Coral Essentials 2 part with trace elements

[mxnutz]

Hey all,

This is my first time using the CE 2 part with trace elements and after dosing the carbonate portion of the bottle first. There are small white looking snow particles forming as it being dosed into the sump. I believe it is precipitating out of solution. I know that if I dose part A and then part B relative close to each order. The solution will precipitate. But in this instance, I haven't dosed the calcium portion yet. I run a kalk reactor in my sump and thought it might be the kalk reacting with the carbonate solution but I have another tank that doesn't run any kalk and dosed 2ml of the carbonate into the sump and it is doing the same thing.

I have used ATI essentials, B-ionic, ME Corals 2 part in the past and this is the first time seeing it. Is it because of the trace elements in the bottles or something else I'm missing?

I have emailed Rick and while I wait for his response. I would like to hear what you guys think...

Thanks in advance.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is normal to get transient precipitation of magnesium hydroxide when you add high pH additives. It will redissolve if you mix it in rapidly, before it has a chance to sit around and form the more slow-forming but more problematic calcium carbonate.

This is normal:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

from it:


Figure 3. The transient cloud of magnesium hydroxide that forms when high pH additives are added. In this case, the alkalinity portion of B-ionic was added to a fairly still portion of one of my reef aquaria.

 

[mxnutz]

This is the first time I've seen it form so quickly in my 16+ years of reefing. Looked like someone threw rice in my sump. haha...

I'll move the output to a spot where the carbonate can mix faster and spread out the dose more during the day.

Thanks Randy!