Mark's 150 gallon

[markalot]

Read the mixing instructions on the AF Reef Salt, they recommend storing for no more than 5 days but say salt is ready soon after mixing. This sounds about equivalent to other salts whose instructions I pretty much ignore. My water should be warm enough this afternoon for me to add salt with the plan to do a 25 gallon water change tomorrow (depending on the KH of the new salt).

 

[mhucasey]

Read the mixing instructions on the AF Reef Salt, they recommend storing for no more than 5 days but say salt is ready soon after mixing. This sounds about equivalent to other salts whose instructions I pretty much ignore. My water should be warm enough this afternoon for me to add salt with the plan to do a 25 gallon water change tomorrow (depending on the KH of the new salt).

It's ready 15 minutes after mixing, and is totally clear. No need to mix for hours like other salts.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

It's ready 15 minutes after mixing, and is totally clear. No need to mix for hours like other salts.

I can second this.
At 9pm last night I added salt to my 15g ro container. By 920 it was at 1.024 and crystal clear. By 930 my water change was complete.

 

[joshky]

Hey Mark, I spent the last couple hours trying to catch up on your thread due to my absence. Man you've gone through a lot yourself this year, I really like your new aquascape and I really hope you're on the right track now. You need to grow that cousin it acro out so you can share a piece with me.... for backup I mean, once my tank is back in the clear itself. :bigeyes:

 

[markalot]

Hey Mark, I spent the last couple hours trying to catch up on your thread due to my absence. Man you've gone through a lot yourself this year, I really like your new aquascape and I really hope you're on the right track now. You need to grow that cousin it acro out so you can share a piece with me.... for backup I mean, once my tank is back in the clear itself. :bigeyes:

Hey Josh, you bet, just cross your fingers I can keep it alive.

I turned off my topoff and am doing it by hand today, KH still too high (8.5) and not falling. I may have to empty the reservoir and refill with just RODI and vinegar. Bah.

 

[markalot]

First mix of AquaForest Reef Salt. Took exactly 10 of their measuring cups to get my Brute to 35ppt, checked with calibration fluid.

Data sheet says 8KH at 32ppt I measured 10KH @ 35ppt.

Ouch. Looks like I'll use it over a few days. I was really hoping this would replace RS Blue Bucket but unfortunately no.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

First mix of AquaForest Reef Salt. Took exactly 10 of their measuring cups to get my Brute to 35ppt, checked with calibration fluid.

Data sheet says 8KH at 32ppt I measured 10KH @ 35ppt.

Ouch. Looks like I'll use it over a few days. I was really hoping this would replace RS Blue Bucket but unfortunately no.

The problem is that Aquaforest test their water at 33 ppt. So yea at 33 ppt, you will be at 8 dkh, 34 ppt at 9 dkh, 35 ppt 10 dkh.
Why dont you lower your salt to 33 ppt Mark?

 

[markalot]

The problem is that Aquaforest test their water at 33 ppt. So yea at 33 ppt, you will be at 8 dkh, 34 ppt at 9 dkh, 35 ppt 10 dkh.
Why dont you lower your salt to 33 ppt Mark?

Because I've always run at 35, no good reason. Any idea why they recommend that low?

 

[nemodan]

First mix of AquaForest Reef Salt. Took exactly 10 of their measuring cups to get my Brute to 35ppt, checked with calibration fluid.

Data sheet says 8KH at 32ppt I measured 10KH @ 35ppt.

Ouch. Looks like I'll use it over a few days. I was really hoping this would replace RS Blue Bucket but unfortunately no.

That is strange......

My AF lot was at 35 ppt always around 8.5 dkh. The data sheet said 7.7 dkh. So ~ 0.5-0.7 DKH more sounded to me reasonable because I was using a higher concentrated solution.

Daniel

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

I dont really know why but i mixed at 1.026 once and alk was mid 8s on my probiotic. However at 33ppt im at 7.7 just like it says. Wich is the sweat spot.

 

[markalot]

I know of another reefer having issues with his pro corals PC Rainbow. His bleached after a water change, mine is either dying or bleaching or has tip burn. I find it odd polyps are still present after 3 days of the tip turning white.

Other than that most of the corals are steady to looking better.

I caught a macro of the slimer trying to feed.

... and I'm still wondering what the heck this is. Found it during a gravel vac, thought it was a piece of the Lokani but not anymore. Just a fun one to watch.

Lokani shooting out a new tip, seemingly not bothered by what is going on.

I'm topping off manually for now, KH is being stubborn just under 8.5 as the tank experiences a pause in usage. My evaporation is fairly low so I can get away with this for a while. I plan on doing water changes every day this week with the new AF salt so KH is liable to only slowly fall.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

I know of another reefer having issues with his pro corals PC Rainbow. His bleached after a water change, mine is either dying or bleaching or has tip burn. I find it odd polyps are still present after 3 days of the tip turning white.

Other than that most of the corals are steady to looking better.

I caught a macro of the slimer trying to feed.

... and I'm still wondering what the heck this is. Found it during a gravel vac, thought it was a piece of the Lokani but not anymore. Just a fun one to watch.

Lokani shooting out a new tip, seemingly not bothered by what is going on.

I'm topping off manually for now, KH is being stubborn just under 8.5 as the tank experiences a pause in usage. My evaporation is fairly low so I can get away with this for a while. I plan on doing water changes every day this week with the new AF salt so KH is liable to only slowly fall.

