Bored? How about Mentoring a Newbie?

[road_runner]

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[Scott Christenson]

Ok so the lights were new to me. They look ok, have the tight spectrum mix but since I have not used them we cannot tell until we start adding coral and see how it respond to the light.
Needless to say you keep the lights, depend on how high you have the light hung we might need to adjust the intensity.
What'd your photo period now?
What intensity you using now?

I run the lights at full intensity, white and blue, from 7:30am - 11:00pm. The lights have the ability to add red led's if we so choose.

 

[Scott Christenson]

This bucket vs bags thing I have not heared off. I do not think its substantiated, I cannot imagin what would change between bag and bucket...its salt, all of it salt, it's not like the salt is a mixture if diffrent material that it can separate during shipping.
I think it's about the salt. I buy 3 buckets at a time for the last 4 years I have never got bad batch with TMP...

Coralife explained to me that sometimes the calcium carbonate can separate from the salt so with a bag you can easily remix it before you use it. I was able to return all 3 buckets for a full refund and I will be switching to TMP.

 

[Scott Christenson]

Are you available for a question?

 

[road_runner]

Are you available for a question?

Shot

 

[Scott Christenson]

Good morning, can you share your tips on handling frozen food? Strainer, storage, etc. I'm shopping now and would like to get the right stuff.

 

[road_runner]

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[Scott Christenson]

Simple. Put the frozen in a small net...I have got one of these small fish nets that is fine enough.
Run it under tap water till its thawed and rinsed.
Leave it on sink couppe of minutes so water drip out of the net.
Done. It's ready to use. I use a bit during feeding then out the rest in the fridge.

I usually prepare enough for 3 days.

Thank You

 

[road_runner]

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[Scott Christenson]

I use net like this
https://www.chewy.com/penn-plax-qui...Eya6K_jLDoyeAx12M_j2erUh5wXWzhPhoC-4cQAvD_BwE

Perfect, thank you

 

[Scott Christenson]

Here are photos from today of my corals to give you some perspective:

 

[road_runner]

Things look happy.

 

[Scott Christenson]

Things look happy.

They sure do, thanks to you
I received the Triton kit today. I assume you want to wait until the 5 week water changes are done?

 

[MnFish1]

So we need to start bringing the ca and mag a bit more.
Since your alk is on the high side, we need to bring ca to ~400ppm.
So: I will assume your test result is accurate. If your results are not accurate we will face issues, but by now you should know how to generate accurate results.

Please get a ca and alk additive that you trust. I like B-ionic. I would buy the smaller portion which comes in 2 bottles wrapped together.
Once you decide the additive let me know so I explain what's the best way to dose kt.

How is the water situation? Do you have enough rodi to mix? Or will you buy pre mixed salt water from the lfs?

Curious - wouldn't you want to add Mg first - such that there is less precipitation when you add CA/Alk?

 

[MnFish1]

I would say for now let's bring it to 12 or 11. Then when we add coral we adjust based on what you add.
If they told u I should expect 9 then 15 is way too much...
Are you sure you are mixing 35ppt?
What's the ca on that batch? If you mixing higher them 35ppt it will mean both alk and ca should be elevated.
Otherwise you might be dealing with a bad batch. Either way if you confirm that your salinity is 35 but alk is coming this high I would not trust that salt brand again regardless of what the company say.
We just need to confrirm your salinity that is the judge...
You want salinity of 35ppt at room temperature...something like 75~78 degree.
Put a heater there if need be, then test at the right temp.

Also describe how are you doing the salinity test exactly with pics if possible,let me see if I can catch something..

Could it be the Alk test thats wrong instead of the salt?

 

[MnFish1]

Lesson for newbies watching this thread:
Never trust your salt. I purchased 3 large buckets of CoraLife and after extensive testing have confirmed that all of it is bad. And never buy salt in a bucket. Apparently buckets have a tendency to settle and cannot be easily mixed. Buy in bags.

FYI - Salt settles in bags as well - if I buy salt in a bucket - I mix it before using it. Seems to help.

 

[Scott Christenson]

FYI - Salt settles in bags as well - if I buy salt in a bucket - I mix it before using it. Seems to help.

That's what CoraLife told as well

 

[Scott Christenson]

Could it be the Alk test thats wrong instead of the salt?

I was starting to wonder that but the same alk test kit was giving me good readings on other salt and the display tank was coming in at where we thought it should be.

 

[Scott Christenson]

Curious - wouldn't you want to add Mg first - such that there is less precipitation when you add CA/Alk?

Good ? but it's above my pay scale so I will have to defer to my mentor. Are you from Minnesota?

 

[MnFish1]

Good ? but it's above my pay scale so I will have to defer to my mentor. Are you from Minnesota?

near there