Mastiffsrule takes the math out of the hobby?

Mastiffsrule

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Hi everyone,

One of the biggest challenges, for me as an amateur reefer is the numbers. Numbers are my downfall (among others). Why, do fish and coral float in nothing but numbers, and water? Po4 .03, No3 5, SG 1.027, Calcium 440, Ph 8.1, DkH 8.3, etc. I mean really, what language is that and who is going to help me do all that math? Him?

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When I was in school they gave me a sheet of paper and told me to remember the times tables. The “computer” was a keyboard with dot matrix paper and basic programming. If there was complex equations the lucky ones had TI equation calculators. (You have to be old to know those). So why all the hubbub bub?

The science of water has become so advanced it can keep the mind spinning, but that does not mean it has to be hard. Like the vaudeville attractions of days long forgotten I am here to tell you it can be done quite easily. You just need to know where to look. There have been some great folk before us, currently among us, and I am sure yet to come that have already done the hard work for us. We just need to take advantage of it, and for Pete’s sake give thanks to those who put the time in to develop the tools we use. There are some great folk here who do this because they care. No fame, no payday, just straight up care.

So what am I talking about you may wonder? Is this another mastiffrules wandering posts. Yes, but no. Yes, I always enjoy time with family. Each of you. But no, more so this is about making that little question of how much X is needed for Y just a bit easier to help guide the way.

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So, before I get all meat and potatoes.....These are all just reference guides. Please make sure before ever doing anything in your tank your are testing and have researched and well understand whatever thing you may be doing. I always say if things look great DON‘T touch it. All the following links need to be given credit to their creators, and more so maybe send a note of thanks. Theses folks don’t have to put out these products for us to use.

So what have I been talking about this whole confusing, rambling, usual mastiffsrule time? CALCULATORS. They make my life so easy. I am not going to figure out a balanced calc/alk ratio better than Randy, so why try.

So that said I bring you...........

The not so comple but a good start aquarium calculator.

To me, we cannot start with any other than the great, one and only, Randy’s calculator. The HUGE piece of this i hope all pick up on, but kind of easy to miss is his numbers on balanced ratio. Look closely and when you enter you goal for one (ca or alk) it will tell you your balanced range for the other. When going to this calculator to determine how much X product you need to get to Y, please make note of the numbers needed to balance out the equation. This is how you get to the 1:1 dosing. (Now everyone PM Randy a thanks for the calculator). Not only will balancing help ease dosing to 1:1, it should help stable PH and avoid any great swings and precipitation if I am correct.


Next on the list is a basic, how much water is in my tank? You can’t do anything if you don’t know. So here is a link for a simple calculator. Again, credit due to the creator and I have not fully tested it for accuracy. There are many others out there. This is just an example to show you can find them if needed.



Next up is something that drives me mad. What is a liter? Is it Pepsi? Why is it on my carbon bottle. Isn’t carbon dry good and liters a fluid measurement ? Ahhh. Here are 2 calculators to help do that fuzzy math we heard so much about.

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So, I got it all down, so what do if I don’t trust those generic guys with tons of experience and missing toenails from years of saltwater erosion? Fear not, your biggest and baddest, most loved, most adored, softest to snuggle vendors have also come to our rescue wit their calculators. (Nothing like randy’s. ;);)) Seriously though, thsee folks are great vendors and phenomenal supporters of not only R2R and our hobby, along with a lot of other vendors. Like PM, give these guys a shout out.




The last thing I will bore you with is a chart. I’m tired, your excited to start calculating how much calcium you need. Please, please, please. The next is a fish compatibility charts from LA. It is not the end all, but it is a reference guide, 1 among many.



In summary. Do your research. Here and on the web. If da mastiff can, so can you. Fish and coral, and inverts are alive. They come to the corner when you feed them. They have personality. Coral respond to feeding. We can’t just toss them if they die. Use our resources here and on the web, and have your tank flourish. We all have that goal of a beautiful tank with flourishing coral and healthy fish. Use the tools created for us to get there. Don’t rush, if it’s working don’t change, if your not sure ask for help.

The R2R family loves you all ((taking a bit of liberty here) . Regardless we all are here for the hobby. I want you all to succeed. They are pets . Happy reefing.
 

TriggerFinger

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Thanks!! Bookmarking this. Very nice to have a bunch of useful tools in one place.
Hey, anyone who associates with mastiffs is alright in my book.
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Mastiffsrule

Mastiffsrule

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Thanks!! Bookmarking this. Very nice to have a bunch of useful tools in one place.
Hey, anyone who associates with mastiffs is alright in my book.
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Thanks, you should hit up the large dog thread @LRT made if you haven’t.
 

