The Mediocreef

Mschmidt · Feb 26, 2023

Retest alk with fresher reagent and got 122ppm or 6.8 dkh

Mschmidt · Feb 27, 2023

Retested after dosing last night. New all reading is 147ppm or 8.26dkh.

tbrown · Feb 27, 2023

How much did you dose? Did you mean to bring it up so fast?

Mschmidt · Feb 27, 2023

tbrown3589 said:
How much did you dose? Did you mean to bring it up so fast?

I didn't. Dosed 35 or 40ml of seachems reef carbonate. Directions were a little confusing to me so I went a little heavy. The directions only talk about meq per liter.

RiptideAquaculture · Mar 2, 2023

DANG what a sweet build thread! Great job

Mschmidt · Mar 2, 2023

RiptideAquaculture said:
DANG what a sweet build thread! Great job

Hey thanks!

Stang67 · Mar 3, 2023

Fwiw I use baking soda in my top off water to manage my alk. May try that to maintain a steady level.

Mschmidt · Mar 3, 2023

Stang67 said:
Fwiw I use baking soda in my top off water to manage my alk. May try that to maintain a steady level.

Thanks. I'll probably use that when I run out of the seachem. I'm testing regularly to see consumption now too. calc and mag were low last night as well.

Mschmidt · Mar 3, 2023

test from last night:
alk: 150
calc: 360-380
mag: 1350 if I did it right.

Petcrazyson · Mar 3, 2023

Mschmidt said:
test from last night:
alk: 150
calc: 360-380
mag: 1350 if I did it right.

Isn’t calc a bit low? Idk I’m trying to make sure my calc doesn’t go under 400.

Mschmidt · Mar 3, 2023

Petcrazyson said:
Isn’t calc a bit low? Idk I’m trying to make sure my calc doesn’t go under 400.

and mag. turns out I should be paying more attention to them. Before the upgrade they never dropped that I could see. I have some faster growers and the coralline has taken off. I dosed some calc last night (should be about another 300, will test again today.

edit: and also learn how they all play together, because what's one more thing?

Petcrazyson · Mar 3, 2023

Mschmidt said:
and mag. turns out I should be paying more attention to them. Before the upgrade they never dropped that I could see. I have some faster growers and the coralline has taken off. I dosed some calc last night (should be about another 300, will test again today.

edit: and also learn how they all play together, because what's one more thing?

Yea I’m trying to keep mine 430 and up and my mag at least 1400. Seen nice tanks with higher mag and I want to try out how it goes this way. Thx for the tip I’ll monitor that.

Eagle_Steve · Mar 3, 2023

Mschmidt said:
and mag. turns out I should be paying more attention to them. Before the upgrade they never dropped that I could see. I have some faster growers and the coralline has taken off. I dosed some calc last night (should be about another 300, will test again today.

edit: and also learn how they all play together, because what's one more thing?

Here is where it gets interesting. Balancing the alk and calcium.

For example, your alk is at 150 (assume ppm) or 8.3 dKH or 2.995 meq/L this would mean balanced calcium would be around 420 ppm.

Alk at 9 dKH would be around 426 calcium, Alk at 10 dKH would be about 432 calcium, Alk at 11 dKH would be about 439 ppm calcium.

So, if you plan to keep alk around 8-8.5 dKH, keep calcium around 420-425 ppm.

Eagle_Steve · Mar 3, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
Here is where it gets interesting. Balancing the alk and calcium.

For example, your alk is at 150 (assume ppm) or 8.3 dKH or 2.995 meq/L this would mean balanced calcium would be around 420 ppm.

Alk at 9 dKH would be around 426 calcium, Alk at 10 dKH would be about 432 calcium, Alk at 11 dKH would be about 439 ppm calcium.

So, if you plan to keep alk around 8-8.5 dKH, keep calcium around 420-425 ppm.

To add to this, mag in the ocean is about a 3.25:1 ratio to calcium.

So optimal mag for an 8dKH tank would be 1365, if we are using the ratios of elements present in the ocean. A little higher is not an issue, but no need to get above 1500.

tbrown · Mar 3, 2023

Stang67 said:
Fwiw I use baking soda in my top off water to manage my alk. May try that to maintain a steady level.

I do the opposite... I use Muriatic acid in my ATO to manage my alk. I put the baking soda directly in the tank as needed.

tbrown · Mar 3, 2023

Mschmidt said:
and mag. turns out I should be paying more attention to them. Before the upgrade they never dropped that I could see. I have some faster growers and the coralline has taken off. I dosed some calc last night (should be about another 300, will test again today.

edit: and also learn how they all play together, because what's one more thing?

Mag isn't necessarily low at 1350. Some people shoot for higher, some shoot for 1250-1350.

Mschmidt · Mar 3, 2023

Petcrazyson said:
Yea I’m trying to keep mine 430 and up and my mag at least 1400. Seen nice tanks with higher mag and I want to try out how it goes this way. Thx for the tip I’ll monitor that.

This is the first time I was able to get any reading on my mag test. Historically, I put the whole 1ml in and get no color change, indicating over 1500.

Eagle_Steve said:
Here is where it gets interesting. Balancing the alk and calcium.

For example, your alk is at 150 (assume ppm) or 8.3 dKH or 2.995 meq/L this would mean balanced calcium would be around 420 ppm.

Alk at 9 dKH would be around 426 calcium, Alk at 10 dKH would be about 432 calcium, Alk at 11 dKH would be about 439 ppm calcium.

So, if you plan to keep alk around 8-8.5 dKH, keep calcium around 420-425 ppm.

This is really helpful! yes ppm, I didn't feel like taking the 2 seconds to convert it. How do you get the ratios? And I guess I need to decide where I want to keep alk now, 8.5 sounds nice. How much of an issue is it if I play around month to month, 8 8 dkh in march, 8.5 in april, 9 in may? Probably without going much higher than that.

tbrown3589 said:
Mag isn't necessarily low at 1350. Some people shoot for higher, some shoot for 1250-1350.

Thanks.

Could any of these be contributing to my newfound bubble algae?

Lost in the Sauce · Mar 3, 2023

tbrown3589 said:
Mag isn't necessarily low at 1350. Some people shoot for higher, some shoot for 1250-1350.

Some have a Hanna Mag tester, and the non junk reagent kit and have still never tested it...

Mschmidt · Mar 3, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Some have a Hanna Mag tester, and the non junk reagent kit and have still never tested it...

probably wouldn't spend Hanna money on it, but salifert is a pita, two additives then a titration for a color change. How blue does it need to be? Is that the grey they want or is that a purple?

If 1350 or greater is fine I may not mess.

Eagle_Steve · Mar 3, 2023

Mschmidt said:
probably wouldn't spend Hanna money on it, but salifert is a pita, two additives then a titration for a color change. How blue does it need to be? Is that the grey they want or is that a purple?

If 1350 or greater is fine I may not mess.

I have found that right as the color changes is the most accurate using salifert when compared to ICP. Like more of a purple than the end result of Blue.