Sump, pH and calcium questions.

[buhumphrey]

My tank has been up and running about 2 months now. 95 gal with 20 lbs of live sand 80 lbs dry sand and 64 lbs of cured live rock. I have 3 Nassarius, 8 astrea, and 2 Mexican turbo snails and 1 peppermint shrimp. I have found atleast 3 stomatella snail hitch hikers. I had diatoms and green algae problem. cleaned out almost all of the green algae the rest disappeared, some diatoms remain but the snails are doing a good job now. Never really saw any spikes ammonia went to .1 for about 2 days but I never saw nitrites or nitrates go above 0. I read this is most likely because of the algae growing. Most water parameters seem to be good except for low pH (7.87-8.04) and low calcium (300-320). I've read the calcium is low because I am using Instant Ocean salt mix. My Alk is always 10-11. So I am thinking about starting macro algae in my sump. I bought a clip on light with daylight bulb (6500K) which I read is the best bulb for growing cheato. I figure if I grow macro algae this will help prevent algae returning in my DT plus keeping the fuge lit at night went DT light are out will help raise my pH since it won't drop as much during the night. Also I figure the fuge will give me a place for more pods to grow, have plenty in the DT now because nothing to eat them.
OK question time! 1)Should I grow other algaes other than cheato? 2)For just pods and macro algae do I need more than rock rubble, light and some flow in the fuge? 3) What is needed to start adding kalkwasser?

 

[phishguyatstore]

wont help raise ph just help keep it stable. to start adding kalk a 5 gal bucket and some ridged airline tubeing and some kalk is all you need. make sure you DRIP IT SLOWLY,TOO MUCH TOO FAST WILL RAISE PH TOO HIGH. as far as pods sounds like you headed in the right direction. as far as growing any other algae , cheato seems to be the fastest growing and the easyest to grow

 

[buhumphrey]

thanks Steve I really don't have the room for another 5 gal bucket in or around the stand I'll have to go with something much smaller how often does dosing kalkwasser need to be done? Is it daily forever? Or just until you reach the numbers you want? I was looking at an Eheim liquidoser for $60 says it will doze upto 8 ml per 24 hr and holds 80 ml total capacity would that be too small? Can the Kalkwasser mix be added to my ATO water? It wouldn't be dripped then it would be added slowly though as my evaporation is that fast. I had my return pipe only partially submerged so it was making alot of bubbles and I was replacing about a gallon a day, I have now totally submerged my return pipe and I am now only replaceing about 3 gallons a week it seems. Which I think is closer to normal than the 1 gallon a day.

 

[phishguyatstore]

everytime you add top off water i would make it kalk. as far as useing it with auto top off i guess you can just make sure it doesn't clog up your auto top off pump that will probly be a problem. yes add it forever just remember to much to fast is not good cause the kalk has a ph of like 12 and that much ph too fast is deadly thats way i alsays used ridgid tubeing and a flow control valve. the blue valve on most sealife systems protien skimmers hope this helps and good luck talk to ya later fred

 

[phishguyatstore]

also drip it at night when lights are off so ph doesnt fall to much in the evening hours

 

[Rpierce]

ok- I wrote this one time and then the computer went dead on me. d@mm dell batteries.

This is my opinion- take it for what its worth.

Sump- you are correct, add some rock rubble, and then some cheato. You want enough flow that the cheato tumbles a little. If the water is too stagnent, it will not grow. Under the right conditions, it will grow fast. When it gets too large, pull it apart and throw it in the yard

As far as the kalk dripping goes, depending on your water change schedule, you may not even need to use kalk. Since you dont have any corals (that I am aware of) your tank is using very little calcium. Any calcium that is used is probably returned with regular water changes. If you are trying to up your ph and then stabalize it, you may just want to try a ph / alk buffer. Use something like this- http://www.marinedepot.com/Kent_Mar...pplements-Kent_Marine-KM3131-FIADPKDP-vi.html


If you decide that you want to drip kalk, add your kalk to the bottom of your container, then add water. Mix and let it sit for a couple of hours so that it forms a crust on the top. After this you can add the kalk to your tank, like Steven said, VERY SLOWLY. You want to drip the part that is between the crust on top and the "left over" at the bottom. Both of those parts will significantly raise your ph, no matter how slow you add it. Most of us do it at night. So this doesnt have to be something that sits inside your tank all the time. Let it drip at night and put it away in the morning. No one ever sees it.

Just remember, what works for one person may not work for another and we all have our own way of doing things. Its just about finding what works for you. Good Luck and please let us know you have any more questions.

We are still learning too.

Rick

 

[buhumphrey]

Thanks for the info guys! No corals or fish yet just snails and 1 shrimp. I change 10 gals every week that's a little over 10% if you don't count sump volumn a little under if you do. I still haven't mastered the water changes yet because I'm new and learning I've been actually changing about 15 gallons each time because I forgot to do something before I started (turn off ATO or return pump something different each time). LOL My calcium has been staying at 300-320 ppm I've read this is standard for instant ocean salt mix. I've decided against the kalkwasser for now, I am trying Seachem's Marine buffer started it yesterday. I was told this will raise my calcium some also, if not to the point where I want it to be atleast 380, then I will start using Seachem's Reef Complete.

Thanks again for all the help.
I can't wait to actually get some fish! LOL

 

[dvmsn]

Buffer does not affect (effect I can't ever kkeep that straight) Ca levels. That ca is perfectly fine. I will also say that I recommend dripping Kalk. You can buy Mrs Wages pickling lime at Piggly Wiggly for about $ 3.00. It is just as good as the expensive stuff. I think that the Kalk also binds up phosphate, which is an added bonus.

 

[phishguyatstore]

it does have the ability to help percipate phosphate dave

 

[chad508]

another thing to check and get correct is magnesium. if yo use instant ocean it will be way low. get it up to 1300. like the kalk it will not raise calcium but the to will balance the chemistry and allow the calcium to do what it is there for. if mag, and alk are not in check the calcium will precipitate to pumps, rock, glass and not do you are the aquarium an good. you will check calcium and it will show low so you add some and it stays low. at that point check mag and i bet its low. as far as ph i do not an would not test it. keep alk in line and ph will follow. the ph will change from hour to hour and i have run myself crazy trying to fix it only to do more harm. my advice leave ph alone.

 

[buhumphrey]

I finally got my first fish yesterday. I picked up 2 Firefish and 1 Royal Gramma. Everything seems to be going well. I ordered a Magnesium test kit and some kalkwasser mix. pH is 8.1-8.2 range but calcium still 300-320. Everything else is normal.

 

[Rpierce]

Now that you have fish, keep an eye on ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, and phosphates. Feed lightly to begin with.

Dont worry about that calcium level. For a tank without corals, that is fine. When you get corals, we'll talk again.

Rick

 

[dvmsn]

320 is actually is near nsw