Just figured out why my SPS were not growing

[ficklefins]

Calcium was at 300
Alk 2.4

Luckily I went out and got my stuff for Randy's 2 part formula. So here was the amounts I need to add to reach my goals

Goal levels:
Calc = 420
Alk = 4.0

Dosage Required:
Calcium 798.3ml 8-[
Alkalinity 205ml 8-[

I plan on increasing this over the course of 5 or more days. Wow is all I can say. If I wanted to get my calc to 450 I would need to add almost a Liter of Calc formula.

 

[Brandon]

woah....
really low alk and calc!

at least you caught it!

hope you see better growth out of your SPS

 

[ficklefins]

Thanks Brandon I hope so too.

 

[zoa2]

My Calc is 550 and everything is doing well.

 

[ficklefins]

Hmmm. I might not try something that high, but I was going to eventually shoot for around 450.

What is your alk reading if you don't mind me asking?

 

[pookstreet]

2.4 meq/L isn't really that low. I try to keep mine between 8-9 dKh, which is 2.8-3.2 meq/L. 4.0 is actually kinda high and may result in some color loss for many SPS. I know that NSW is around 4 but for some reason, it doesnt work quite that well in our tanks

 

[ficklefins]

Just when you think you have a good grasp on things Kenny shows up (j/k). So what is the range I should shoot for to maximize SPS growth while at the same time not effect my zoas/lps/anemone? 3.0-3.2?

 

[surfn]

what test kits are ya'll using that measure in meq/L?

i'm using salifert, and the chart is in dKH. my dkH is b/w 8-9, but is normally around 8.6.

i used to have my dKH around 9.8-10.4, but i dont think my zoas liked it. they got very small.

i keep my calcium dead on at 400ppm.

1st and foremost, its important to keep your alk as stable as possible. its ok for the calcium to jump around a little bit. as the limiting reagent is the alk, as long as the calcium is above 380 i believe.

i use the litermeter dosing pump for alk and calcium. what are you using? remember to add your magnesium also.

 

[ficklefins]

Alk/kh I use salifert
Calc I'm using Seachem

 

[JGoslee]

what test kits are ya'll using that measure in meq/L?

i'm using salifert, and the chart is in dKH. my dkH is b/w 8-9, but is normally around 8.6.

i used to have my dKH around 9.8-10.4, but i dont think my zoas liked it. they got very small.

i keep my calcium dead on at 400ppm.

1st and foremost, its important to keep your alk as stable as possible. its ok for the calcium to jump around a little bit. as the limiting reagent is the alk, as long as the calcium is above 380 i believe.

i use the litermeter dosing pump for alk and calcium. what are you using? remember to add your magnesium also.

The trick is keeping alk as stable as possible. my Ca jumps around alot. Sometimes its 380 and sometimes its 440. I guess it doesnt help that Im add new sps/lps weekly. As long as alk is stable things are usually good. I find myself only adding the calcium part of the 2part to keep calcium up and the kalk keeps my alk up. Ive been keeping my dKH @ 10-11. Maybe thats why my zoa's have started to shrink? Its hard for me to keep alk down when dripping kalk. Im also using a dosing pump to add kalk.

 

[JGoslee]

Also I was getting bad resuts from seachem Ca tests. I tested it against 2 different test kits and the difference was about 40ppm. Now I only use Salifert.

 

[familyreefer]

Reactor

I know a few people here warned me when I set up my Ca reactor a few months ago....Well since the set up calcium stays rock solid at 450 and KH is 13. My zoas ( mostly from the great people here are doing well and multiplying. Great growth on the SPS now that I got the phosphates down as well.

 

[ficklefins]

Also I was getting bad resuts from seachem Ca tests. I tested it against 2 different test kits and the difference was about 40ppm. Now I only use Salifert.

Ouch! I have to get a new test kit. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[twon8]

i try to keep calcium around 400, alk around 3

also might be worth testing your magnesium if you haven't ever

 

[ficklefins]

i try to keep calcium around 400, alk around 3

also might be worth testing your magnesium if you haven't ever

Need to buy list: Calc and Magnesium test! Thanks Twon.

 

[surfn]

I know a few people here warned me when I set up my Ca reactor a few months ago....Well since the set up calcium stays rock solid at 450 and KH is 13. My zoas ( mostly from the great people here are doing well and multiplying. Great growth on the SPS now that I got the phosphates down as well.

wow, you may want to cut back on that a bit before you start having pump and other equipment problems. good to hear your zoas can tolerate it though. mine don't like anything above 10.5dkH

 

[JGoslee]

I keep my parameters pretty high as well. Tested tonight.
dKH = 10.2
Ca = 500
Mg = 1460

 

[surfn]

your dkH and mag levels should be ok.

keeping your calcium that high really doesn't do any good. the alk is the limiting factor in the making of coral skeleton. i think by having excess calcium in the water you are just going to waste some of it into precipitation on pumps/motors etc. i.e. wearing down pumps faster.

i keep mine at 400, if i bumped it up higher i shouldn't have any faster growth in my corals. "shouldn't"....per one of those randy holmes articles i read somewhere.

 

[familyreefer]

Calcium

I must add that I keep Clams as well. Ca is very important for em

 

[JGoslee]

I still don't know how much calcium I use per day or per week. When I was dosing 2 part daily my calcium would be 380 one day and 450 another. So i figure Ill just keep it at 500 and not worry about it. I just focus on alk now a days. By adding Ca and Mg in with my waterchanges I never have to worry about them dropping. I know one thing since my calcium went above 450 my coraline really took off.