Bringing up the big three properly?

[theyangman]

So I have gotten my nitrates and phosphates under control for the past few months. That being said I have recently started testing for the other three now (Alk, cal, mg)

Nitrates <2 - Salifert
Phosphates - 23ppb = 0.07 - Hanna ULR (this has been dropping gradually from a high of .33 about 2 months ago)

Now my other three:

Cal: 420
Alk: 5.8
Mg: 1150

I have ESV liquid concentrate for Alk & cal, and Kent Tech M for Mg, but in what proportions do I add this stuff to properly raise my levels without throwing another out of whack? I have a kamoer doser so I can automate this but is the amounts that need to be added is what is confusing me.

Thanks guys.

 

[EricTMah]

I've never used ESV products before.

I'd just do the calculation for your tech M and dose accordingly to raise your MAG.  Just don't increase more than 100ppm per 24 hours.

Your CA looks fine, but I'd definitely start raising your ALK.  That's EXTREMELY low.  I would suggest using either soda ash or go to your LFS and pick up something that will raise just your alk.  Don't raise your ALK more than 0.5 per 24 hours.

I would test every other day at the same time to ensure your levels are going up.  Then after you've reached all desired levels, then switch back to using the ESV and tech M through your doser.

 

[pulpfiction1]

you need to get all your parameters in spec first,slowly,then go though the math to set up your doser based on your usage.
useage is testing over time to see how much your tank consumes....but you already know this info from when you first started your tank tony,or you were told this at least in the beginning

 

[Duke]

If u have no corals right now it won't be such a big deal, alk should still be kinda slowly raised to keep Ph stable.. But mag u could do it 2 big doses no problem. I think you'll find now that some time has passed your luck sps will change.

 

[theyangman]

you need to get all your parameters in spec first,slowly,then go though the math to set up your doser based on your usage.
useage is testing over time to see how much your tank consumes....but you already know this info from when you first started your tank tony,or you were told this at least in the beginning

I never really used the doser, or not very well. I never knew how to calculate how much to put in every day. Is it literally just starting somewhere and increasing/decreasing via trial and error? That seems expensive....

I am just wondering if there are any specifics when it comes to raising these parameters that I have to watch out for more than anything or if there is an order I should follow in raising one parameter at a time is all.

 

[Reef Hero]

@theyangman

My suggestion would be to increase your alk dosage by 5ml  per day and then leave it set at this for a week...... Do your tests and see where you are at with alk, ca, and mag. It will not be possible to increase just your alk without also affecting calcium and mag. This will be especially true if using ESV BIONIC because their 2 part contains many other supplements as well such as mag. I use the ESV. BIONIC and have found that as long as I keep my alk around 7.5 and calcium around 440, I never need to dose mag, potassium, or anything else....
You may want to test your parameters the next day or day after you do the slight 5ml increase in alk/day and see what is going on with your calcium now also. I would imagine that as you start to increase your alk, you will see your calcium levels drop.....
If you notice your calcium drop down to say 400 within just a couple days after increasing your alk then it may not be a bad idea to also increase your calcium dosage by 5ml/day at this time also. By doing this, you will create a more stable increase in the big 3 as you reach the numbers you want. Remember to go slow and test along the way..... If you have corals still currently don't be alarmed if they become slightly stressed because you are changing their water parameters that they have become accustomed to..... Good luck!!


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[Reef Hero]

[quote author=pulpfiction1 link=topic=8609.msg92398#msg92398 date=1399118774]
you need to get all your parameters in spec first,slowly,then go though the math to set up your doser based on your usage.
useage is testing over time to see how much your tank consumes....but you already know this info from when you first started your tank tony,or you were told this at least in the beginning

I never really used the doser, or not very well. I never knew how to calculate how much to put in every day. Is it literally just starting somewhere and increasing/decreasing via trial and error? That seems expensive....

I am just wondering if there are any specifics when it comes to raising these parameters that I have to watch out for more than anything or if there is an order I should follow in raising one parameter at a time is all.
[/quote]

To be honest, yes it is kinda just trial and error.... But if you set the doser to just add a very small amount each day then what's the difference really if you were going to just dose that amount yourself each day....?
By using a doser you can even space out the small dosage into like say 3-5 even smaller dosages.....


