neuroslicer
Old School Reefer
If you missed last night's meeting and would like more info about reef chemistry, here are some downloads of handouts I passed out at the meeting. The first one describes many of the substances you either want to add or eliminate from your tank, and why:
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/reefchemistry.xls
These next two documents were presented to the club last year, and describe do-it-yourself additives for boosting calcium, alkalinity and magnesium in reef tanks:
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/diyadditives.xls
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/diyrecipe.doc
The info in these two documents was developed and written by Randy H. Farley, who has posted many excellent articles on water chemistry on Reef Central. If you haven't looked at that link, it's a must read for success in raising coral.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=112
The reef chemistry monitoring kits that I use regularly are:
calcium - Salifert
alkalinity - Salifert
magnesium - Salifert
nitrate - Salifert
ortho phosphate - Hach (this one is pretty expensive but it's the most accurate at detecting very small levels of PO4. It detects 0 - 1 mg/L PO4 in 0.1 mg/L increments)
And of course, salinity with a refractometer
I used to measure iodide/iodine and strontium, but there's no real evidence that these are limiting elements in the growth of coral, and monthly water changes are most likely sufficient to keep them available in your water.
One more tip about adding magnesium to your tank: Randy's recipe calls for 3 cups of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and 5 cups of magnesium chloride (Magflakes) per gallon, but I have a really hard time to get all this to stay in solution. I actually cut this recipe down to one third, and just add more solution when I need to. So I make it up with one cup of epsom salts and 1 and 2/3 cups of Magflakes per gallon.
As always, I'm happy to answer questions and give advice.
Jay (Neuro)
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/reefchemistry.xls
These next two documents were presented to the club last year, and describe do-it-yourself additives for boosting calcium, alkalinity and magnesium in reef tanks:
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/diyadditives.xls
http://www.rhodes.edu/biology/blundon/diyrecipe.doc
The info in these two documents was developed and written by Randy H. Farley, who has posted many excellent articles on water chemistry on Reef Central. If you haven't looked at that link, it's a must read for success in raising coral.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=112
The reef chemistry monitoring kits that I use regularly are:
calcium - Salifert
alkalinity - Salifert
magnesium - Salifert
nitrate - Salifert
ortho phosphate - Hach (this one is pretty expensive but it's the most accurate at detecting very small levels of PO4. It detects 0 - 1 mg/L PO4 in 0.1 mg/L increments)
And of course, salinity with a refractometer
I used to measure iodide/iodine and strontium, but there's no real evidence that these are limiting elements in the growth of coral, and monthly water changes are most likely sufficient to keep them available in your water.
One more tip about adding magnesium to your tank: Randy's recipe calls for 3 cups of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and 5 cups of magnesium chloride (Magflakes) per gallon, but I have a really hard time to get all this to stay in solution. I actually cut this recipe down to one third, and just add more solution when I need to. So I make it up with one cup of epsom salts and 1 and 2/3 cups of Magflakes per gallon.
As always, I'm happy to answer questions and give advice.
Jay (Neuro)
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