Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Magellan]

@Magellan I don't dose, but I do have some extra shells and barnacles that I was told contributes. I'm not sure if that's true.

Me too! I figured the ocean does, why not my reef tank?

 

[anon9896]

i did read minerals are added in the ocean via fresh water up in the mountains

 

[SashimiTurtle]

@Magellan I don't dose, but I do have some extra shells and barnacles that I was told contributes. I'm not sure if that's true.

More of a buffer than a dose... It's like aragonite rock and sand, when the tank starts to drop in alkalinity(remember pH is tied to kH) the acidity starts to dissolve the barnicles and clam shell and rock and sand... and keeps it from droping below a certain point. It can't raise it so to speak, but it prevents your alkalinity from going below XX number. When the calcium carbonate gets dissolved, everything that went into making that structure gets dissolved with it; calcium, magnesium, strontium, potassium. It's like your tank IS a calcium reactor, but not as consentrated as the efflutent from pumping CO2 into a reactor... does that make sense?

 

[Katrina71]

@Robin Haselden yes, it makes sense. That was an excellent explanation.

 

[anon9896]

it's like somebody drinking RO water , he will demineralize his body.
Don't say it too loud, I like to have cheap RO water.

 

[anon9896]

joke aside here is my fluffy yellow feather duster

 

[Katrina71]

joke aside here is my fluffy yellow feather duster

That's really pretty.

 

[anon9896]

That's really pretty.

true yellow and blue is rare in a reef (except fish)

 

[SashimiTurtle]

true yellow and blue is rare in a reef (except fish)

That's why I love my blue hornet zoas!!

Year old pic... much larger colony now

 

[sfin52]

That's why I love my blue hornet zoas!!

Year old pic... much larger colony now

Pic of colony please.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Pic of colony please.

Uhhh, remind me this week...

 

[sfin52]

Uhhh, remind me this week...

I will

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I will

Tank is super dirty right now, and all my zoas are stretched reaching for light. I've had the T5s unplugged for about 2 months "fighting" the hair algae, and I lost my 3rd Kessil A160 to overheating, so the tank has been dim for a little while. T5s are back on as of Friday, still only 2 Kessils but for LPS and zoas I think I have enough light.

But I'll get you some pics of them before, and after my water change and maintenance Monday.

@Katrina71 did I give Andrew some of the Blue Hornets? I can't remember which ones I brought up.

 

[Magellan]

true yellow and blue is rare in a reef (except fish)

I put both of these in the tank on the same day because I wanted some yellow :oops:

The little frag is a Jason fox burnin banana, but unfortunately with the polyps extended looks mostly red. I’m hoping more of the yellow will be visible as it grows.

 

[Magellan]

More of a buffer than a dose... It's like aragonite rock and sand, when the tank starts to drop in alkalinity(remember pH is tied to kH) the acidity starts to dissolve the barnicles and clam shell and rock and sand... and keeps it from droping below a certain point. It can't raise it so to speak, but it prevents your alkalinity from going below XX number. When the calcium carbonate gets dissolved, everything that went into making that structure gets dissolved with it; calcium, magnesium, strontium, potassium. It's like your tank IS a calcium reactor, but not as consentrated as the efflutent from pumping CO2 into a reactor... does that make sense?

wouldn’t the PH need to drop below 7 for the water to become acidic? I like this concept though, and for that reason have numerous shells in my tank, including a great big honkin’ conch shell :p I enjoy how they look, and if it benefits my reef that’s even better!

That's why I love my blue hornet zoas!!

Year old pic... much larger colony now

Those are the most perfect beautiful zoas, absolutely going on the “must have” list!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

wouldn’t the PH need to drop below 7 for the water to become acidic? I like this concept though, and for that reason have numerous shells in my tank, including a great big honkin’ conch shell :p I enjoy how they look, and if it benefits my reef that’s even better!

Yes, below 7 is considered an acid... but if the pH of your rock is 8.3, and the pH in your tank is 7.5, that is still 'more acidic' than the rock, and it will buffer your ta k from going any lower than that point by acting as a sacrificial anode... aka, dissolving itself and 'dosing the tank.'

Remember high school chemistry, weak acid and strong acid will react with each other, same goes for a strong base and a weak base. They will try and equalize when mixed.

Those are the most perfect beautiful zoas, absolutely going on the “must have” list!

Yep, they are towards to top of my list as far as zoas go. I had some a few years ago, melted them in an unintentional accident kinda thing. Dosed H202 with dissolved heavy metals present in the tank. They melted in hours. I practically watched it happen as soon as I dosed it. I had to wait forever for my LFS to cut them again, and as soon as they did I jumped on them.

 

[Magellan]

Yes, below 7 is considered an acid... but if the pH of your rock is 8.3, and the pH in your tank is 7.5, that is still 'more acidic' than the rock, and it will buffer your ta k from going any lower than that point by acting as a sacrificial anode... aka, dissolving itself and 'dosing the tank.'

Remember high school chemistry, weak acid and strong acid will react with each other, same goes for a strong base and a weak base. They will try and equalize when mixed.


Yep, they are towards to top of my list as far as zoas go. I had some a few years ago, melted them in an unintentional accident kinda thing. Dosed H202 with dissolved heavy metals present in the tank. They melted in hours. I practically watched it happen as soon as I dosed it. I had to wait forever for my LFS to cut them again, and as soon as they did I jumped on them.

I wish there was a way to love this post and be sad about it at the same time! Full disclosure, high school chemistry was about 14 years ago, I remember that I hate Moles and successfully set water on fire. After some googling, your explanation was FAR better and easier to understand. My brain hurts now, but I’m glad my beach combing was the right move!

https://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/theories.html#top

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I wish there was a way to love this post and be sad about it at the same time! Full disclosure, high school chemistry was about 14 years ago, I remember that I hate Moles and successfully set water on fire. After some googling, your explanation was FAR better and easier to understand. My brain hurts now, but I’m glad my beach combing was the right move!

https://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/theories.html#top

Haha, chemistry was fall of 2001. Second period. Junior year. Walked into class as 9/11 was happening.

I remember, well not much actually. I don't remember much about high school, not specifically anyway. I'm sure something stuck. I do like watching videos on sciencey stuff on youtube tho. :D

Please, do tell how you managed to set water on fire.

 

[Magellan]

Haha, chemistry was fall of 2001. Second period. Junior year. Walked into class as 9/11 was happening.

I remember, well not much actually. I don't remember much about high school, not specifically anyway. I'm sure something stuck. I do like watching videos on sciencey stuff on youtube tho. :D

Please, do tell how you managed to set water on fire.

My chemistry teacher had us measuring the volume of gas contained within a cigarette lighter. Very basic method, giant test tube held underwater and hold the lighter inside and release the gas. Had the genius idea to let the gas out and flick the lighter...

 

[SashimiTurtle]

My chemistry teacher had us measuring the volume of gas contained within a basic cigarette lighter. Very basic method, giant test tube held underwater and hold the lighter inside and release the gas. Had the genius idea to let the gas out and flick the lighter...

Mmm nothing like a little butane to heat things up.

She HAD to know someone would spark the lighters. I would have removed all the flints... because that's exactly something I would do.