Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[reefmutt]

Wally, the tank sure is looking good right now..
Now, correct me if I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time), but isn't potassion iodide basically lugol's solution? This is an iodine supplement and doesn't really have much potassium in it..
Maybe I'm getting mixed up, here...

 

[Wally.B]

Wally, the tank sure is looking good right now..
Now, correct me if I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time), but isn't potassion iodide basically lugol's solution? This is an iodine supplement and doesn't really have much potassium in it..
Maybe I'm getting mixed up, here...

I posted the concern on ZeoVit forum, so hopefully I'll get an answer. I'm no chem expert but Potassium Iodide has the word Potassium in it.
The Product Ad says the following "Contains inorganic iodide as well as bromine, potassium and fluorine."


Even if there is a bit, I may have gone over with the extra water changes, and I will look up level of Tropic Marine Pro Salt.

Either way, the basic #1 rule was broken. Don't Dose any additives unless you have a way to measure them.

This is my new way going forward. Measuring all trace elements, even if a pain. I don't want that GHA bloom coming back EVER!!

 

[Wally.B]

Algae Scrubber Update (Kicking in After GHA Cleanup).

I did check after Tank Algae Clean up and there wasn't there.

But today I check after last time and Bingo, the Scrubber is kicking in at 12 hour lights on.

Better growing in the ATS than on my rocks

I'm increasing to 14hrs, since it's past burn in stage.

Cool.

 

[reefmutt]

I posted the concern on ZeoVit forum, so hopefully I'll get an answer. I'm no chem expert but Potassium Iodide has the word Potassium in it.
The Product Ad says the following "Contains inorganic iodide as well as bromine, potassium and fluorine."


Even if there is a bit, I may have gone over with the extra water changes, and I will look up level of Tropic Marine Pro Salt.

Either way, the basic #1 rule was broken. Don't Dose any additives unless you have a way to measure them.

This is my new way going forward. Measuring all trace elements, even if a pain. I don't want that GHA bloom coming back EVER!!

Good to see the cheato growing. I wish mine was!

Well, that list of ingredients is longer than what is in Lugol's, so maybe this product does contain significant potassium.. Curious to know, actually.. I'm currently adding lugols and a potassium supplement (KZ's K balance).. If I could add one product which gave me both, that would be easier..

 

[Wally.B]

If you are adding K-Balance, what test kit are you using for Potassium?

Or breaking the same rule like me

Chaeto in ATS isn't doing much. It may look like that in picture. It 'sother Green algae in background, on rough surface that has kicked in.
Like mentioned in Previous post, the Chaeto that is doing well is just sitting in my return with minimal lighting (ignoring it does best)

 

[reefmutt]

I have Elos, KZ and Red Sea potassium test kits.. They all suck and are difficult to read..
I test on rare occasions. Every few months..
When I was dosing potassium nitrate, it kept my k very nicely but when I stopped, k dropped quite low.. Now, im dosing half the recommended dosage of k balance.
I'll test soon...
Now... Iodine. I don't test for... I've been adding the recommended dosage..
Yes I should test for it!! I will eventually..

 

[Wally.B]

Matt,

If you had to pick one, which of the 3 kits should I get. Really want to test K.

 

[reefmutt]

Ugh. I think KZ..

 

[Wally.B]

New Post-GHA CleanUp Overhead Shot.

For the records.

 

[Myka]

I've used the KZ and the Elos potassium kits, and they're pretty much the same. I'm not sure I find them difficult to read as long as you're ok with a "ballpark" number - like say "it's somewhere between 380-420 ppm. I always read them under the same light fixture (a crisp white fluorescent) and I've gotten expected results (using fresh saltwater from known salt mixes) so I'm fairly confident in the results. Using H2Ocean, I don't have to dose potassium until there is a significant Acro load. In my old 90-gallon, when it was full I was dosing 4 tsp Brightwell Potassion every week. My tank right now stays right in the 400 range.

 

[reefmutt]

Clean as a whistle, Wally.
Thanks for the info Mindy!

 

[MichaelW]

Enjoyed this thread a lot. I must say that you sure have fun with the hobby!
I have never tested for any of those elements like potassium, iodine etc and don't dose them individually, but I am sure they make up part of the fauna marin balling lite system I use. I had been wondering about testing (particularly potassium) just to get an idea of my levels are in the ball park. I had also heard the rest kits are horrible though. Mindy, your info has helped and I will prob look for the elos kit next time I'm at my lfs.
Sally tank is looking sweet now. I like the new scape and it is really looking clean....we all hope it stays that way for you. I think, for now at least, getting rid of all that extra "stuff" to add was a good move.... But boy is it fun to add those little drops!

