There are tons of threads on this and I have read and still need help.
Tank is ~ 90 gallon total volume (Red Sea Reefer 350) mixed reef with heavy SPS, been set up for 1 yr and 3 months. All the SPS are growing into colonies (3 large plates of Monti, birds nest, red dragon). I been maintaining with limewater ATO (8 tsp per 5 gallon), and auto dose 2 parts with Randy's recipe with Soda Ash solution (200 mL daily) and CaCl (160 mL daily), and Magnesium (7 mL daily), and Water change weekly of 10 gallon (~10%). My parameter was stable, 1.026 salinity, Ca: 420, Alk: 7-8 and pH 8.2 - 8.4. I recently switched my salt from RedSea Pro to Instant Ocean to save cost, which I don't think it causing the issue I am having).
In summer time, I cool down the tank using the room AC, keeping the room temp at 79, which keeping my water temp at 80-81 (no space for chiller). Surprisingly my tank have less evaporation in Summer than in winter time (my guess in winter my water heater is on, which warm up the water that may cause the evap.
My issue:
1. My Alk dropped to 5.5 -6.0, and my Ca dropped to 360. I tried to increase it by increase the daily Soda Ash dose from 200 mL to 260 mL, and the Calcium from 160mL to 260mL, but the next day I still see 5.5. This past week, I seeing 'white film' precipitation in my sump area (in my media, glass area, which I assume 'Calcium Carbonate' precipitation. Seeing BRS video that adding too much Soda Ash solution may actually lower Alk level, this concerns me. What should I do to increase the Alk?
2. I plan to add small powerhead in the sump to add water movement
3. I plan to test again tonight and make 'Sod Bicarbonate' solution and maybe raise the Alk by 0.5 by manual dose
4. Is it normal to dose this much Alk and Ca while I also use Limewater as ATO. But in summer, my ATO rate maybe only 0.75 gallon per day, while in winter around 1.2 gallon per day. Seeing BRS video, they said usually only 0.75mL - 1mL of Soda Ash solution rate gallon of Tank, and this is without Limewater ATO (i.e. I should be only adding 68-90mL of Soda Ash solution per day)
All my corals are doing fine, but I believe their growth rate has slowed down during this water parameter issue. I lost 3 small frags due to RTN most likely due to my salinity drift up to 1.030 due to my refractometer issue, which I have corrected now.
Thanks and sorry for the long thread.
Tank is ~ 90 gallon total volume (Red Sea Reefer 350) mixed reef with heavy SPS, been set up for 1 yr and 3 months. All the SPS are growing into colonies (3 large plates of Monti, birds nest, red dragon). I been maintaining with limewater ATO (8 tsp per 5 gallon), and auto dose 2 parts with Randy's recipe with Soda Ash solution (200 mL daily) and CaCl (160 mL daily), and Magnesium (7 mL daily), and Water change weekly of 10 gallon (~10%). My parameter was stable, 1.026 salinity, Ca: 420, Alk: 7-8 and pH 8.2 - 8.4. I recently switched my salt from RedSea Pro to Instant Ocean to save cost, which I don't think it causing the issue I am having).
In summer time, I cool down the tank using the room AC, keeping the room temp at 79, which keeping my water temp at 80-81 (no space for chiller). Surprisingly my tank have less evaporation in Summer than in winter time (my guess in winter my water heater is on, which warm up the water that may cause the evap.
My issue:
1. My Alk dropped to 5.5 -6.0, and my Ca dropped to 360. I tried to increase it by increase the daily Soda Ash dose from 200 mL to 260 mL, and the Calcium from 160mL to 260mL, but the next day I still see 5.5. This past week, I seeing 'white film' precipitation in my sump area (in my media, glass area, which I assume 'Calcium Carbonate' precipitation. Seeing BRS video that adding too much Soda Ash solution may actually lower Alk level, this concerns me. What should I do to increase the Alk?
2. I plan to add small powerhead in the sump to add water movement
3. I plan to test again tonight and make 'Sod Bicarbonate' solution and maybe raise the Alk by 0.5 by manual dose
4. Is it normal to dose this much Alk and Ca while I also use Limewater as ATO. But in summer, my ATO rate maybe only 0.75 gallon per day, while in winter around 1.2 gallon per day. Seeing BRS video, they said usually only 0.75mL - 1mL of Soda Ash solution rate gallon of Tank, and this is without Limewater ATO (i.e. I should be only adding 68-90mL of Soda Ash solution per day)
All my corals are doing fine, but I believe their growth rate has slowed down during this water parameter issue. I lost 3 small frags due to RTN most likely due to my salinity drift up to 1.030 due to my refractometer issue, which I have corrected now.
Thanks and sorry for the long thread.
