Nano 10g SPS tring to keep up with alk

[brad65ford]

Hey guys, been reefing for years but in the last year we decide to try sps's in a 8g + 2g sump 10g total little nano frag system. Seems its already at a disadvantage with out having the volume of water need to say consistent with alk/cal/mag levels. So even though I'm been having decent results with consistent husbandry and care for my SPS corals I want better.

I originally thought I could get away with doing once a week 30 percent water changes but after multiple testing my ALK demand is pretty intense. Cal and Mag are never a problem since I ATO with Kalk water. I see 500ppm in cal and 1500 in Mag on average any time a day, but ALk can be as low as 6 in just a day or two.

Recently I tried to add banking soda at night when the lights are out. It seems I added to much (2 level table spoons) to the tank, tested the following morning and DHK was 14.4. So though out the day I tested and watch the alk dropped pretty quickly to 10.5 dhk after an 8 hour lighting period. Today I tested in the AM and she is now at 9.5 dhk. Honestly I'm not really sure were I want the alk at in the system yet, I've hear great results are around 10.

Aside from kicking myself in a butt for trying to achieve a balanced nano sps tank, what would you guys suggest for this high of Alk demand.. I'm assuming a dosing pump would bet he smartest think I could do but I'm wondering how difficult it will be to balance the alk drip with the kalk ATO. I know everyone seems to be against a calcium reactor for such small tanks but they look like so much find to manipulate.

Would love to hear your guys thoughts.

 

[Reef264]

BRS Dosing Pump + Randy's recipe.

 

[tripdad]

I have a 10 gal sps tank with a 1 gal fuge and no sump/ I dose 2 part only and use Kent Marine nano 2 part. I do not dose a "balanced" amount of both, it has just never worked.I dose 5 to 6ml of part A and 1.7 ml of part B. Cal runs at around 400 to 460 and kh is at 7 to 7.5. I dose manually.I realize this is not "optimum" but it is what I do. Coral growth is good, not great and things are reasonably healthy. 10% water changes weekly with reef crystals. I have multiple acros,a monti cap,birdsnest and lps and a couple softies. Running GFO and Carbon.3 fish.Also I have a 1" sand bed and it's not all "glued" together,Yet lol. It's been together a year now, finger's crossed that it holds till new tank is done. Good luck.

 

[brad65ford]

Thanks guys, I do agree with you tripdad its not the most optimal to be nano/pico for SPS but its doable. I think it might be best to stop mixing kalk+2 to my make up ATO water since I'm probably over Cal and Mag the system. I really have no clue with the cal and mag are since its over the levels on Salifert test kits Thinking it might be best to bring the levels down to more natural parameters? Also still don't know what my ALK/DKH should be.

Would love to see your setup tripdad or any other 10g or less nano/pico sps successful setups. Interesting you are running GAC since its so small of a tank. A few months back I try a small GAC reactor and stripped the whole tank from PO4. Lost all the color of the corals, took a while to get back to normal. My only bio-load is very low running a BB and just few snails and the corals.

 

[wonderz]

Thanks guys, I do agree with you tripdad its not the most optimal to be nano/pico for SPS but its doable. I think it might be best to stop mixing kalk+2 to my make up ATO water since I'm probably over Cal and Mag the system. I really have no clue with the cal and mag are since its over the levels on Salifert test kits Thinking it might be best to bring the levels down to more natural parameters? Also still don't know what my ALK/DKH should be.

Would love to see your setup tripdad or any other 10g or less nano/pico sps successful setups. Interesting you are running GAC since its so small of a tank. A few months back I try a small GAC reactor and stripped the whole tank from PO4. Lost all the color of the corals, took a while to get back to normal. My only bio-load is very low running a BB and just few snails and the corals.

I don't think GAC strips out PO4. GFO does.
As for dosing, yeah, probably should just dose the ALK part of the 2 part for a while until your CAL and MAG is back down a little.

 

[brad65ford]

I don't think GAC strips out PO4. GFO does.
As for dosing, yeah, probably should just dose the ALK part of the 2 part for a while until your CAL and MAG is back down a little.

oops I meant to write GFO, my bad.

Agree about the two part. Does anyone know which part a or b of C-balance is ALK?

 

[tripdad]

I run a very small amount of the GFO in a bag in the sump,I like to feed heavy and the skimmer alone doesnt always control the PO4, approx. 1 Tbsp.

 

[brad65ford]

Tripdad,

I use ChemiPure Elite in my return sump which has GFO and Carbon in it. I really do like the CPE stuff, give it a try if you want to change things up.

 

[tripdad]

I started with the Chemipure nano and had good results. I basically mix my own now so I can control my numbers a little better. As the tank has changed sometimes I need more or less of one component. Tanks this small are a challenge some days.

 

[rovster]

I have a huge Alk demand in my 14 and dose 2 part manually twice a day, and top off with Kalk....also manual. I have some large SPS and LPS corals. If I wasn't upgrading, I'd consider a dosing pump to automate things, but I've been doing it manually for some time now and everything grows. I have to frag back colonies every month or 2. I also change 20% weekly with RSCP.