I have a Reefer 350 system (~85g volume after accounting for substrate and equipment) with very a few SPS and LPS frags. I am using Tropic Marin Pro salt (per manufacturer: Alk 7-8 dKh, Calcium 430-450ppm) to do automatic water changes (AWCs) with an Apex DOS every night at a total 10% weekly volume (~1.2g/day). I was also dosing both ESV 2 part components (Apex DOS) for the past few months as I want to maintain an alk level around 8.5.
A few weeks ago I noticed high levels of calcium (490ppm) and magnesium (1470ppm). Came to the conclusion that I was dosing to much ESV and, following advice in this forum, stopped dosing and reassessed Alk "consumption". Alk seemed to be dropping at a level of 0.2dKh per day and Calcium also came down at a rate of ~10-16ppm per day. I restarted ESV1 (14.4ml/day) to maintain desired Alk, but did not start ESV2 as Calcium stabilized without dosing at 450ppm.
Other parameters:
Ammonia and Nitrates: 0
Nitrates: 2-3ppm
Phosphates: 0.01-0.03ppm
Magnesium: 1350ppm
SG: 1.026
I am assuming at this point that my Alk and Calcium levels are mostly influenced by 1) the daily AWCs with a salt that has lower dKh than the one I want to maintain in the system and a higher Calcium; and 2) a low system use of both Alk and Calcium.
My question is how to proceed from now? Here are the options I am thinking about:
1. Stop AWCs and dosing. My concern with this is that invariably the Alk will drop and I am not sure what the drop (specifically Alk) will cause in the SPS frags I have in the system. Alternatively, I can slowly reduce dosing volumes of ESV1 dosing until they reach 0.
2. Keep AWCs and continue dosing just ESV part 1 and not dose ESV part 2. The concerns with this approach is that from what I have read, the 2 parts are designed to be dosed both at the same volume.
3. Keep AWCs and change salts to a formulation with higher Alk and slowly introduce the new formulation into the system. Reassess Alk and Calcium needs.
4. Change dosing solution to one that does not require simultaneous dosing of Alk and Calcium.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
A few weeks ago I noticed high levels of calcium (490ppm) and magnesium (1470ppm). Came to the conclusion that I was dosing to much ESV and, following advice in this forum, stopped dosing and reassessed Alk "consumption". Alk seemed to be dropping at a level of 0.2dKh per day and Calcium also came down at a rate of ~10-16ppm per day. I restarted ESV1 (14.4ml/day) to maintain desired Alk, but did not start ESV2 as Calcium stabilized without dosing at 450ppm.
Other parameters:
Ammonia and Nitrates: 0
Nitrates: 2-3ppm
Phosphates: 0.01-0.03ppm
Magnesium: 1350ppm
SG: 1.026
I am assuming at this point that my Alk and Calcium levels are mostly influenced by 1) the daily AWCs with a salt that has lower dKh than the one I want to maintain in the system and a higher Calcium; and 2) a low system use of both Alk and Calcium.
My question is how to proceed from now? Here are the options I am thinking about:
1. Stop AWCs and dosing. My concern with this is that invariably the Alk will drop and I am not sure what the drop (specifically Alk) will cause in the SPS frags I have in the system. Alternatively, I can slowly reduce dosing volumes of ESV1 dosing until they reach 0.
2. Keep AWCs and continue dosing just ESV part 1 and not dose ESV part 2. The concerns with this approach is that from what I have read, the 2 parts are designed to be dosed both at the same volume.
3. Keep AWCs and change salts to a formulation with higher Alk and slowly introduce the new formulation into the system. Reassess Alk and Calcium needs.
4. Change dosing solution to one that does not require simultaneous dosing of Alk and Calcium.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
