Warner Marine Now Has A Pellet Product
- Thread starter Stuart60611
- Start date
noahm
Active member
The product I used was called 'QuickShape plastic canvas'. It is the same thing used earlier in the thread and was like $1.25 for (10) 4" rounds. The problem with window screen is that it isn't really stiff enough to wedge in to the reactor ends. The plastic canvas is stiff and can be cut just oversized so that it holds its place and won't move.
Here is a similar product, though you can find it at any craft store.
http://www.bjcraftsupplies.com/plasticCanvas/images/circle337815.jpg
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Mattik
New member
How soon following addition of Ecobak should I lower my alk? And, how fast should I take it down.
I've been on the ecobak for just a couple of days, and I backed off of my calkwasser concentration a bit. But, I would like to get an idea of how soon I need to really worry about having it down in the 7-8 range....currently at about 9.5-10
I've been on the ecobak for just a couple of days, and I backed off of my calkwasser concentration a bit. But, I would like to get an idea of how soon I need to really worry about having it down in the 7-8 range....currently at about 9.5-10
falconut
New member
Thanks. I was able to find the 3" diameter ones for $1.99 at AC Moore.
poolkeeper1
New member
Lowering Alk
Lowering Alk
Why do you want to lower you Alk? Especially as low as 7 DKH Just curoius?
Bill:dance:
Lowering Alk
Why do you want to lower you Alk? Especially as low as 7 DKH Just curoius?
Bill:dance:
Just threw in 500 mL of Ecobak in a Phosban reactor ... It fits fine with room to spare. Looks like you might be able to fit a full 1L but it'd be tight.
Yogre
Cheesehead Reefer
Some people have reported coral bleaching when operating a low-nutrient system (ie carbon dosing) with high(er) alkalinity. I've not seen any mechanism proposed for this occurrence, though.
noahm
Active member
I was wondering the same thing Yogre. Thanks, I read quite a bit in the Vodka thread, and must have never seen it mentioned. I never lowered it when vodka dosing for 8 months, and I had not heard anything about it in regard to solid carbon dosing. The corals never bleached before, so I don't plan on arbitrarily messing with my Alk. Sounds like a recipe for disaster honestly.
Mattik
New member
Interesting, maybe I should just leave it be. I have read quite a few threads that mention people having problems with carbon dosing and alk above 7.
Does anyone else have an opinion? What do others keep their alk at while using ecobak/BP?
Tony Romano
New member
Speed is bad, lower slowly over many days and even weeks. Do something loke back off calk 10% every 3 days.
Tony Romano
New member
The bleaching is caused by too fast of change in KH. (assuming all other #s are in line) (I just killed some sps going up too fast on KH, broke one of the basic rules of dosing)
Colors seem to come out better with lower KH numbers, look at last months TOM or ZOE tanks.
poolkeeper1
New member
I have been Vodka Dosing for many years and never lowered my KH to accomodate adding any carbon source, And I agree that it's a receipe for diaster that's not necessary to do.JMO
Bill
Bill
Tony Romano
New member
I didn't say KH being increased too fast had anything to do with Carbon dosing. I believe changing anything in reef to fast may shock animals.
:thumbsup:
PowermanKW
New member
Burnt tips from too high of Alk with liquid carbon dosing is common. However, nobody knows the mechanisim behind it. Some theories, but nobody knows.
With solid carbon sources it is anyones guess. So far nobody seems to have any issues with burnt tips and high alk, and there is no reason to belive that using solid carbon in a reactor vs. liquid carbon in the tank would be the same.
While plenty of people love to push high Ca/Alk/Mg numbers to drive growth.... most of the old timers and those that have been in this hobby for a long time seem to see more problems with abnormal high number than benefits. Seems that more conservative numbers are much more reasonable. That's my opinion based on reading other opinions. Seems more room for error being in the middle. So I have always tried to stay in the middle... Ca 420, Alk 9. Still higher than natural sea water values.
I saw no problems with my Alk at 8.6-9 with Eco Bak.
noahm
Active member
Here are a few pics from the beginning of using EB.
