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08TRDOFFROAD
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I use a Hanna checker. I am going to run a test tonight when I get home to double check the results before dosing anything.
My salinity also tested at 34.4 ppt. So just a hair low too.
08trdoffroad's Rimless 60 gal Mixed Reef Build
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My salinity also tested at 34.4 ppt. So just a hair low too.
Those clowns might be the death of that hammer. They are loving up on it a bit too much!
Also, is that accurate that your PO4 is 0.2ppm and NO3 at 0ppm? Nitrates around zero are also a reason LPS might take a bad turn.
Also, is that accurate that your PO4 is 0.2ppm and NO3 at 0ppm? Nitrates around zero are also a reason LPS might take a bad turn.
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08TRDOFFROAD
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Yeah. They have worried me with the torch. Not sure what to do about them loving it too much ..
I believe so. I am going to run a NO3, DKH, and P04 test tonight to confirm the results. But I don't think they are far off. I have zero algae growing in the tank, maybe a tint of brown on the sand bed in the evenings at the end of the photo period, but I did recently add three more fish and an auto feeder. I was feeding NLS Thera A pellets twice a day. But was worried I would spike nitrates and phosphates so I backed it back off to 1 time a day and throw in a quarter cube of frozen when I get home from work.
My current fish list is:
2-Green Chromis (want to add 3 more)
2-Percula Clownfish
1-Yellow eye Kole Tang
1-Royal Gramma
Keeping my eyes open for a Coris Wrasse and maybe a Flameback Angel.
Should I feed more? dose nitrates to bring it up to 10 or 15? Shut off the skimmer and pull the filter socks to let all waste break down in the tank?
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08TRDOFFROAD
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Ok. Just writing down my math to make sure it makes sense.
My LFS recommended Red Sea Reef Foundations B to raise my alk. It will raise Alk .1 dKH per 1 ml in 25 gal.
My current Alk is ~4.92 dKH per the LFS test (will confirm with my Hanna Checker prior to dosing). I am aiming for Alk of 8-9 dKH. So my alk is 3.08 low.
My total system volume is ~75 gal.
So a dose of 3 ml (75/25=3) will raise Alk 0.1 dKH in my system.
So to raise my Alk 3.0 dKH, I need to dose 90 ml of Reef Foundation B (3ml x 30). My LFS recommended I split the dose into thirds to raise the Alk more slowly. So I should dose 30 ml per day for the next 3 days. Or maybe even split it more and do 15 ml morning and night for the next three days.
Do these number make sense?
My LFS recommended Red Sea Reef Foundations B to raise my alk. It will raise Alk .1 dKH per 1 ml in 25 gal.
My current Alk is ~4.92 dKH per the LFS test (will confirm with my Hanna Checker prior to dosing). I am aiming for Alk of 8-9 dKH. So my alk is 3.08 low.
My total system volume is ~75 gal.
So a dose of 3 ml (75/25=3) will raise Alk 0.1 dKH in my system.
So to raise my Alk 3.0 dKH, I need to dose 90 ml of Reef Foundation B (3ml x 30). My LFS recommended I split the dose into thirds to raise the Alk more slowly. So I should dose 30 ml per day for the next 3 days. Or maybe even split it more and do 15 ml morning and night for the next three days.
Do these number make sense?
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I find those numbers a bit suspect, did you confirm the 4.92 dKh with your Hanna? @Randy Holmes-Farley sorry to drag you into a build thread topic, but isn't it quite difficult to get ALK below 5 dKh in a reef tank (albeit somewhat new tank), or am I thinking of a different parameter with a floor limit?
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08TRDOFFROAD
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I will test with the Hanna as soon as I get home in about two hours. Before I dose anything!
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08TRDOFFROAD
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Ran my test. Not quite as low as the LFS test, but still low at 6 dKH!
So I need to bring my dKH up 2
0. So I need to dose 60 ml of RS RF B over the next 3 days.
That will
That will probably help! What else are you dosing now? And how much will you be needing to dose daily?Ran my test. Not quite as low as the LFS test, but still low at 6 dKH!
So I need to bring my dKH up 2
0. So I need to dose 60 ml of RS RF B over the next 3 days.T
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08TRDOFFROAD
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Um...nothing. Dosing seems so overwhelming to me. Still trying to wrap my head around it....I have a bottle of AFR and a single head BM dose I bought years ago....and never set up on my BC
That's enough to get it going! Nice thing about AFR is it only requires one head. Once you know how much AFR you need to keep things going, just set it and occasionally increase it a bit when you see ALK is dropping. Note: it can get expensive after a while--I'm using about 60mL of it every day, so I buy the bulk size powder. Good stuff, though!
