Potassium Dosing

[xroads]

I started with AWT, then I monitored myself with the red sea kit. I try to keep my salinity stable at 1.025-1.026

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I started with AWT, then I monitored myself with the red sea kit. I try to keep my salinity stable at 1.025-1.026

OK.

At 1.025, the RC will come in a bit low (something like 380 ppm), so it might take supplement to boost it, and as long as you are monitoring with a kit, and especially if you believe your organisms appreciate the dosing, I'd certainly keep it up.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Following....
I also dose potassium but I struggle to get it up to the desired levels
last week I decided to make my goal to get it to 380-400.
currently its at 350-360 .
I struggle with pink SPS .I get good PE but the color is the problem
I also do a 10-15% water change every week .
I add Continuum Potassium to my RODI top up .
This wasn’t helping much so on the weekend I purchased Red Sea color B for Potassium ( i think it was B)
I have been adding this over the last 2 days.
My tank only has a skimmer on it but its full of SPS.
I am dosing the good Randy’s recipes.
Salinity is 1.025
Salt used is Red Sea Normal (blue bucket )

I keep hearing about trace elements being replaced by Calcium reactors so I have been flirting with the idea of getting one.
The other question what trace elements are replaced? Is potassium one of them?

 

[charliethetuna]

What do u like to keep it at randy

 

[charliethetuna]

What brand potassium do you like to use.?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What do u like to keep it at randy

I'd aim to maintain about 400 ppm. In my tank, water changes and foods maintain it without supplements.

IMO, iherb potassium chloride is a good way to go as a supplement.

 

[charliethetuna]

Thanks buddy ..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Following....
I also dose potassium but I struggle to get it up to the desired levels
last week I decided to make my goal to get it to 380-400.
currently its at 350-360 .
I struggle with pink SPS .I get good PE but the color is the problem
I also do a 10-15% water change every week .
I add Continuum Potassium to my RODI top up .
This wasn’t helping much so on the weekend I purchased Red Sea color B for Potassium ( i think it was B)
I have been adding this over the last 2 days.
My tank only has a skimmer on it but its full of SPS.
I am dosing the good Randy’s recipes.
Salinity is 1.025
Salt used is Red Sea Normal (blue bucket )

I keep hearing about trace elements being replaced by Calcium reactors so I have been flirting with the idea of getting one.
The other question what trace elements are replaced? Is potassium one of them?

FWIW, potassium isn't a trace element. it is one of the major ions of seawater.

That isn't just chemist lingo. The difference is important.

Trace elements are present at very low concentrations, and can easily accumulate or deplete rapidly in aquaria depending on what is being added or consumed. And a tiny bit of a supplement can add huge amounts relative to NSW levels.

Potassium, however, is present at very high concentrations in seawater. It takes a lot of anything to boost it, and it takes a lot of consumption to deplete it.

CaCO3/CO2 reactors add back what is present in coral skeletons, but potassium is more incorporated into tissue than skeletons. So growing algae, coral tissue, fish tissue, etc. all consume potassium. And foods all contain it inside of cells.

 

[labas39]

I read a post the other day about a guy who used this product:

Diamond Crystal 40 lb. Potassium Chloride

Obviously way cheaper than Brightwell.

 

[labas39]

Does anyone know if the potassium put in the RODI water used to feed a Kalk reactor precipitate out? I'm currently doing this and just realized that maybe this setup is useless.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Thank you for the explanation Randy.
So in essence if potassium is present in Coral tissue and algae. This would affect the zooxanthellae and in turn the color of the SPS.
Is that correct ?
Am I/we on the right track by increasing the Potassium to 380-400ppm ?
Funny thing is Blue/Green & purple SPS in my tank are fine . its only the Pink colors that I struggle with

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Does anyone know if the potassium put in the RODI water used to feed a Kalk reactor precipitate out? I'm currently doing this and just realized that maybe this setup is useless.

That would be fine.

 

[labas39]

That would be fine.

Thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you for the explanation Randy.
So in essence if potassium is present in Coral tissue and algae. This would affect the zooxanthellae and in turn the color of the SPS.
Is that correct ?
Am I/we on the right track by increasing the Potassium to 380-400ppm ?
Funny thing is Blue/Green & purple SPS in my tank are fine . its only the Pink colors that I struggle with

Potassium is critical for the function of nearly every cell in every organism. For example, it is often higher in concentration inside of cells than outside (such as in blood or seawater). So cells often use the concentration gradient of potassium to move other chemicals across cell membranes, even if those other chemicals "don't want to cross".

So maintaining it may be quite important. Aiming for about 400 ppm seems appropriate to me as that is a typical natural level.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Thank you.

 

[Diesel]

Thought I knew a lot about K but by reading this I learned a little bit more.
Follow through.........

 

[Greg79]

2 full teaspoon Twice a week brightwell aq on 250gal total volume water, keeping at 400-410

 

[Squamosa]

Hi all

There is/was vigorous debate on this topic in the ZeoVit forums.

Many aquarists noticed, myself include, that if you had an oversize skimmer for your water volume and skimmed very wet then you would get a rapid depletion of K+ of ~20 ppm/week.

Perhaps it is being skimmed out with the bacteria (we all carbon dose), perhaps it binds to the DOC or is taken up a bit by the macroalgae? I don't know as I'm not an expert in this field, but in my sps heavy tank, with carbon dosing and a fairly wet skim, I have to supplement KCl as I lose ~10 ppm/fortnight.

The value is kept at 400 ppm measured with a Salifert test kit.

I have noticed by looking at the corals that they lose some of their "shine" when the level has dropped below 370 ppm and K+ is always the first parameter I check when this happens, however, this is just an anecdote and I haven't applied any scientific methodology to test this.

Cheers,
Tony

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi all

There is/was vigorous debate on this topic in the ZeoVit forums.

Many aquarists noticed, myself include, that if you had an oversize skimmer for your water volume and skimmed very wet then you would get a rapid depletion of K+ of ~20 ppm/week.

Perhaps it is being skimmed out with the bacteria (we all carbon dose), perhaps it binds to the DOC or is taken up a bit by the macroalgae? I don't know as I'm not an expert in this field, but in my sps heavy tank, with carbon dosing and a fairly wet skim, I have to supplement KCl as I lose ~10 ppm/fortnight.

The value is kept at 400 ppm measured with a Salifert test kit.

I have noticed by looking at the corals that they lose some of their "shine" when the level has dropped below 370 ppm and K+ is always the first parameter I check when this happens, however, this is just an anecdote and I haven't applied any scientific methodology to test this.

I can believe that skimmed out bacteria remove a lot, but weren't there claims that the zeolite media used in the zeovit process also bound some potassium?

Potassium won't appreciably bind to DOC in seawater.

 

[Squamosa]

I can believe that skimmed out bacteria remove a lot, but weren't there claims that the zeolite media used in the zeovit process also bound some potassium?

Potassium won't appreciably bind to DOC in seawater.

Thanks for your learned input Randy

I haven't read about zeolites binding potassium, but I'm sure it's possible. There was talk about the zeolites adding iron to the water and using this to bind phosphates.

I don't employ the ZeoVit system anymore, however, I still "lose" an appreciable amount of K+/fortnight and have to dose my tank.

I put this down to the bacteria and skimming.

Cheers,
Tony