Need help w/ parameters...

Ktran350 · Jul 18, 2019

Since I’ve upgraded to a Reefer 250, I’ve been having issues getting my parameters in line. I am trying to get my parameters to Mag: 1350 ppm Alk: 8.4 dkh and Cal 420 ppm. Here is my daily testing logs:

7/11- (no dosing)
Mag- 1380
Alk- 7.9
Cal: 445

7/12- (no dosing)
Alk: 7.0
Cal: 430

7/13- (daily consumption 1.3 dkh)
Alk- 5.7
- (Added 15 ML each B-Ionic parts = .5175 dkh)
- Tested 30 mins later:
Mag- 1470
Alk- 6.5
Cal- 415

7/14-
Alk- 5.7
- (Added 15 ML each B-Ionic part = .5175 dkh)
- New Alk: 6.1 dkh
- Turned doser on to dose 38.18 ML each part of B-Ionic. Alk on the hour every hour and cal bottom of the hour every hour

7/15- (auto doser on to dose 38.18 ML B-Ionic. Alk on the hour every hour and cal bottom of the hour every hour)
Mag: 1350
Alk 6.1
Cal: 410
- (Accidentally added 52.3 ML of Red Sea Alk)
After an Hr test results are as follows:
Mag- 1350
Alk- 8.1
Cal- 410

7/16- (auto doser on to dose 38.18 ML B-Ionic. Alk on the hour every hour and cal bottom of the hour every hour)
Alk- 6.2 dkh

7/17-
Mag: 1350
Alk: 5.7
Cal: 415
-(Dosed 30 ML Red Sea Alk, about 1 dkh over a period of 5 hours)
- New Alk value: 6.8

7/18- (auto doser on to dose 38.18 ML B-Ionic. Alk on the hour every hour and cal bottom of the hour every hour)(stoped correction dosing, auto doser still on)
Alk: 6.1

Here are more info:

- I have about 60 gallon of water volume.
- I am daily dosing 38.18 ML of B-Ionic, both parts. - Dose Alk on the hour every outs and cal bottom of the hour every hour.
- I am using Red Sea Reef Foundation as my “correction fluid”
- I use Hanna and cross check with Salifert
- corals and fish doing great with great extension

I want to bring my parameters up to the levels stated before but I am having a hard time. Please help. I am at a lost. Can I use 2 different supplement to bring my levels up (B-Ionic and Red Sea)?

ndrwater · Jul 18, 2019

Personally, I would stick to one or the other. If your Alk continues to drop as it appears to be doing, you need to up the amount you are dosing. I would increase in +/- 5ml increments and test daily until you find the sweet spot to keep you Alk where you want it.
Keep in mind, even once you find the sweet spot, as corals thrive and grow, the amount you dose will change over time.

Ktran350 · Jul 18, 2019

ndrwater said:
Personally, I would stick to one or the other. If your Alk continues to drop as it appears to be doing, you need to up the amount you are dosing. I would increase in +/- 5ml increments and test daily until you find the sweet spot to keep you Alk where you want it.
Keep in mind, even once you find the sweet spot, as corals thrive and grow, the amount you dose will change over time.

With a daily dosing of 38.18 ML of B-Ionic it’s maintaining at 6.1 dkh. However, when I try to raise it I can see the results of the change within a hr or so of dosing. However, next day it drops back down to 6.1 dkh.

ndrwater · Jul 18, 2019

Corals can easily take up over a full DKH in a day. I would still advise increasing your dosage until you can maintain your desired level.
If you are dropping from say, 8 immediately after dosing to 6.whatever by the next day, your corals are consuming Alkalinity faster than you are replacing it. Hence the need to up the dosage.
This is a good thing. Means your corals are doing what corals do. Encrust and grow.

Ktran350 · Jul 18, 2019

So would I increase both parts of B-Ionic or just the Alk part?

ndrwater · Jul 18, 2019

Depending on where you Calcium levels are, you can adjust one or the other. If only Alk is dropping, adjust the Alkalinity. In a perfect world, the dosages would be equal. Captive reefs are rarely a perfect world. Having different dosages for Calcium and Alkalinity are not uncommon at all.

MnFish1 · Jul 18, 2019

I would dose both equally - that said I'm not that familiar as to what's in those solutions exactly. Seems like you need to just increase your alk as suggested until it reaches the target. BTW - it isbns possible that you're salinity has dropped? (i.e. youre adding more ATO - and somehow losing salt water - thats one thing to check). Also - Nitrate can also affect Alkalinity - any chance that could have changed drastically? So you see any evidence of precipitation?

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

I am monitoring via apex my salinity and PH. Salinity confirmed with refractometer

MnFish1 · Jul 19, 2019

Ktran350 said:
I am monitoring via apex my salinity and PH. Salinity confirmed with refractometer

Thanks - I might have missed it - what is your salinity running - has it changed?

