Refugium dKH battle

[xdcbenoitxd]

So a friend I help with water testing recently setup a hang on the back refugium which I though was an awesome idea to help compete his issues with nuisance algae. I did run into a pretty hard problem with his dKH. His tank use to consume 0.1 ml of all for reef daily. He went to camp and his dosing pump failed causing his dKH/calcium/magnesium to plummet to 6.5 and we have been trying to gradually bring it back up to 9. We have been testing daily and adjusting the dose for nearly two weeks. We are only up to 6.8 and up to 4 ml daily. I tested his calcium and magnesium knowing they should be lower than expected along with the dKH but thought maybe one was way off. They're fine Ca is about 390 (which yes is low but as I said should go up with the dKH) and Mg about 1390-1400. Is the chaeto just sucking up that much nutrients out of the water. Anyone else running a refugium and having stability issues? What can I do to help him stabilize his tank?

 

[Saltyreef]

So a friend I help with water testing recently setup a hang on the back refugium which I though was an awesome idea to help compete his issues with nuisance algae. I did run into a pretty hard problem with his dKH. His tank use to consume 0.1 ml of all for reef daily. He went to camp and his dosing pump failed causing his dKH/calcium/magnesium to plummet to 6.5 and we have been trying to gradually bring it back up to 9. We have been testing daily and adjusting the dose for nearly two weeks. We are only up to 6.8 and up to 4 ml daily. I tested his calcium and magnesium knowing they should be lower than expected along with the dKH but thought maybe one was way off. They're fine Ca is about 390 (which yes is low but as I said should go up with the dKH) and Mg about 1390-1400. Is the chaeto just sucking up that much nutrients out of the water. Anyone else running a refugium and having stability issues? What can I do to help him stabilize his tank?

The chaeto consumes N&P, not alk, cal or mag. Its the concentration of nutrients (N&P) in the water that directly affects the corals ability to uptake alk, calcium, and magnesium.

You need to raise the macro element levels (alk, cal, mag) with singular elements such as a pure alk or calcium mix before resuming AFR.

 

[xdcbenoitxd]

The chaeto consumes N&P, not alk, cal or mag. Its the concentration of nutrients (N&P) in the water that directly affects the corals ability to uptake alk, calcium, and magnesium.

You need to raise the macro element levels (alk, cal, mag) with singular elements such as a pure alk or calcium mix before resuming AFR.

That seems off... Yes it consumes nitrates and phosphates primarily but does use many other elements to grow. Also all my parameters were in check and the all for reef rises my specific tank with calcium/magnesium/dKH in perfect harmony. Unless you have one of the 3 that is being consumed at a separate rate and you have had your numbers because of not dosing high enough it should all rise back up together right?

 

[GirlGotTanked]

Usually the alkalinity will be used up at a quicker rate than calcium or magnesium. I have a 29 gal nano with macroalgae and corals that I drip diy with a lidded container and an IV adjuster tube. I use Randy's alkalinity recipe #1 and drip it in at about 1 drip every 12 seconds. For my tank, this keeps things level. I dose cal and mag according to how they test about 2x week. This all being said I also dose kalkwasser on the regular using the same method as alk. I alternate between the two depending on the ph and whether the tank needs any more alk. I'm working on changing to a doser pump for convenience, but this method has worked great for me to regulate my nano specs. I also have a lid on the tank so this is with less evaporation as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

. Anyone else running a refugium and having stability issues? What can I do to help him stabilize his tank?

I know this is old, but just dose more if the problem remains.

Refugia do not generally consume any significant alkalinity.

 

[xdcbenoitxd]

I know this is old, but just dose more if the problem remains.

Refugia do not generally consume any significant alkalinity.

Hi
I do appreciate the message even if old I had spoken to tropic marin also and they had said :

Dear Ms. Benoit,
Thank you very much for your trust in our products.
Indeed the chaeto algae should not be direct consumers of calcium and alkalinity. However, they possibly lower the nutrient concentration so much that the ability of the water to keep the normal concentrations in solution is reduced.
In our experience corals may show negative reactions if you try to elevate the mineral concentrations in the water by force. We recommend just to keep the concentrations you find now by regular dosing of All-For-Reef and to try later to get back to higher concentrations.
Please also check the phosphate concentration of your tank water and watch the corals for any signs of deficiencies.
Kind regards
Hans-Werner Balling

We have since gotten thing back to where they should be by dosing part a , part b and magnesium individually and then going back to all for reef as the member above had recommended. Everything seems to be doing great now.

 

[xdcbenoitxd]

Usually the alkalinity will be used up at a quicker rate than calcium or magnesium. I have a 29 gal nano with macroalgae and corals that I drip diy with a lidded container and an IV adjuster tube. I use Randy's alkalinity recipe #1 and drip it in at about 1 drip every 12 seconds. For my tank, this keeps things level. I dose cal and mag according to how they test about 2x week. This all being said I also dose kalkwasser on the regular using the same method as alk. I alternate between the two depending on the ph and whether the tank needs any more alk. I'm working on changing to a doser pump for convenience, but this method has worked great for me to regulate my nano specs. I also have a lid on the tank so this is with less evaporation as well.

Hi thanks
The person above you was right and chaeto does not directly consume calcium and alkalinity. I didn't fully understand until I reached out to Tropic Marin and they gave me some advice and I did a bit of research. We have very different system setups I do not use Kalkwasser but thanks for reaching out with advice.

 

[xdcbenoitxd]

The chaeto consumes N&P, not alk, cal or mag. Its the concentration of nutrients (N&P) in the water that directly affects the corals ability to uptake alk, calcium, and magnesium.

You need to raise the macro element levels (alk, cal, mag) with singular elements such as a pure alk or calcium mix before resuming AFR.

I wanted to apologize. You were 100% right about everything I did up alk, Ca, Mg individually and everything is back to being great since my last message.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Glad things are working out.