 

[Wally.B]

Salifert Pottasium test kit Rumour. It may be coming back. Who knows when.

http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34417

Never used it, but hear it was easy and pretty accurate for K Test. I like Salifert Kits for all my other Testing except PO4, which I use Hanna.

 

[Wally.B]

Unique Shots of my Madarin Goby (After Tigger CopePod Harvest)

I usually get excited about Coral Progress, and not so much about my fish.

But yesterday I harvested my Tigger Copepod Farm to start a new batch. After dumping the live food into Tank. The Mandarin (Named "Hoover") went nuts Hunting.

It's usually hard to catch him still, but while hunting for all these pods, he was in a good Photo Mood.

Thought I'd share these nice shots, in the Re-freshed tank background.

 

[Wally.B]

One more...(Tang wants to show off too )

 

[JaihWill]

Unique Shots of my Madarin Goby (After Tigger CopePod Harvest)



I usually get excited about Coral Progress, and not so much about my fish.



But yesterday I harvested my Tigger Copepod Farm to start a new batch. After dumping the live food into Tank. The Mandarin (Named "Hoover") went nuts Hunting.



It's usually hard to catch him still, but while hunting for all these pods, he was in a good Photo Mood.



Thought I'd share these nice shots, in the Re-freshed tank background.

Wally how'd you set up your pod farm?

 

[Wally.B]

Wally how'd you set up your pod farm?

I posted my Farm attempts on this thread.

How to ADD live CopePods to my Tank from My CopePod FARM (for Mandarin Feeding)

Everything you need to know is there. If you have more questions post on that thread and I or others may reply.

I did have a couple of failures, but eventually I figured it out. Got better each time. Still improving. Not an expert by any degree yet.

One recommendation is keep the CopePod farm Isolated. Closed top, or lid (but allow air in/out).
Don't use/share nets, tubes or anything from your tank. Any contaminates from your tank can ruin a batch. (Once a single Baby Brine Shrimp dripped into the Farm, from a Brine Shrimp farm. And weeks later that brine shrimp grew Massive, since he was eating all the Copepod and their baby Napuliis. He was so big it was an easy remove, but he ate a lot before being caught)

Don't get too eager and overfeed, or you will pollute your Farm.

The other advice I would give, is be patient. I learned the less I watched for daily progress, the faster the 3-4-6 weeks go by.

Of course at the beginning, you got to watch, and enjoy, and hope. It's all part of the fun of learning and exploring.

Good luck.

 

[Wally.B]

GHA peeking out (Watching Closely)

So it's been barely a few days, and I see a few whiffs of Green Hair appearing on rocks.

Sure I didn't perfectly scrub the rocks, and I expected this. Actually I was surprised how well the rocks were scrubbed, since I was careful not to damage the SPS.

Hoping the Bio Wall, and Algae scrubber, plus the PO4 Reactor keep things in check.

There will be some kind of Algae cycle, which is fine. So long as it doesn't become a marching progression like last time.

I'm thinking I should cut back the lighting (which I didn't), to allow the ATS to take over GHA production. Two choices. Raise lights, or reduce PhotoPeriod.

 

[reefmutt]

Cool shots of the mandarin.. Beautiful fish..
Wally, what's the current status of your cuc in the tank?
No matter how many different algea reducing methods you use. Algea still needs to be grazed. It is ubiquitous. It must have animals to physically graze it or it will come back.

 

[Wally.B]

Cool shots of the mandarin.. Beautiful fish..
Wally, what's the current status of your cuc in the tank?
No matter how many different algea reducing methods you use. Algea still needs to be grazed. It is ubiquitous. It must have animals to physically graze it or it will come back.

CUC isn't that bad. Not as big (Snail wise) as when I was fighting the massive GHA outbreak. There are Zebra, and Blue Legged Hermits, mix of snails, Sand Shifters, Starfish, and 1 Emerald Crab.

Here is a YouTube Timelapse of New Tank's CUC activity. Plenty going on. Emerald from the Sump has joined, but at this point is working in one area.

https://youtu.be/QVmszF2SMLU

Too bad, but the Mexican Turbo died when transitioning to this Tank from the Hunger Wars Tank. Not sure why, since he was dripped properly. But not as long as from Fish Store.

I don't want to overdo the CUC snailwise. They do die and polute tank according to all the empty snails I found during clean up.

(I did leave a mixed sized pile of empty Snail Shells in one corner, so Growing hermits have a selection, rather than kill a snail for it's shell)