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[pulpfiction1]

the key is testing,you will need to test often when you first start dosing to see you paramiters change to the values you are looking for

 

[theyangman]

o after a few days of waiting and water change after doing the additives, here are my results....

SG: 1.025 - 1.026 (I use regular instant ocean with RO/DI water)
Nitrates <2 - Salifert
Phosphates - 22ppb = 0.067 - Hanna ULR

Now my other three:

Cal: 480 (Salifert)
Alk: 7.0 (Salifert)
Mg: 1500 + (It read off the charts on the salifert test for all I know this is like 1800 lol)
pH: (at night with just the blue LED's on) - 7.7 - 8.0 (Salifert range)

What now?!?!?! Why is my mag so insanely high????

 

[nexusnight]

What salt are you using and have u been dosing mag?
I'd bring the alk up more still. I have an elos mag test kit that works great. I could deliver some extreme reef quisine and bring my test kit. Help sort out ur params.


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[theyangman]

What salt are you using and have u been dosing mag?
I'd bring the alk up more still. I have an elos mag test kit that works great. I could deliver some extreme reef quisine and bring my test kit. Help sort out ur params.


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That is a solid deal that I cannot say no too. I am home around 5 - 5:30 pm today. lol, give me a call and bring da fud fo mah fishies.

 

[nexusnight]

Send me ur phone number and we will set something ip


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[Reef Hero]

I have found that most hobbyists who use ESV BIONIC 2 Part will have high magnesium levels. If you don't like the high mag levels then I would suggest you find another additive to use. I have actually emailed ESV a few times regarding this.... Nothing has ever come from it because I'm not sure if having mag at 1500ppm is going to be a bad thing....

 

[theyangman]

I have found that most hobbyists who use ESV BIONIC 2 Part will have high magnesium levels. If you don't like the high mag levels then I would suggest you find another additive to use. I have actually emailed ESV a few times regarding this.... Nothing has ever come from it because I'm not sure if having mag at 1500ppm is going to be a bad thing....

The scary thing is it actually higher, it was off the salifert test charts. I had used the entire syringe and it didn't change color, so I drew some more, and it took a good amount to get it to change color. On a rough gauge of how the scale seemed to increase I would peg the mg around 1650-1700 in all reality.

 

[Reef Hero]

Woah that's really high.... Out of curiousity, how much of each additive are you adding per day?


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[nexusnight]

His mg is at 1600 for sure. Was there today. Delivered Extreme red cuisine and saw him do a test. In hind sight the tanks lookin pretty good tho good talkin to ya theyangman ... Hope the fish enjoy there new meal


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[Reef Hero]

His mg is at 1600 for sure. Was there today. Delivered Extreme red cuisine and saw him do a test. In hind sight the tanks lookin pretty good tho good talkin to ya theyangman ... Hope the fish enjoy there new meal


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Hmmm.... theyangmang just posted it being between 1650-1700 tho....


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[theyangman]

The 1650-1700 was a guess-timate. After running the Elos test (which I also had in my drawer full of kits without realizing it) it doesn't have a chart limit like the salifert test kit does, it is a simple math formula to figure out exactly what your mg levels are, and it was (37 - 5) * 50 = 1600....

Hopefully the water changes will bring that one back into line and I can not worry too much about it.

I added some alk around 9 and I just ran another quick series of tests:

dKh: 8.3
Ca:480
mg: 1450


Yay!!!!!!

 

[theyangman]

Mind you I have no idea how mg dropped 150 pts in 2 hours, but could have adding the alk solution done that? I added about 50 ml of alk (I had to raise it up a little from where it was earlier today) Calcium pretty much stayed level however.

 

[nexusnight]

Wow I'm suprised it came down that fast too. Crazy. I didn't realize alk would have such an impact on it but I do recall reading that all three def work hand in hand and effect each other in balancing out. Good to hear it's under controll. Keep up the good work and you will be back in business for sps soon enough.


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