large prop systems how do they maintain ca, mg, & alk ?
- Thread starter polywise
- Start date
badguitarist
New member
I run a commercial operation and just use baking soda and kalkwasser. I also dose calcium polygluconate from time to time to encourage coraline growth on dry frag plugs, it does wonders for coraline algae. Each system gets large weekly water changes as a by product from shipping corals and coral baths from propagation. This helps as well
badguitarist
New member
Basically. On stony coral tubs I drip 10-15 gallons of Kalk per week into each 400 gallon tub. and 1-2 gallons of water with 1 cup of baking soda every week. and then like i said Calcium polygloconate in small quantities to help frag plugs encrust with coraline algae (I am not certain that calcium polygluconate is the best source of calcium for corals. I'm not even fully sure how it works I just know it grows coraline well.)
Water changes take care of magnesium.
On soft coral tubs I only drip 1-2 gallons of Kalk per week.
Water changes take care of magnesium.
On soft coral tubs I only drip 1-2 gallons of Kalk per week.
oceanarium
New member
We do two part dosing, just buy chems in bulk cheaply and mix in 44 gal drums.
badguitarist
New member
Salt water from the tank wouldn't make sense as the concentrations of chemicals needed would precipitate quickly out of saltwater. DI water is the way to go with your bulk Chemicals. I don't use dosers just drip.
oceanarium
New member
Mix with rain water and added hourly via metered dose pump. Nothing special very much like a smaller setup. We just need to get the chemicals cheaply to make it cost effective. Using Redsea additives we would be spending $2k + a month. Buying the chems from a chemical company we can go a whole year on the same cost.
Reefvet
New member
Hopefully rainwater collected far away from a big city or heavily travelled roads.
badguitarist
New member
float valves plumbed to 50 gallon drums
oceanarium
New member
Rural area and first flush device to rinse the roof first, no mains so not a lot of choice and bore water is totally crap. I would need a desalinate plant of epic proportions to meet our FW needs.
Top off the same rain water but on auto timed pumps. Float valves don't work well on an operational coral farm we are removing SW constantly for shipping, cleaning and coral cutting operations. I find once set correctly they are very good we only manually adjust salinity every 3-6 months at most.
Raoul5Duke
Active member
Interesting thread. I'm curious why you wouldn't use some sort of large calcium reactor on these systems? I recently upgraded to a larger tank (360 gall) and I continue to use 2 part dosing just because its what I know and find easy, but I know several would say this is a waste of money.
NeverlosT
A bit fishy
I would love to see a system where a CARX cannot handle the ALK needs. It must be a lot of coral!
I have my CARX turned way down on a 150g DT, and it is handling it well, I wonder how big a CARX you are using? Maybe a really large unit with a secondary chamber could handle it?
I love my CARX because it is "set it and forget it" once you get stable numbers and have a controller hooked up!
I have my CARX turned way down on a 150g DT, and it is handling it well, I wonder how big a CARX you are using? Maybe a really large unit with a secondary chamber could handle it?
I love my CARX because it is "set it and forget it" once you get stable numbers and have a controller hooked up!
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Badguitarist,
Can you tell me a little about Calcium Polygloconate? I searched this site and Googled it but didn't come up with anything. I am restarting a tank and want to get the calcareous algae growing as fast as I can.
Where do you get it. Where can I learn more about it?
Thanks
Can you tell me a little about Calcium Polygloconate? I searched this site and Googled it but didn't come up with anything. I am restarting a tank and want to get the calcareous algae growing as fast as I can.
Where do you get it. Where can I learn more about it?
Thanks
oceanarium
New member
I run one on one of my systems aquamedic KR5000, in 7000ltrs from start up I just run it flat out as the coral load grew ALK was low often 90PPM never more than 110PPM Ca was always struggling too around 360PPM. Tanks hold 2000 frags plus a 2000ltr DT is connected.
Whereas the other systems i can dial up the number i want, that particular system the reactor still runs though now supplemented with dosing to bring the numbers where i want them.
Whereas the other systems i can dial up the number i want, that particular system the reactor still runs though now supplemented with dosing to bring the numbers where i want them.
polywise
OLD SCHOOL-ish
Here is my display tank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxoQqYUOUFs
here is my prop tank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxmihwlXoLw
both on the same system
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxoQqYUOUFs
here is my prop tank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxmihwlXoLw
both on the same system
badguitarist
New member
Herring fish- Seachem Reef Calcium is the product I use that is Calcium polygloconate. a gallon of the stuff lasts a month or so on a few thousand gallons of water. I don't know much about it other than it really does help coralline grow quickly, I couldn't tell you why.
Oceanarium. I should expand I agree with you regarding float valves screwing up salinity. auto top offs are left off during the day while corals are being bagged fragged etc. and turned on at night only
Oceanarium. I should expand I agree with you regarding float valves screwing up salinity. auto top offs are left off during the day while corals are being bagged fragged etc. and turned on at night only
Badguatarist...are you using powdered Seachem Calcium? This would have magnesium in it...
We use baking soda and washing soda mixed together on the farm systems (1300 gallons each) and Seachem Buffer inside. We also use calcium chloride (pool store) and magnesium chloride (driveway salt) outside at the farm...but Seachem Calcium Advantage inside. The indoor systems are only about 250g and 500g, maybe...found that was a bit too small for me to achieve balance with the harsher chemicals.
We use baking soda and washing soda mixed together on the farm systems (1300 gallons each) and Seachem Buffer inside. We also use calcium chloride (pool store) and magnesium chloride (driveway salt) outside at the farm...but Seachem Calcium Advantage inside. The indoor systems are only about 250g and 500g, maybe...found that was a bit too small for me to achieve balance with the harsher chemicals.
Similar threads
