new "canvas"

[aquadonkey]

Wow Gary - I love these top down shots!
The color combinations are great - pink and green together and orange with light blue.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Gary-

You're running a Ca reactor + kalkwasser topoff, right? Do you have to supplement with two-part as well, or are the reactor, kalk, and water changes keeping up with demand? I'm assuming you may have to use some two-part to keep levels balanced, but there's a lot of stonies packed into that glass box!

As impossible as it would seem, each set of pics is more impressive than the last. Admirable work! :thumbsup:

 

[dreaminmel]

As impossible as it would seem, each set of pics is more impressive than the last. Admirable work! :thumbsup:

I've really got to echo this... great work Gary!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

TIA for all comments

Gary-

You're running a Ca reactor + kalkwasser topoff, right? Do you have to supplement with two-part as well, or are the reactor, kalk, and water changes keeping up with demand? I'm assuming you may have to use some two-part to keep levels balanced, but there's a lot of stonies packed into that glass box!

As impossible as it would seem, each set of pics is more impressive than the last. Admirable work! :thumbsup:

Scott- I'm running a calcium reactor and topoff with kalkwasser. I also supplement with homemade liquid two parts... mostly to keep levels balanced.
I've been using Instant Ocean saltmix for about 3 months now and I boost the Ca and Mg in each new batch before using it in a water change.
I'm really liking what's happening in my aquarium right now.

 

[ChuckG]

I've been using Instant Ocean saltmix for about 3 months now and I boost the Ca and Mg in each new batch before using it in a water change.

Wow.. I just love milli and those are some very nice tables!

I am confused that you boost IO salt. It usually mixes up pretty high in alk and calcium. Are you needing to boost it right away or because you aerating it for a while before using it?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Wow.. I just love milli and those are some very nice tables!

I am confused that you boost IO salt. It usually mixes up pretty high in alk and calcium. Are you needing to boost it right away or because you aerating it for a while before using it?

Chuck- are you talking about Reef Crystals or Instant Ocean?

IO and RC have always mixed up high in alk but IO has always been lower than RC in Ca (and Mg).

I aerate all water before adding saltmix and then proceed to mix it for 24 hours before use.

 

[Newreeflady]

This is an awesome system! For some reason I was under the impression that your system was bare-bottom, but looks like there is a ssb, right?

Given the length of the thread, hope I'm forgiven, but, where are the tank specs listed?

thx!
Angela

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

exactly what specs do you want to know?

 

[ChuckG]

Chuck- are you talking about Reef Crystals or Instant Ocean?

IO and RC have always mixed up high in alk but IO has always been lower than RC in Ca (and Mg).

I aerate all water before adding saltmix and then proceed to mix it for 24 hours before use.

Instant Ocean.. the sticky in the reef chemistry forums lists it tested freshly mixed up with 400ppm calcium and 11dkh alk. I have not tested it right after mixing myself, but had performed an 80% water change with IO on a freshly cycled tank and my numbers once done where high.. like 480ppm for calcium and 10.60dkh alk.

Your post kind of caught my eye because I was just reviewing my plan going forward as I "manage" alk and calcium on this tank and how best to at least match the alk in the make up water. I figured I would have to aerate and mix it till it hit my target which is about 9dkh.

So when I saw you say you are boosting IO it caught my eye and threw a flag wondering if my plan is wrong. Or maybe I am wrong to assume your target alk is lower than 11dkh. Either way I am probably just wrong...

 

[Newreeflady]

exactly what specs do you want to know?

Well, since you're asking I could probably use to know a lot about the system, such as:

Refugium size: system volume ratio and design of refugium
skimmer size: system volume ratio and model
Lighting info
Water change schedule/qty
rock qty
feeding info
flow description and variation

Thanks!
Angela

 

[solRNY]

wow your tank is amazing, i see what you mean by the ideal flow, thanks for the advice

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Not to get sidetracked, but:

I figured I would have to aerate and mix it till it hit my target which is about 9dkh.

FWIW aerating and mixing should NOT change the alkalinity of saltwater, other than during the first few minutes of mixing after adding the salt to the water as things dissolve. Aerating and mixing may change the pH over time (depending on the CO2 content of the air) but alkalinity won't decrease in sterile ASW unless you do something that causes precipitation.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Wow.. I just love milli and those are some very nice tables!