LRT

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Silver14SS

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LRT

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JCTReefer

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I never did the .84 multiplication when I made up my sodium nitrate. I just used the calculator for potassium nitrate and followed that for sodium nitrate. It will get you close enough for what we’re doing. If I dose 3ppm which is 15ml, it will in fact raise your No3 levels by 3ppm. Hobby grade test kits aren’t really accurate enough to detect precise levels. If my nitrate is 2ppm and I dose 3ppm, My Nyos No3 kit will reflect 5ppm. I’ve found this kit to be pretty darn accurate in the lower ranges. So the calculator works for my needs. I use Loudwolf sodium nitrate. I like the calculator because you can make a stock solution as concentrated as you want. This is what I use for my water volume.
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LRT

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I never did the .84 multiplication when I made up my sodium nitrate. I just used the calculator for potassium nitrate and followed that for sodium nitrate. It will get you close enough for what we’re doing. If I dose 3ppm which is 15ml, it will in fact raise your No3 levels by 3ppm. Hobby grade test kits aren’t really accurate enough to detect precise levels. If my nitrate is 2ppm and I dose 3ppm, My Nyos No3 kit will reflect 5ppm. I’ve found this kit to be pretty darn accurate in the lower ranges. So the calculator works for my needs. I use Loudwolf sodium nitrate. I like the calculator because you can make a stock solution as concentrated as you want. This is what I use for my water volume.
F6BB02D2-215E-4605-B2A2-7705BD39196A.png
Honestly I will have to get back to this when I get an accurate test kit. I've been using API and want to say I've had to dbl my ml per dose to achieve ppm using this calculator.
 

JCTReefer

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Honestly I will have to get back to this when I get an accurate test kit. I've been using API and want to say I've had to dbl my ml per dose to achieve ppm using this calculator.
I have an API nitrate kit. It’s honestly not very accurate. Especially with lower ranges. I couldn’t figure it out. I kept dosing and dosing and no reading at all. Water kept testing 0ppm. For example a reading of 12ppm on the Nyos kit will give you 0ppm on the API. The colors are really easy to distinguish on the Nyos kit compared to the API. The increments are smaller also. I bought the kit after watching a BRS video comparing test kits and accuracy. It’s a two step kit also. Super simple. I’d recommend it to anyone.
 

LRT

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I have an API nitrate kit. It’s honestly not very accurate. Especially with lower ranges. I couldn’t figure it out. I kept dosing and dosing and no reading at all. Water kept testing 0ppm. For example a reading of 12ppm on the Nyos kit will give you 0ppm on the API. The colors are really easy to distinguish on the Nyos kit compared to the API. The increments are smaller also. I bought the kit after watching a BRS video comparing test kits and accuracy. It’s a two step kit also. Super simple. I’d recommend it to anyone.
Perfect. Yeah been scratching my head what's been going on! Had a feeling.
Thank you
 

LRT

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I have an API nitrate kit. It’s honestly not very accurate. Especially with lower ranges. I couldn’t figure it out. I kept dosing and dosing and no reading at all. Water kept testing 0ppm. For example a reading of 12ppm on the Nyos kit will give you 0ppm on the API. The colors are really easy to distinguish on the Nyos kit compared to the API. The increments are smaller also. I bought the kit after watching a BRS video comparing test kits and accuracy. It’s a two step kit also. Super simple. I’d recommend it to anyone.
Glad I asked the question! And thanks again. Picked up the red sea nitrate kit and sure enough my nitrates where maxed out beyond readable. Fluorescent purple almost.
I knew for sure something was up. A few of my mushrooms started shrinking up and my Og lost its bubbles!
Anyhow got it between 20 and 50 after about a 35% water change and Og bubbles came back.
Jawbreakers do not like the high nitrates and are still shrunk.
Hopefully can get them down to 10-15 ppm today.
Incredible. Api should pull the Nitrate test out of the kit.
 
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Mastiffsrule

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Evening group,

Not so much a calculator but a reference guide from the great folk at Tampa Bay Saltwater. The chart goes by an old standard 2lb. per gallon equation for live rock. This has changed somewhat with different styles of aquascape and newer rock types being used.

But it is still relevant as a good starting point. (and I liked the colors ;) )

Credit to



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Mastiffsrule

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Thanks for dropping in the calculator and reference @JCTReefer . Hopefully more members will follow suit.

I am try to get as many caluclators I can gathered than post a complete easy to use index
 
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Mastiffsrule

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JCTReefer

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Almost forgot this one. Had a little tank emergency one time and my ammonia tested pretty high. A whole years worth of NL Spectrum got dumped in my tank. I could smell the ammonia when I walked in the room. My test kit measured total ammonia. NH3 + NH4. I was needing to know the concentration of free ammonia “NH3” or “unionised ammonia” to get an idea of how bad my situation was. As most know, NH3 is what kills pretty fast. This is one of those calculators that would be seldom used, but could be useful in certain situations. Not sure what the copyright laws are on all these calculators, but why put it out there, if not to help people.
 

Lasse

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Almost forgot this one. Had a little tank emergency one time and my ammonia tested pretty high. A whole years worth of NL Spectrum got dumped in my tank. I could smell the ammonia when I walked in the room. My test kit measured total ammonia. NH3 + NH4. I was needing to know the concentration of free ammonia “NH3” or “unionised ammonia” to get an idea of how bad my situation was. As most know, NH3 is what kills pretty fast. This is one of those calculators that would be seldom used, but could be useful in certain situations. Not sure what the copyright laws are on all these calculators, but why put it out there, if not to help people.

In this post I have done a calculator from total ammonia readings (most hobby tests) into toxic NH3 concentrations


Sincerely Lasse
 
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