Tank is 4.5 months old, and I have had a fun time automating and getting my nutrients and parameters stable...with the exception of Alkalinity (for now).
Tank/Sump: RS Reefer 525xl with Trigger 34" Platinum Sump ~ 110gal volume
Sand: 3" DSB 150lbs started dry
Rock: 150lbs of clean dry rock
Lighting: 1 x Kessil AP9x and 2 x Kessil A360x; 10am to 10pm with slow ramp up/down ~ w/ 6hr of full lighting
Mechanical Filtration: Roller Mat
Refugium: Chaeto, Calerpa Prolifera, and GHA; 10pm to 10am Kessil h160 Tuna Flora
Media: MarinePure blocks; Chemi-pure Blue
Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo with recirculating CO2 Scrubber (mostly used to maintain pH)
Return pump: Vectra L1
Powerheads: 2 x Reefwave 45
Heater/Chiller: Teco TK-1000
AWC: 1% incremental daily water change with TMP
Dosing: 1dKH daily of Kalkwasser @ 3ml/min; 16ml or Reef Energy AB+; ChaetoGro (Occasionally)
Tank Parameters:
Temp: 76.5 - 77.5
Salinity: 1.025ish
Ca: 450ish
Mg: 1425ish
NO3: >1ppm (bounces around based on feeding)
PO4: >.01ppm (bounces around based on feeding)
Alkalinity:
This just seems to be a little all over the place and I have verified my GHL reading with my Hannah Alkalinity checker many times and they are always very close.
With my previous tank, I was able to automate dosing to get very steady alkalinity (before I changed salts to Neomarine - not sure why I couldn't get back to a steady-state).
I want to get back to automating this...but I'm not sure what's up here.
Also, note that I don't have too much coral in the tank. Mostly just small frags with the majority being softies. I don't seem to have coralline algae yet either.
With 1 dKH kalk daily dosing I was either expecting Alk to rise or fall over time, not this meandering.
Any insight or advice?
Tank/Sump: RS Reefer 525xl with Trigger 34" Platinum Sump ~ 110gal volume
Sand: 3" DSB 150lbs started dry
Rock: 150lbs of clean dry rock
Lighting: 1 x Kessil AP9x and 2 x Kessil A360x; 10am to 10pm with slow ramp up/down ~ w/ 6hr of full lighting
Mechanical Filtration: Roller Mat
Refugium: Chaeto, Calerpa Prolifera, and GHA; 10pm to 10am Kessil h160 Tuna Flora
Media: MarinePure blocks; Chemi-pure Blue
Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo with recirculating CO2 Scrubber (mostly used to maintain pH)
Return pump: Vectra L1
Powerheads: 2 x Reefwave 45
Heater/Chiller: Teco TK-1000
AWC: 1% incremental daily water change with TMP
Dosing: 1dKH daily of Kalkwasser @ 3ml/min; 16ml or Reef Energy AB+; ChaetoGro (Occasionally)
Tank Parameters:
Temp: 76.5 - 77.5
Salinity: 1.025ish
Ca: 450ish
Mg: 1425ish
NO3: >1ppm (bounces around based on feeding)
PO4: >.01ppm (bounces around based on feeding)
Alkalinity:
This just seems to be a little all over the place and I have verified my GHL reading with my Hannah Alkalinity checker many times and they are always very close.
With my previous tank, I was able to automate dosing to get very steady alkalinity (before I changed salts to Neomarine - not sure why I couldn't get back to a steady-state).
I want to get back to automating this...but I'm not sure what's up here.
Also, note that I don't have too much coral in the tank. Mostly just small frags with the majority being softies. I don't seem to have coralline algae yet either.
With 1 dKH kalk daily dosing I was either expecting Alk to rise or fall over time, not this meandering.
Any insight or advice?