Coral Snow - Calcium Carbonate

[DmitryB]

So I am going to give Coral Snow a try. Got Calcium Carbonate. The main recipe online calls for 450ml of water + 10 tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate. This makes a sludge, right? Just want to make sure I'm not misunderstanding any part of that!

Will be using 1ml of Coral Snow per 10 gallons of tank volume. (Or tank + sump?) Put this into a high flow area? Keep the skimmer running? Any other preparations you'd recommend?

 

[exnisstech]

It's not really sludge. Maybe like milk? It separates so has to be shaken well before using. I've never bothered to measure. I squirt it out of a plastic condiment bottle until the waters white. I don't use it on a regular basic, usually after I blow rocks. I keep my y skimmer running.

PS. I just squirt it all around the top. That way I can see how it gets blown around. Sometimes I use it when I'm working on flow.

 

[EricR]

For 40 gallon tank, I do 1 tablespoon into about 8 oz of RODI.
Consistency of the solution is more like milk than sludge, like exnisstech said.

I leave flow on but filtration off for 30 minutes.

Looks like this when first added to my tank:

 

[Dan_P]

So I am going to give Coral Snow a try. Got Calcium Carbonate. The main recipe online calls for 450ml of water + 10 tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate. This makes a sludge, right? Just want to make sure I'm not misunderstanding any part of that!

Will be using 1ml of Coral Snow per 10 gallons of tank volume. (Or tank + sump?) Put this into a high flow area? Keep the skimmer running? Any other preparations you'd recommend?

I am curious. What are you trying to fix or remedy?

 

[DmitryB]

So I am going to give Coral Snow a try. Got Calcium Carbonate. The main recipe online calls for 450ml of water + 10 tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate. This makes a sludge, right? Just want to make sure I'm not misunderstanding any part of that!

Will be using 1ml of Coral Snow per 10 gallons of tank volume. (Or tank + sump?) Put this into a high flow area? Keep the skimmer running? Any other preparations you'd recommend?

I am curious. What are you trying to fix or remedy?

Water has a lot of floating stuff floating. Don't know what it all is. I also basted rocks before the treatment, unleashing a lot of slimy algae, etc.

 

[slingfox]

I used to measure in preparation of the coral snow mixture as well as dosing into the tank. I now just eyeball it. The more concentrated you make the mixture the less often you have to make your stock supply. For dosing, I shake the bottle well and dose in enough to make the display tank a light cloudy white. I put my return pumps into feed mode for 30 minutes and let the coral snow swirl around my display for 30 minutes. When the pumps go back to normal the display tank water gradually clears up as my protein skimmer and fleece roller gradually filter out the coral snow. I typically do this once a week after water changes.

If you have a lot of small floating particles in your display tank it could be an issue with your filtration. You need some sort of mechanical filtration to take out those particles and your return pumps need to be set at a level so there is adequate dwell time for your sump to do its thing. I previously had the same issue and I fixed it by reducing the flow rate on my return pump.

 

[fish_collector]

Agree with what has been said already, it's like adding milk. I don't believe the concentration is critical, or the dosage for that matter. I do mine after lights out, it REALLY freaks the fish out, my concern is a fish will bolt and head butt the glass. The next morning your water will be sparkling clear though so it is a worthwhile thing to do once in a while.

And like slingfox said you for sure need mechanical filtration to help remove it.

 

[Dan_P]

Water has a lot of floating stuff floating. Don't know what it all is. I also basted rocks before the treatment, unleashing a lot of slimy algae, etc.

Thanks!

 

[DmitryB]

Agree with what has been said already, it's like adding milk. I don't believe the concentration is critical, or the dosage for that matter. I do mine after lights out, it REALLY freaks the fish out, my concern is a fish will bolt and head butt the glass. The next morning your water will be sparkling clear though so it is a worthwhile thing to do once in a while.

And like slingfox said you for sure need mechanical filtration to help remove it.

I have 2 Nature Dimension fleece rollers. I think their fleece should be denser. A lot of stuff gets through. Then there's a skimmer after that, but having trouble honing the Octo Regal 200 INT in. It seems fine and then I started dosing Phyto - and it goes berserk hours after Phyto is added. I shut skimmer off for 3 hrs after dosing and it still goes nuts. So I keep trying to figure it out. What else can I do besides the rollers and the skimmer that's a mess? I was actually thinking of trying socks instead of the rollers to see if water improves.