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

MnFish1 said:
Thanks - I might have missed it - what is your salinity running - has it changed?

It’s at 33.5 so about 1.025

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

I just upped my daily dosing from 38.18 ML to 60 ML. That should increase my dkh about .7dkh a day

MnFish1 · Jul 19, 2019

Ktran350 said:
I just upped my daily dosing from 38.18 ML to 60 ML. That should increase my dkh about .7dkh a day

That seems like a big change - the question is where will it stop lol

.... There is nothing that shoudl be a problem with dosing lets say 48 cc/day for 3 days - and monitoring. (No boluses) and then bumping up to 58 cc, etc ,etc etc. as needed (I.m just picking the numbers randomly) - Seems to me that when you add a large amount of alkalinity at one time - sometimes a bit precipitates - as compared to adding it slowly over 24 hours. Either way - watch it carefully

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

MnFish1 said:
That seems like a big change - the question is where will it stop lol.... There is nothing that shoudl be a problem with dosing lets say 48 cc/day for 3 days - and monitoring. (No boluses) and then bumping up to 58 cc, etc ,etc etc. as needed (I.m just picking the numbers randomly) - Seems to me that when you add a large amount of alkalinity at one time - sometimes a bit precipitates - as compared to adding it slowly over 24 hours. Either way - watch it carefully

What would you recommend? Daily dosing is 38.18 ML = 1.3 dkh (daily consumption) + 21.82 ML = .7 dkh (to “slowly” increase my Alk to ideal 8.4 dkh). Total of 60 ML = 2.07 dkh in a 24 hr period. I will be dosing both parts

MnFish1 · Jul 19, 2019

Ktran350 said:
What would you recommend? Daily dosing is 38.18 ML = 1.3 dkh (daily consumption) + 21.82 ML = .7 dkh (to “slowly” increase my Alk to ideal 8.4 dkh). Total of 60 ML = 2.07 dkh in a 24 hr period. I will be dosing both parts

I would do that in 6 days - not 2 - you can always add more in a couple days - you cant easily take it back

. UNLESS there is some untoward look to your corals, etc - that make you think you need to do more - more quickly

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

MnFish1 said:
I would do that in 6 days - not 2 - you can always add more in a couple days - you cant easily take it back. UNLESS there is some untoward look to your corals, etc - that make you think you need to do more - more quickly

What should you recommend I start at? B-Ionic states 1 ML per gallon is = 2.07 dkh.

MnFish1 · Jul 19, 2019

Ktran350 said:
What should you recommend I start at? B-Ionic states 1 ML per gallon is = 2.07 dkh.

Like I said before I'm not all that familiar with B ionic. What I said was whatever you were planning on doing - do it over 4-6 days rather than 1-2 - you can do the calculations based on your volume, experience with your tank. It just seems like almost doubling your dosing at one time 38 - 60 something - per day is a bit much.

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

MnFish1 said:
Like I said before I'm not all that familiar with B ionic. What I said was whatever you were planning on doing - do it over 4-6 days rather than 1-2 - you can do the calculations based on your volume, experience with your tank. It just seems like almost doubling your dosing at one time 38 - 60 something - per day is a bit much.

Ok. I’ll just divide the 21 MLs over 6 days. Thanks for your help! I’ll update and see what happens

Ktran350 · Jul 19, 2019

Alk results today:

- Alk 6.2 (Hanna)(it should be at 6.6 dkh)

Decided to try with Salifert and it’s showing me 7.7 dkh. PH during testing time is 8.2.

This leads me to believe the Hanna is giving me lower than usual readings. Reasoning is the relationship between Alk and Ph. Am I in the right track? I’ve never had issues and everything has been constant using Salifert and started getting these odd readings when I started using Hanna.

MnFish1 · Jul 20, 2019

Ktran350 said:
Alk results today:

- Alk 6.2 (Hanna)(it should be at 6.6 dkh)

Decided to try with Salifert and it’s showing me 7.7 dkh. PH during testing time is 8.2.

This leads me to believe the Hanna is giving me lower than usual readings. Reasoning is the relationship between Alk and Ph. Am I in the right track? I’ve never had issues and everything has been constant using Salifert and started getting these odd readings when I started using Hanna.

I dont know how you decide which one is 'correct' except by getting a 3rd test.

Ktran350 · Jul 20, 2019

MnFish1 said:
I dont know how you decide which one is 'correct' except by getting a 3rd test.

Didn’t mean it like that. Just saying based on what I’m seeing (I’m by far no expert) that the Hanna is giving a lower number. Just looking back on my log I’ve been having low Alk issues since I started using the Hanna. Levels has steady hover at 5.8-6.1. However, PH has been normal and corals look good. Maybe I’m wrong? Just trying to open a dialog