The Big 3.

reeferkeeper420

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Location
Ingersoll, Ontario
Well ive manage to keep my alk steady at 7.6 for the last 3 days, just waiting for my Cal to drop..for most of you sps guys do you aim for the 7 and 410 range for your tanks or 8.4 and 420? Just wondering what i should aim for..
 

Jewel

Guest
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Location
Wingham Ontario
You guys confused me entirely, well not you Darryl. You have to start with small amounts and it has to be the same for each, 20 ml Alk, 20 Ml cal., then test, Mag should not be dosed unless lower than 1200. That system has always worked for me. If you don't get the desirable results then bump it up to 30 and 30 and test and so on until you get an optimum balance. adding different amounts will have negative results. It's a slow and steady progression.
 

unibob

Distinguished Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Location
St Thomas
If you are not running pellets I would keep dosing the alk slowly to keep raising. Leave the calcium for now, things need to be balanced first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

reeferkeeper420

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Location
Ingersoll, Ontario
I wouldnt dose the same amount of each if they call for more amounts... my alk is more concentrated calling for 10 mls every 75gall where as my cal and mag call for 150ml per 100 gallons, then i would need diff amounts of cal mag.
 

reeferkeeper420

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Location
Ingersoll, Ontario
If you are not running pellets I would keep dosing the alk slowly to keep raising. Leave the calcium for now, things need to be balanced first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can you enlighten me more on how biopellets will affect my alk and what i should watch for when i start..i need to do something about my nitrates cause there steady at atleast 15. And ive been doing weekly water changes but am going to try to up it to 2-3 times a week if i can. Just need to get a reactor cause the kent one i have is leaking.
 

curiousphil

Super Active Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Location
London, Ontario
Can you enlighten me more on how biopellets will affect my alk and what i should watch for when i start..i need to do something about my nitrates cause there steady at atleast 15. And ive been doing weekly water changes but am going to try to up it to 2-3 times a week if i can. Just need to get a reactor cause the kent one i have is leaking.
When carbon dosing (pellets = solid carbon source vs vinegar or vodka) sps can get what's called burnt tips from high alk. So I don't know if carbon dosing directly affects alk per say, but you'll want to be very careful when raising it to not burn anything.
 

reeferkeeper420

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Location
Ingersoll, Ontario
Ohhh ok thanks.
And yeah ive got to do that sometime, prolly ina cpl weeks, buying the tank this weekend, and then buying a light for the tank next weekend and then have a 4 hr tattoo appt that week so itll have to be the weekend after lol.
 

unibob

Distinguished Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Location
St Thomas
It is 440 at 1.026 so I don't think it's the salt. I think once your alk is steady for a bit you are going to see some growth spurts as corals are going to consume more being balanced. Keep dosing the alk.

What brands are you using again for alk and calc?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Pistol

Super Active Member
Donor
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
Location
Corunna
Still havent been able to get my cal below 460, ive been dosing alk everday and did a waterchange with H20 salt. Is my salt maybe to high in cal to start with?
460 calcium won't hurt anything, just don't dose any and it will come down in time, worst that can happen is precipitation on pumps and heaters.
 

reeferkeeper420

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Location
Ingersoll, Ontario
It is 440 at 1.026 so I don't think it's the salt. I think once your alk is steady for a bit you are going to see some growth spurts as corals are going to consume more being balanced. Keep dosing the alk.

What brands are you using again for alk and calc?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ok thanks. Right now im using Kent for alk and BRS Bulk Calcium(the stuff u mix yourself.).


460 calcium won't hurt anything, just don't dose any and it will come down in time, worst that can happen is precipitation on pumps and heaters.
Yeah i didnt think it would, just figured it would drop faster since it was before lol then it just stopped haha. And what exactly is precipitation on pumps and heaters? So i know what to look for.
Thanks
Riley.
 

unibob

Distinguished Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Location
St Thomas
If the calcium starts precipitating you will see almost like a white powder on pumps and powerheads/heaters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top