Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Magellan]

@CasaReefer you are one funny ****** ****** !! I’ve seen so many of your posts that are just pure gold, come back home where you belong sir!

 

[living_tribunal]

I edited the other post, my bad. Yes. Don’t mix them. Dose separately in different parts of the tank as per the instructions, a few minutes apart. Figure out your alk consumption in relation to what number you want to maintain (8.5, etc) and then dose the exact same amount of Ca. At least, that’s my understanding. If you dose the Dkh without the Ca, it drops your Ca more than if you did nothing, and vice versa.

I’m aware of that but what I’m asking is after dosing do they evaporate with the water?

For instance, my tank evaporates about a gallon a day. Is there alk and calc being evaporated with it?

 

[living_tribunal]

If alk, cal, and mag are out of ionic balance, they can precipitate, yes.

But if they are in balance do they still evaporate? Or do they remain in the tank similar to salt?

 

[Hemmdog]

I’m aware of that but what I’m asking is after dosing do they evaporate with the water?

For instance, my tank evaporates about a gallon a day. Is their alk and calc being evaporated with it?

No, only the water evaporates. The tank also releases gases, nitrogen for example at the end of the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle; it ends with nitrogen gas coming out of your sandbed and rocks as tiny bubbles if you’ve ever seen that.

 

[living_tribunal]

No

Thank you, that’s very helpful.

 

[Hemmdog]

Thank you, that’s very helpful.

Lol, I added a bit more to the post. Just remember back to chemistry class in highschool and metals on the periodic table. Calcium is a metal, in general, metals need to be super heated to vaporize; therefor it wouldn’t evaporate(vaporize) under normal tank conditions.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Did someone say releasing gases? :p

Usually if calcium precipitates you would know/see it. I apologize if I did not see, but first I would check all you numbers and track them to get an idea of usage.

Use Randy’s calculator to help dose along with water changes to get to where you need. Don’t want big changes too fast, especially in Alk

Then set up a dosing schedule from there

 

[Magellan]

I’m aware of that but what I’m asking is after dosing do they evaporate with the water?

For instance, my tank evaporates about a gallon a day. Is there alk and calc being evaporated with it?

No. It’s why distilled water is so clean, when water evaporates it leaves everything behind. All sorts of things are using it up though, even your snails.

 

[living_tribunal]

No, only the water evaporates. The tank also releases gases, nitrogen for example at the end of the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle; it ends with nitrogen gas coming out of your sandbed and rocks as tiny bubbles if you’ve ever seen that.

If your tank is out of balance, will the water evaporate the excess nutrient until it balances?

For example, let’s say I have a dkh of 9 and my calcium is at 400 (extreme example).

Will alk evaporate to ~5.6dkh?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Lol, I added a bit more to the post. Just remember back to chemistry class in highschool and metals on the periodic table. Calcium is a metal, in general, metals need to be super heated to vaporize; therefor it wouldn’t evaporate(vaporize) under normal tank conditions.

To piggy back on the Hemm;Happy also watch when adding magnesium. It will also raise salinity a minimal amount, but a lot in a small tank can make a difference.

Mag can be dosed in larger increments to get to where you want with minimal affect. Be very slow with alk and calc, water changes is my preferred method with small amounts of additional dosing above what is normally needs

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Oops sorry

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[living_tribunal]

Did someone say releasing gases? :p

Usually if calcium precipitates you would know/see it. I apologize if I did not see, but first I would check all you numbers and track them to get an idea of usage.

Use Randy’s calculator to help dose along with water changes to get to where you need. Don’t want big changes too fast, especially in Alk

Then set up a dosing schedule from there

Have the hanna checkers on the way. Just going to do 1-2 large water changes until I can determine if dosing is necessary.

Ordered some soda ash, magnesium, and calcium chloride in case it is time to do minor two part.

 

[living_tribunal]

To piggy back on the Hemm;Happy also watch when adding magnesium. It will also raise salinity a minimal amount, but a lot in a small tank can make a difference.

Mag can be dosed in larger increments to get to where you want with minimal affect. Be very slow with alk and calc, water changes is my preferred method with small amounts of additional dosing above what is normally needs

Will be sure to keep it max 1dkh change if I have to play catch up before starting a dosing routine.

Good info, thank you.

 

[living_tribunal]

Oops sorry

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Came across this as well, I’ve had it bookmarked for this day.

Does anyone use his A or B recipe?

 

[Hemmdog]

If your tank is out of balance, will the water evaporate the excess nutrient until it balances?

For example, let’s say I have a dkh of 9 and my calcium is at 400 (extreme example).

Will alk evaporate to ~5.6dkh?

Nutrients(nitrate&phosphate) are doing their own balancing act.
Alk doesn’t evaporate.
The balance I’m talking about is the ionic balance of alk, cal, mag. What is your mag in this scenario?

 

[Magellan]

Came across this as well, I’ve had it bookmarked for this day.

Does anyone use his A or B recipe?

I know this isn’t one of the go-to options for a lot of people, but I really like the concept of only using 2 bottles to dose with in order to keep so many elements in check. Reef Fusion 1&2 is working really well for me so far, every day since i started has been the best day my reef has ever had.

 

[living_tribunal]

Nutrients(nitrate&phosphate) are doing their own balancing act.
Alk doesn’t evaporate.
The balance I’m talking about is the ionic balance of alk, cal, mag. What is your mag in this scenario?

Was considering alk, calc, and mag nutrients as well in this example.

Tomato, alkalinity, same thing.

If alk doesn’t evaporate, even when there is an imbalance with calc, then that answers my question.

I take it the inverse is not true however?

 

[CasaReefer]

@CasaReefer you are one funny ****** ****** !! I’ve seen so many of your posts that are just pure gold, come back home where you belong sir!

No, only the water evaporates. The tank also releases gases, nitrogen for example at the end of the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle; it ends with nitrogen gas coming out of your sandbed and rocks as tiny bubbles if you’ve ever seen that.

Well we just found out tonight that @MrWheelock release's Gas Also......

 

[Magellan]

Was considering alk, calc, and mag nutrients as well in this example.

Tomato, alkalinity, same thing.

If alk doesn’t evaporate, even when there is an imbalance with calc, then that answers my question.

I take it the inverse is not true however?

As someone who wants to know why the why is a why, I understand where you’re coming from. There is a sort of symbiotic relationship between these elements, as well as others (like phosphate of all things!) to a certain degree. Raise one, you lower the other, with the opposite being true as well. Mag seems to be the glue that helps keep those numbers stable, without it there can be wild swings. That’s what Hemmdog means when he says “ionic balance”. There is one person (perhaps more, but at least one) on R2R who could thoroughly answer your question about what is going on at a molecular level, and why... and for that reason, Randy has his own section on this forum!

All that being said..keep mag up, keep your Ca up, and try to let alk swing as little as possible. In addition to good tank husbandry practices, (which you clearly have!) =reasonable expectation of success :)

 

[MrWheelock]

Well we just found out tonight that @MrWheelock release's Gas Also......