Right side end. I am leaving this HA to gauge the effect.
Right hand front.
Left end front. No algae on this half of the tank. Go figure.
Sump. This was before I cleaned it out. I didn't want a whole bunch of algae dieing and releasing everything back into the water column.
This is after cleaning out wads of HA and a football sized chunk of infested chaeto. lol
Again, both N&P test at 0 currently, but that is evidently due to the massive growth in the fuge. I had good luck with vodka after several months, but quit due to unhappy zoas. We'll see what happens with the EB...
Right side end. I am leaving this HA to gauge the effect.
Right hand front.
Left end front. No algae on this half of the tank. Go figure.
Sump. This was before I cleaned it out. I didn't want a whole bunch of algae dieing and releasing everything back into the water column.
This is after cleaning out wads of HA and a football sized chunk of infested chaeto. lol
Again, both N&P test at 0 currently, but that is evidently due to the massive growth in the fuge. I had good luck with vodka after several months, but quit due to unhappy zoas. We'll see what happens with the EB...
HighlandReefer
Team RC
The scientific studies have shown that as alk increases, so does the calcification rate forming the coral skeleton. In the studies performed there were no burnt tips when they increased the alk level up to around 25 dKH.
In other studies when one increases the calcium level up 100 ppm & higher above seawater (about 385 ppm calcium) this too will increase the calcification rate forming the coral skeleton. There were no burnt tips reported in this experiment.
Obviously, there seems to be other factors that come into play other then just increases in alk, since many hobbyists do not report problems when increasing their alk level by more then 2 dKH and by maintaining their alk level at the higher end of the recommended levels.
Other complications that are reported in scientific literature are that higher levels of dissolved organics will cause burnt tips in coral, especially when the simple sugars are increased above normal levels by smaller amounts.
One possible theory for burnt tips in coral with higher alk levels in low nutrient systems, may be that some hobbyists have reduced their nitrate and phosphate levels below those of natural seawater when dosing carbon sources. Natural sea water has a phosphate level of about 0.005 ppm and a nitrate level of below 0.1 ppm. At these levels hobbyists are guessing since the kits and hobby grade equipment do not work at these low end levels.
If you combine this information that higher alk levels increase skeletal growth and you have too low a levels of nitrate and phosphate, then the coral may not be able to keep up with tissue formation around the skeleton at the higher alk levels. Those hobbyists with a little bit higher nitrate and phosphate therefore may not see burnt tips since there is enough phosphate and nitrate to keep up with the increased rate of calcification at the higher alk levels.
In other studies when one increases the calcium level up 100 ppm & higher above seawater (about 385 ppm calcium) this too will increase the calcification rate forming the coral skeleton. There were no burnt tips reported in this experiment.
Obviously, there seems to be other factors that come into play other then just increases in alk, since many hobbyists do not report problems when increasing their alk level by more then 2 dKH and by maintaining their alk level at the higher end of the recommended levels.
Other complications that are reported in scientific literature are that higher levels of dissolved organics will cause burnt tips in coral, especially when the simple sugars are increased above normal levels by smaller amounts.
One possible theory for burnt tips in coral with higher alk levels in low nutrient systems, may be that some hobbyists have reduced their nitrate and phosphate levels below those of natural seawater when dosing carbon sources. Natural sea water has a phosphate level of about 0.005 ppm and a nitrate level of below 0.1 ppm. At these levels hobbyists are guessing since the kits and hobby grade equipment do not work at these low end levels.
If you combine this information that higher alk levels increase skeletal growth and you have too low a levels of nitrate and phosphate, then the coral may not be able to keep up with tissue formation around the skeleton at the higher alk levels. Those hobbyists with a little bit higher nitrate and phosphate therefore may not see burnt tips since there is enough phosphate and nitrate to keep up with the increased rate of calcification at the higher alk levels.
buy_baff
New member
Mine have been back on line for 2 weeks now. My algae bloom was just diotoms not cyano and is almost gone now. I'm excited to see what these can do long term. It will be great to ditch the gfo and my fuge. Although I don't know what i'll do with all the extra sump space?
-Bill
-Bill
