What do I do now?

Taiko · Jan 29, 2015

Rybren said:
Taiko,

Here is a link to a Canadian online reef supply place. Their prices are comparable to BRS but you won't have to pay the exchange on the dollar conversion and the shipping will be cheaper.

2500G Bulk Calcium Chloride (Makes 5 gallons)

Oh nice thank you Rybren but I'll actually take the time to look for it again thanks to beaslbob's recommendation.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

Taiko said:
Alright Randy, added 1 tsp of seachem reef adv cal and from past experience it should go up to 355/360 then will retest and dose again tomorrow.

In a 370 gallon system? That's way off. It takes a lot more.

Taiko · Jan 30, 2015

Okay so I think I've misread some instructions and failed to read the '1 "level" teaspoon' portion of the directions ahahah, I've attached a photo of what I've been dosing as 1 tsp... too much huh?I'll also document the growth of my favourite acropora coral that I had ever since the beginning of time.. or the beginning of setup. He's been showing growth ever since I've started to do some dosing.

Taiko · Jan 30, 2015

Alkalinity 7.0dkhCalcium 365ppm

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

Using this calculator, and using the most potent calcium additive (anhydrous calcium chloride),

Reef Chemistry Calculator

it takes 11.6 level teaspoons to boost calcium by 15 ppm in 370 gallons.

Taiko · Jan 30, 2015

Wow... I think I should get a new test kit then.

Taiko · Jan 30, 2015

Why would my levels be fluctuating that much though?

beaslbob · Jan 30, 2015

Taiko said:
Oh nice thank you Rybren but I'll actually take the time to look for it again thanks to beaslbob's recommendation.

FWIW and a follow-on, both calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are ice melters to replace rock salt for melting snow and ice from side walks, driveways and roads.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

Taiko said:
Why would my levels be fluctuating that much though?

Most likely due to testing error. Many report jumps in such ions that are impossible in a few days.

Rybren · Jan 30, 2015

beaslbob said:
FWIW and a follow-on, both calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are ice melters to replace rock salt for melting snow and ice from side walks, driveways and roads.

I've never been able to find reef safe calcium chloride or magnesium chloride ice melters here in Canada. We typically either get the standard rock salt or melters containing urea and/or some other chemicals. I'm not sure of the reasoning, but I suspect that it may have something to do with our winter temperatures and the effectiveness of standard melters at -30 t0 -40 degrees.

Taiko · Jan 31, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Most likely due to testing error. Many report jumps in such ions that are impossible in a few days.

Would it be possible for the wild swings by not keeping up with the change of salinity by evaporation? I just noticed that I haven't been keeping up with topping off manually cause I haven't added a auto top off system.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 31, 2015

Depends on the amount evaporated and the swing you are seeing.

Losing 10% of the total water volume to evaporation will cause a 10% increase in the cobncentration.

So 400 ppm becomes 440 ppm with a 10% loss, which is something like 2" in 24" deep tank (assuming no sump or anything else outside the tank).

Rybren · Jan 31, 2015

Taiko,

I spoke too soon. Although I've never been able to find it in any Ottawa Store, Rona apparently sells a Calcium Chloride ice melt product and Canadian Tire sells an ice melt by Sifto that is labeled as being 100% Mag Chloride Hexahydrate.

beaslbob · Feb 3, 2015

Rybren said:
Taiko,

I spoke too soon. Although I've never been able to find it in any Ottawa Store, Rona apparently sells a Calcium Chloride ice melt product and Canadian Tire sells an ice melt by Sifto that is labeled as being 100% Mag Chloride Hexahydrate.

that's the hard one to find. congrates. You might contact manufacturer and ask for an assay just to be sure.

3Twinklets · Feb 3, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
A true two part, either my DIY or a commercial one such as ESV's B-ionic has three main features:

1. The liquids are exactly balanced so if you add 100 mL (or any equal volume) of each part, then when corals use the alkalinity that was added, they also use exactly the amount of calcium added. Thus you do not need to check calcium frequently at all. All of the dosing can be done off the alkalinity.

2. When corals use the calcium and alkalinity, they also use magnesium. The product will contain this appropriate amount of magnesium, and youmay never need to measure or supplement magnesium.

3. After corals use the calcium and alkalinity in the supplements, what remains is an assortment of salts that has the same composition as normal seawater, so the chemistry of the aquarium does not get messed up over time by too much addition of sodium (from sodium carbonate/bicarbonate) which is the usual alkalinity additive, and not too much chloride, which is the usual counterion in calcium supplements.

Love B-Ionic.

Taiko · Feb 6, 2015

So I found some calcium chloride, can you guys tell me if this might be okay to try. Kindly check the MSDS sheet they have provided. Should there be any questions I should ask about the product?

Calcium chloride flake
ICE 010 Pella Grit | Prairie West Products

Calcium chloride pellet
ICE 005 Mega Melt Pro | Prairie West Products

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 6, 2015

You usually cannot tell if it is OK from such data, only that it is not. The first one is not since it has some sort of added grit.

The second is likely anhydrous calcium chloride, but the purity is unknown.