Lower that alk Mark. Trust me i just had the same thing happened before going to the AF salt. I raised alk to get more growth to 8.9 and got rtn bad. So when i started AF i lowered it to 7.7 and BAM all rtn healed.

 

[plyle02]

Mark,
If it were me, I would mix the salt to 32ppt/ 1.024 and offset the water at 35ppt/ 1.0264. I have always used specific gravity at 1.025. This is exactly 33.5ppt. I know 32 seems low, but it will mix lower in alk and water changes are not a bad thing This will slowly bring your salinity value down, as well as bring your alk down. With your water volume, I doubt it will cause any ill effects. Maybe do 20 gallons every other day until this is corrected. I would also suspend alk dosing or take ca rx offline, can't remember if you use one or not. You will be surprised at how fast you can drop your alk

 

[markalot]

Lower that alk Mark. Trust me i just had the same thing happened before going to the AF salt. I raised alk to get more growth to 8.9 and got rtn bad. So when i started AF i lowered it to 7.7 and BAM all rtn healed.

Thanks, sounds like a good plan!

Mark,
If it were me, I would mix the salt to 32ppt/ 1.024 and offset the water at 35ppt/ 1.0264. I have always used specific gravity at 1.025. This is exactly 33.5ppt. I know 32 seems low, but it will mix lower in alk and water changes are not a bad thing This will slowly bring your salinity value down, as well as bring your alk down. With your water volume, I doubt it will cause any ill effects. Maybe do 20 gallons every other day until this is corrected. I would also suspend alk dosing or take ca rx offline, can't remember if you use one or not. You will be surprised at how fast you can drop your alk

You know, that's a great idea, all I have to do is dilute what I have to get the salinity back down. Thanks Perry. No dosing, just Kalk + vinegar in the topoff which is turned off at the moment. I diluted it as Much as I could without overflowing.

 

[markalot]

Diluted to 32ppt, 8KH right on the money. Did a 10 gallon water change with another gravel vac. Found a nasty spot in the corner ... I love sucking up the muck.

10 more gallons to go and then I'll mix up some more. Corals do look better, KH down to ~8.2.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

Diluted to 32ppt, 8KH right on the money. Did a 10 gallon water change with another gravel vac. Found a nasty spot in the corner ... I love sucking up the muck.

10 more gallons to go and then I'll mix up some more. Corals do look better, KH down to ~8.2.

Good to hear Mark. Trust me you will see how good your corals will look with the lower alk. Its wierd how some people are able to run higher alks.

 

[markalot]

KH is finally down to 8. Alk usage is just about zip at the moment.

I grow tired of this tank, my lack of skills, or a combination of both. Too many lost acros, too many issues.

PO4 back up to near .2 and more acros browning, but remaining healthy. I turned GFO back on, making sure to run 2 gallons into a bucket to clear the lines. This time I ignored tumble rate and set flow to just above a trickle.

I've been feeding my 40 gallon like crazy, colors off the charts, PO4 near 0. Makes me think I have a buildup somewhere that I need to eliminate. Overflows, sump, sandbed? Even the fricking Red Robin is starting to color up in my little 40 gallon.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

KH is finally down to 8. Alk usage is just about zip at the moment.

I grow tired of this tank, my lack of skills, or a combination of both. Too many lost acros, too many issues.

PO4 back up to near .2 and more acros browning, but remaining healthy. I turned GFO back on, making sure to run 2 gallons into a bucket to clear the lines. This time I ignored tumble rate and set flow to just above a trickle.

I've been feeding my 40 gallon like crazy, colors off the charts, PO4 near 0. Makes me think I have a buildup somewhere that I need to eliminate. Overflows, sump, sandbed? Even the fricking Red Robin is starting to color up in my little 40 gallon.

Dang Mark, that sucks man. Guess thats one of the downsides of the hobby. Sometimes things are great, then boom goes to "poop". Have you considered lanthanumm chloride your po4. I know chemicals are never a long term option , but just a bandaid. However i might help untill you figure out culprit

 

[reefmutt]

Mark, it sucks hearing reefers talk like that. I have been there!! I have been there with my current tank... I feel for you, man! No fun.. What's the point..
I know.. Not much help when your tank is sucking..
Want to do a ground up assessment of the system?
Is so.. As a starting point and reference, do a full description of that system..
Let's give it one more shot... If you want...

 

[markalot]

Dang Mark, that sucks man. Guess thats one of the downsides of the hobby. Sometimes things are great, then boom goes to "poop". Have you considered lanthanumm chloride your po4. I know chemicals are never a long term option , but just a bandaid. However i might help untill you figure out culprit

I've used it before, just worried it's a little too fast.

Mark, it sucks hearing reefers talk like that. I have been there!! I have been there with my current tank... I feel for you, man! No fun.. What's the point..
I know.. Not much help when your tank is sucking..
Want to do a ground up assessment of the system?
Is so.. As a starting point and reference, do a full description of that system..
Let's give it one more shot... If you want...

Thanks Matt, just hearing me *****ing is a big help. I am beginning to suspect my skimmer might not be big enough for the bioload. It may be time to sink money into something I know is big enough to handle a heavy load in 150 gallons. This RO skimmer is rather erratic and now after a cleaning I'm having trouble dialing it in again. Dry skim day one, wet skim day two, overflow day three. My current thoughts anyway.