help with hammer corral

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856760#post14856760 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
pH is fine. The alk is still really low though. Are you dosing anything currently to deal with alkalinity and calcium demand?
missed this post.....

I've been dosing with Kent Marine Buffer once a week....... i just dosed it after the 1.9 test......

I haven't done more then a 25% water change in close to 2 months... my system holds approx 40 gallons of water

Feb 24 10 gal change
March 2 4 gal
March 19 6 gal
Apr 11 9 gal
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856842#post14856842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
missed this post.....

I've been dosing with Kent Marine Buffer once a week....... i just dosed it after the 1.9 test......

I haven't done more then a 25% water change in close to 2 months... my system holds approx 40 gallons of water

Feb 24 10 gal change
March 2 4 gal
March 19 6 gal
Apr 11 9 gal


The water change is most definitely going to help. 10% weekly water changes are a good habit to get into. It will make up for a little of the lost demand from your corals and 'dilute the pollution' as they say, but you'll still need to dose a supplement to keep your alk/ca levels in balance. 2-part should be used daily. ;)
 
I've tried to balance everything out the best i can using common sense....

i measure the amount of chemicals everytmime i add them to my top off, same as the buffer
 
Great thread. I've bookmarked it for all the helpful links :)

Hope you can get your stats sorted 96GTRagTop. I'd like to move into LPS this fall.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856857#post14856857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
I've tried to balance everything out the best i can using common sense....

i measure the amount of chemicals everytmime i add them to my top off, same as the buffer

Unfortunately adding supplements to your top-off water isn't very calculated unless you dose kalkwasser. The types of supplements you have should be added in individual doses (separately to the tank or sump), and should use the calculator above to add the correct amount. Are you adding both at the same time into the top-off? This could cause them to precipitate and basically be useless.
 
photo6.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856869#post14856869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Unfortunately adding supplements to your top-off water isn't very calculated unless you dose kalkwasser. The types of supplements you have should be added in individual doses (separately to the tank or sump), and should use the calculator above to add the correct amount. Are you adding both at the same time into the top-off? This could cause them to precipitate and basically be useless.
:lol

the first time i ever went to add suppliments i added them to the top off at the same time. Buffer, then Clacium, and before i got the coral vite in i watched the water turn opaque and took the hint.....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856892#post14856892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Looking better. :) I'd still make sure you get that alk and ca where it need to be for long term success though. ;)
what about the bottom section of it....... it seems to not want to come out of hiding
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856902#post14856902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
:lol

the first time i ever when to add suppliments i added them to the top off at the same time. Buffer, then Clacium, and before i got the coral vite in i watched the water turn opaque and took the hint.....

Bingo. :lol: If you add enough of each part together it looks like the volcano experiment from grade school. Just don't want to make that mistake in the display. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856906#post14856906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
what about the bottom section of it....... it seems to not want to come out of hiding

I'd give it time. I think there's some acclimating it's going through.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856908#post14856908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Bingo. :lol: If you add enough of each part together it looks like the volcano experiment from grade school. Just don't want to make that mistake in the display. :D
welllll, i'm not gonna lie....

it got's curious..... I had 10 gallon tank set up just wasting power...... sooooooooo...... lol

first i just took the buffer then sprayed it with calcium......

exact words were "oh snap". added water, then dumped it into the ten........

wound up having to drain it and do an 8 gallon water change on my display and used the throw away from that to replace the 10 gallon......

mr wizard eat ur heart out
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14856929#post14856929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
welllll, i'm not gonna lie....

it got's curious..... I had 10 gallon tank set up just wasting power...... sooooooooo...... lol

first i just took the buffer then sprayed it with calcium......

exact words were "oh snap". added water, then dumped it into the ten........

wound up having to drain it and do an 8 gallon water change on my display and used the throw away from that to replace the 10 gallon......

mr wizard eat ur heart out

Live and learn... :lol:
 
I would suggest you adopt a two part dosing regime like B-ionics two part. Within 3 weeks you can bring stability to your alk, calcium and magnesium and indirectly to your pH.
I will give you a link to my blog on how to initiate a two part system.

Please stop dosing buffers. Buffers have borates in them which artificially raise the level of alkalinity in your tank. It is the carbonate part of alkalinity that is important for your corals, not the borate part.
Your pH as Bret said is okay but it should have a high reading of 8.2. If that is the high reading then that is not ideal.
pH is a matter of how much gas exhange is going on in the tank. the more carbon dioxide that builds up in and around the tank the lower the pH goes. Opening a window overnight in the fish room, using a quality skimmer, making sure there is lots of surface turbulance can all raise the pH.

Here is what you should be measuring and prefered levels:
alkalinity 8.5 -11.5 dkH
calcium 400 ppm or better
magnesium 1300 -1400 ppm
salinity 1.026
pH 8.2

Magnesium levels are very important as they help maintain acceptable calcium and alkalinity levels.

Back to two part b-ionics. Two part dosing is great for maintaining acceptable levels of cal alk and mag but you need to bring them up with other chemicals to start with then maintain with 2 part

Here is one ways to do that:

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=262
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14857845#post14857845 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
:eek1: :eek1: :eek1:

its not as hard as it looks to do and once it is setup it takes you 1 min to dose daily and that's it
 
"bring up your alk levels with kent super dKh (8-11 dkH)
bring up your calcium levels with Kent turbo calcium(400 plus ppm)"

quoted from ur link....

those are the products i'm using now.......
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14857963#post14857963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 96GTRagTop
"bring up your alk levels with kent super dKh (8-11 dkH)
bring up your calcium levels with Kent turbo calcium(400 plus ppm)"

quoted from ur link....

those are the products i'm using now.......

good show but you still need to use more of the super dKH to bring up your alk. There is a dosing calculator on one of the first threads in the reef chemistry form. It will tell you how much to dose and how quickly you can do it.

once you have done that then you can start the 2 part dosing.
I have used two part for over 2 years now with little fluctuation in the chemistry of my tank. Occassionaly I have to dose some magnesium--that's all.

It is the stability in the chemistry of the water that your aiming for.;)
 
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