I am confused that you boost IO salt. It usually mixes up pretty high in alk and calcium. Are you needing to boost it right away or because you aerating it for a while before using it?

Chuck- you're right. "New" IO mixes up pretty high in alk and calcium:

(from a previous thread) my test results @ S.G. 1.026 using refracto and Salifert tests

alkalinity 12.8 dKH = 4.57 meq./L
calcium 430ppm
magnesium 1230ppm
pH 8.3




Quote:
Originally Posted by Billybeau1
The new Instant Ocean does not show "more calcium " on the label.

I have said this before and you can take it for what it's worth. The makers of IO and RC did not want a big fanfare for this slight increase in their formula. After all, they were already the most used salt of any in the industry by over 50 %. Why rock the boat.

As far as I know, the only way to tell if you got the new IO or RC is to test it at 35 ppt or 1.0264 and see what the numbers are. I don't recall them changing the picture on the box from the past.

Old IO is usually 350 ppm calcium and 1070 ppm magnesium.
New IO should be about 400 ppm and 1350 ppm magnesium or so.

Old RC was about 420 ppm calcium and 1260 ppm magnesium
New RC is about 490 ppm and about 1440 ppm.

Thats how you can tell the difference. End Quote.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I boost whatever is necessary to balance levels in my aquarium. Calcium in IO @ 430ppm is fine but the Ca level drops (slowly) in my aquarium even though I run a calcium reactor and use kalkwasser. Boosting calcium in new artificial seawater is one way to bring it back up. Ditto with magnesium.
(I usually add alkalinity supplement (Randy's recipe) directly to the aquarium- not freshly made seawater.)

I hope this makes sense to you.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Well, since you're asking I could probably use to know a lot about the system, such as:

Refugium size: system volume ratio and design of refugium
skimmer size: system volume ratio and model
Lighting info
Water change schedule/qty
rock qty
feeding info
flow description and variation

Thanks!
Angela

I'm half SSB and half BB

Sump is 75 gallon aquarium. The 10 gallon lit refugium/RDSB fed by calcium reactor effluent and skimmed water. Skimmer is locally built and similar to a 36" tall Beckett driven Aerofoamer. Lighting is three 400w SE halides and two UVI VHO actinics.
50 gallons changed weekly. Lots of good "real" liverock. Feeding is daily- sometimes multiple times daily. There's usually one day of "fast" each week.
Flow is massive gyre.

All of these things are explained in much greater detail (pictures!) earlier in this thread

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

wow your tank is amazing, i see what you mean by the ideal flow, thanks for the advice

thanks. Provide the ideal environment for your corals and nobody will look at your powerheads

 

[Henry Colf]

Nice pictures Gary....
The coral that Kat asked about looks kinda like an enchinata
Is that the A. Horiddia in the top down under the CBB???
Everything looks great!!!!!!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Nice pictures Gary....
The coral that Kat asked about looks kinda like an enchinata
Is that the A. Horiddia in the top down under the CBB???
Everything looks great!!!!!!!

looks kinda like echinata but I don't think it is. Your horrida is under the CBB.
Found another new pic.

green fluorescent protein infected Pocillipora

 

[ChuckG]

I hope this makes sense to you.

It does now.. the learning light is lit.

Your mastery and experience is reflected in your tank and I enjoy following your threads.. thx for sharing the pics and experience!

 

[BenJay]

Gary,

what levels do you boost to? what parameter do you aim for?

Thanks
Ben

"I boost whatever is necessary to balance levels in my aquarium. Calcium in IO @ 430ppm is fine but the Ca level drops (slowly) in my aquarium even though I run a calcium reactor and use kalkwasser. Boosting calcium in new artificial seawater is one way to bring it back up. Ditto with magnesium.
(I usually add alkalinity supplement (Randy's recipe) directly to the aquarium- not freshly made seawater.)

I hope this makes sense to you."

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

calcium, alkalinity and magnesium are constantly in a state of flux so
I don't strive to maintain a specific number value on each parameter (I'd go nuts!) but rather a balanced value.
I prefer alkalinity to remain between 8-10 dKH and calcium at 380- 480ppm. Magnesium around 1300ppm.

purple Montipora looming like an alien invader ship over a brownout Acro that I've affectionately named 'Waldo'

a picture too sweet not to share