 

[slingfox]

I have 2 Nature Dimension fleece rollers. I think their fleece should be denser. A lot of stuff gets through. Then there's a skimmer after that, but having trouble honing the Octo Regal 200 INT in. It seems fine and then I started dosing Phyto - and it goes berserk hours after Phyto is added. I shut skimmer off for 3 hrs after dosing and it still goes nuts. So I keep trying to figure it out. What else can I do besides the rollers and the skimmer that's a mess? I was actually thinking of trying socks instead of the rollers to see if water improves.

What are you trying to address about the water? You are referring to small floating particles? This is very often due to inadequate dwell time in the sump due to too high return pump flow. What kind of water turnover is your return pump set to currently?

I am not familiar with the Nature Dimension (I have a RedSea Rollermat) but even if the fleece starts out with a higher micron porosity, it will over time get clogged and trap out smaller micron particles, cause water level in the roller to rise before the sensor is triggered to advance the roll. To have the mechanical filtration work appropriately though you need the right about of flow. Too much flow will result in less effective mechanical filtration.

I used to have super crystal clear water (I also use ozone and UV) but I have small particulates in the water column now since I have a sand sifting goby and wrasses who like to kick up the sand every so often. I am okay with it since the tank is for its inhabitants.

 

[kingranch2003]

I have 2 Nature Dimension fleece rollers. I think their fleece should be denser. A lot of stuff gets through. Then there's a skimmer after that, but having trouble honing the Octo Regal 200 INT in. It seems fine and then I started dosing Phyto - and it goes berserk hours after Phyto is added. I shut skimmer off for 3 hrs after dosing and it still goes nuts. So I keep trying to figure it out. What else can I do besides the rollers and the skimmer that's a mess? I was actually thinking of trying socks instead of the rollers to see if water improves.

Adding live rock or live rock rubble to your Sump or in the back of your AIO chamber is a great method of mechanical and biological filtration as well. In fact I rarely use or change filter floss because of it.

 

[DmitryB]

I have 2 Nature Dimension fleece rollers. I think their fleece should be denser. A lot of stuff gets through. Then there's a skimmer after that, but having trouble honing the Octo Regal 200 INT in. It seems fine and then I started dosing Phyto - and it goes berserk hours after Phyto is added. I shut skimmer off for 3 hrs after dosing and it still goes nuts. So I keep trying to figure it out. What else can I do besides the rollers and the skimmer that's a mess? I was actually thinking of trying socks instead of the rollers to see if water improves.

What are you trying to address about the water? You are referring to small floating particles? This is very often due to inadequate dwell time in the sump due to too high return pump flow. What kind of water turnover is your return pump set to currently?

I am not familiar with the Nature Dimension (I have a RedSea Rollermat) but even if the fleece starts out with a higher micron porosity, it will over time get clogged and trap out smaller micron particles, cause water level in the roller to rise before the sensor is triggered to advance the roll. To have the mechanical filtration work appropriately though you need the right about of flow. Too much flow will result in less effective mechanical filtration.

I used to have super crystal clear water (I also use ozone and UV) but I have small particulates in the water column now since I have a sand sifting goby and wrasses who like to kick up the sand every so often. I am okay with it since the tank is for its inhabitants.

I have a MightyJet XL (2656 GPH) set to 60%. I didn't think this was too high. In fact, if I activate feed mode off 60%, the water starts draining into the sump because that's not enough to push anything into the tank.

The roller clogs fast, water rises, and it advances the roll. I have to switch the rolls about every two weeks. There is a lot of detritus under the rollers in the first chamber, and then a lot in the sump chamber as well.

 

[DmitryB]

I have 2 Nature Dimension fleece rollers. I think their fleece should be denser. A lot of stuff gets through. Then there's a skimmer after that, but having trouble honing the Octo Regal 200 INT in. It seems fine and then I started dosing Phyto - and it goes berserk hours after Phyto is added. I shut skimmer off for 3 hrs after dosing and it still goes nuts. So I keep trying to figure it out. What else can I do besides the rollers and the skimmer that's a mess? I was actually thinking of trying socks instead of the rollers to see if water improves.

Adding live rock or live rock rubble to your Sump or in the back of your AIO chamber is a great method of mechanical and biological filtration as well. In fact I rarely use or change filter floss because of it.

