan. I found a clip fan, probably about 8" circumference. It dropped my tank temps enough that I need to run a heater. It's fairly quiet. You hear the overflow over the fan.

What if you redirect the fan to blow less on the water?

 

[itz frank]

I'll try it out. Honestly, at this point the evap doesn't bother me because the ato is up and running.

 

[Lacy]

Are you still having to use a heater? That is why I was thinking of having the fan blow partially on the water. Maybe you won't have to use a heater.