For example, for your tank, I would only start with a few mL of AFR and see how it goes for a few days. See if ALK is going up or down. If down, add the amount of RS RF B needed to bring you back up to your desired level and set the AFR doser a mL or so higher (or more if the drop is dramatic). With just a few LPS, though, I think you won't need too much for now.
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Seems simple enough. I will try to set it up this weekend. I also ordered a jabeo return pump because my sicce 3.0 is pretty noisy (lots of vibration) and I don't feel like it is moving enough flow in the tank.
I dosed my first 10 ml of RFB tonight. So we will see how it goes! Things were pretty ticked off and closed up when I got home from work today...hopefully things start to improve as the alk comes up slowly!
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08TRDOFFROAD
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After I dosed last night I tested twice before I went to bed and got readings of 100 and 101...putting my alk at 5.65 dKH.
I dosed 15 ml of RFB morning and night today and tested just a few minutes ago. Things are moving in the right direction! Up almost 1.0 dKH from where I started to 6.55 dKH!
Here are the results from tonight!
When testing, I am making sure to be consistent in how I measure the water for the test and the reagent to make sure my results are repeatable!
I dosed 15 ml of RFB morning and night today and tested just a few minutes ago. Things are moving in the right direction! Up almost 1.0 dKH from where I started to 6.55 dKH!
Here are the results from tonight!
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Tonight's test results! Steady as she goes! Up to 7.56 dKH after 2 more doses of 15 ml today!
Unfortunately, I lost my torch coral today. The clowns were just too rough on it...
But, my watermelon zoa opened about 3/4 of the way for the first time in weeks!!! So there is a small victory!
Unfortunately, I lost my torch coral today. The clowns were just too rough on it...
But, my watermelon zoa opened about 3/4 of the way for the first time in weeks!!! So there is a small victory!
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Replaced the sicce return pump today with the Jabeo 6000...man is this thing quiet or the sicce was really loud!
But, I am a bit underwhelmed by the flow. I was hoping to be able to run it under its max, but at max it just moves slightly more than the sicce, so considering returning it and trying an 8000...
But, I am a bit underwhelmed by the flow. I was hoping to be able to run it under its max, but at max it just moves slightly more than the sicce, so considering returning it and trying an 8000...
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Much better! I tested tonight before adding a second dose of RFB...8 dKH!
Should I add another 10 ml of RFB to make sure I am mid 8s? Then monitor for a couple days to see what is being consumed to try to come up with a starting dose of AFR?
Should I add another 10 ml of RFB to make sure I am mid 8s? Then monitor for a couple days to see what is being consumed to try to come up with a starting dose of AFR?
I would start with a little bit of AFE and increase if you see it dropping. AFR isn't great at raising ALK, takes a lot. Better at maintaining levels. Or at least that's what everyone says.Much better! I tested tonight before adding a second dose of RFB...8 dKH!
Should I add another 10 ml of RFB to make sure I am mid 8s? Then monitor for a couple days to see what is being consumed to try to come up with a starting dose of AFR?
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08TRDOFFROAD
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Been 48 hrs since my last alk test, so I tested tonight.
Down about .5 dKH since the last test. The tank appears to be consuming about .25 dKH per 24 hrs right now. Setting up the BM single head doser with AFR.
These are the instructions for a starting dose for AFR:
"Start with a daily dose of 5 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume. Increase the daily dosage – by continuous control of the alkalinity – weekly by 2.5 ml per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume, until a constant carbonate hardness of 7 to 9 °dH is reached.
Do not exceed a maximum daily dose of 25 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume."
So my starting dose is 15 ml. How many times a day should I spread it out? 3 doses of 5 ml? 5 doses of 3 ml? 15 doses of 1 ml?
Down about .5 dKH since the last test. The tank appears to be consuming about .25 dKH per 24 hrs right now. Setting up the BM single head doser with AFR.
These are the instructions for a starting dose for AFR:
"Start with a daily dose of 5 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume. Increase the daily dosage – by continuous control of the alkalinity – weekly by 2.5 ml per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume, until a constant carbonate hardness of 7 to 9 °dH is reached.
Do not exceed a maximum daily dose of 25 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume."
So my starting dose is 15 ml. How many times a day should I spread it out? 3 doses of 5 ml? 5 doses of 3 ml? 15 doses of 1 ml?
Oh my, that's concerning. I'm dosing about 50mL in a volume of about 30-35 gal...
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