Question On Chemistry

[reef keeper]

i have a question. And an observation. And a question lol

I had begun using a calcium reactor, and had it dialled way down, as my calcium requirements are actually being met by my bi-weekly water changes.

My alk was actually up to 11.5, and my calcium was 500.

Question 1.

Why was my magnesium down to only 1100? I dosed it up to 1300 over 2 days, and within 3 days, it had fallen again to 1150.

My alk has fallen to 9.6 and calcium is 480 now

I am using only Kalkwasser in my ATO

Question 2.

I had a bit of cyano on the glass, and on the substrate when. The calcium and alkalinity were high.

Now that I have stopped using the calcium reactor to try to lower my levels, the cyano has comp,Evelyn disappeared in the tank.

In the refugium, there was quite a bit on the chaeto. I harvested some of the chaeto and removed the cyano from the fuge.

I've decided to lower my alk to around 8, and look for calcium around 450.

Once the levels reach there, I'll restart the reactor very slowly, and get it running properly


Please explain to my what is going on lol

 

[AdInfinitum]

I will throw out a guess based on the age of the system. As Coralline starts to take off and cover everything it consumes huge amounts of Mg to build it's structure but once things are covered new growth slows and it just maintains.

Cyano is perhaps the most adaptable organism on Earth and as such the more any parameters deviate from ideal or swing, the more easily the Cyano can out compete other things. Having ions out of balance makes life difficult and more energy intensive for everything but Cyano can live in extreme conditions. For example if your salinity creeps up to the high end Cyano growth will increase.

 

[reef keeper]

My corraline has exploded, so that makes sense. I need to add some mag chips to the reactor I think

 

[Kman]

What media are you using in the reactor?

 

[reef keeper]

Arm coarse lol. It says it is high in mag. I had too much effluent going out, which screwed me.

I did order some zeomag to throw in the reactor.