I do have live rock in the chamber with the skimmer, and rubble in the refugium. I haven't disturbed it since I placed it in there, but I assume it's collecting detritus. (I can see "dirt" on the bottom of the skimmer chamber.)

 

[slingfox]

I have a MightyJet XL (2656 GPH) set to 60%. I didn't think this was too high. In fact, if I activate feed mode off 60%, the water starts draining into the sump because that's not enough to push anything into the tank.

The roller clogs fast, water rises, and it advances the roll. I have to switch the rolls about every two weeks. There is a lot of detritus under the rollers in the first chamber, and then a lot in the sump chamber as well.

Target tank volume turnover is typically quoted as 3x-5x. If you have a 170g tank, after displacement I assume 145g of water volume (I don’t know what rock/livestock/equipment you have taking up volume but you can adjust the calc according).

Assuming a target of 5x turnover that means 145 x 5 =725 gph which implies you should run your return pump at 27%. Due to efficiency loss depending on how the tank is plumbed, this will likely land you in the 4x turnover range which is right in the middle of the target range.

Turn down your return pump to 27% for one week and I will bet you will see less fleece usage as well as less particulates in the water column. Nutrient levels may also change so worth keeping an eye on parameters.

Note also that the 3x-5x is most often quoted as display tank volume (accounting for displacement) turnover per hour. The calcs above is system water turnover so you could run the return pump at an even lower level . . .

 

[kingranch2003]

I do have live rock in the chamber with the skimmer, and rubble in the refugium. I haven't disturbed it since I placed it in there, but I assume it's collecting detritus. (I can see "dirt" on the bottom of the skimmer chamber.)

Good work up on the numbers. I agree, that you want to slow grind that return flow across all media introduced to the tank. This works especially well with live rock, especially if it is coated with coraline algae, being less porous.

 

[DmitryB]

I have a MightyJet XL (2656 GPH) set to 60%. I didn't think this was too high. In fact, if I activate feed mode off 60%, the water starts draining into the sump because that's not enough to push anything into the tank.

The roller clogs fast, water rises, and it advances the roll. I have to switch the rolls about every two weeks. There is a lot of detritus under the rollers in the first chamber, and then a lot in the sump chamber as well.

Target tank volume turnover is typically quoted as 3x-5x. If you have a 170g tank, after displacement I assume 145g of water volume (I don’t know what rock/livestock/equipment you have taking up volume but you can adjust the calc according).

Assuming a target of 5x turnover that means 145 x 5 =725 gph which implies you should run your return pump at 27%. Due to efficiency loss depending on how the tank is plumbed, this will likely land you in the 4x turnover range which is right in the middle of the target range.

Turn down your return pump to 27% for one week and I will bet you will see less fleece usage as well as less particulates in the water column. Nutrient levels may also change so worth keeping an eye on parameters.

Note also that the 3x-5x is most often quoted as display tank volume (accounting for displacement) turnover per hour. The calcs above is system water turnover so you could run the return pump at an even lower level . . .

40% is the lowest it can go, but I'll give it a try!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I did not see any apparent change when I’ve added powdered calcium carbonate a few times.

 

[fish_collector]

I can definitely see the difference the very next day after I do a coral snow treatment. It’s about the same clarity improvement I get when I don’t run carbon for a few months and then I put it back online, it’s noticeable.

 

[areefer01]

Water has a lot of floating stuff floating. Don't know what it all is. I also basted rocks before the treatment, unleashing a lot of slimy algae, etc.

Maybe the fish and corals are sneezing? Allergy season kicked up again in Cali due to some wonky weather...

Teasing aside, and know up front that I am not a fan of either roller mats or filter media, but if you are concerned it may be easier on everyone (coral, fish) by adding the blue/white filter media to catch it. Corals and fish may intake some of the floating things as a food source.

 

[DmitryB]

Maybe the fish and corals are sneezing? Allergy season kicked up again in Cali due to some wonky weather...

Teasing aside, and know up front that I am not a fan of either roller mats or filter media, but if you are concerned it may be easier on everyone (coral, fish) by adding the blue/white filter media to catch it. Corals and fish may intake some of the floating things as a food source.

Blue/white meaning some kind of fleece? I do want to do that to see if things clear up. Thanks!