Recent content by rglauson

ASCO and Parker are both good name brand solenoid valves. You can buy new from sites like Mcmaster Carr but I would suggest EBay for new and used. The key to any solenoid use is to make sure the normal state (normally closed or normally open) is the standard state or the state the solenoid...

I designed my own pressurized kalk reactor and am unclear if I should be adding CO2 to improve the results. I bought a stainless steel, 20L tank and put a maxijet 400 pump inside for circulation. I add about 3 cups of kalk every 2 to 3 weeks and have it connected to my RO system so it stays...

Regarding the fighting conch snails, I will likely order them online if the LFS can't get them. The Banded Hover Goby is still my ultimate solution if the conch snails don't work out. I just hate to add a goby if it starts burying my sand dwelling corals because then it will be impossible to...

I have not tried them yet since my LFS does not have any in stock. The LFS does have what they called a Dragon Sleeper Goby which I actually believe is a banded hover goby. I may try the hover goby (Amblygobius Phalaena) first since they are supposed to be good sand sifters and yet not as...

I thought is may have been overfeeding as well and cut back but it did not seem to matter. I approciate the suggestion on the conchs and will investigate that approach.

I have a well established 75 gallon reef aquarium with a 20 gallon sump equipped with a protein skimmer and phosban reactor running. I do about a 20% water change weekly and the parameters are as follows: 1.024 salinity, 350 mg Calcium, 8.0 dKH alkalinity, 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates, 8.0 to 8.3...

Just reviewing the pH vs Alkalinity curves that have been published in Advanced Aquarist among other places, higher CO2 will result in a higher alkalinity for the same pH level. The data suggests that a normal pH of 8.3 would have an alkalinity of only 3 meq/L (8.4dKH) with normal CO2 levels...

Thanks for the response. I am assuming than that for the conditions or normal pH (8.0 to 8.4) that an alkalinity of 11 or 12 dKh would required elevated CO2 levels compared to normal atmospheric conditions.

I've only had a saltwater aquarim for about one year and started with 30 gallon tank. A month after starting I decided to build my own acrylic 75 gallon tank, black acrylic stand and hood. Since I'm new I've been trying to understand the relationship betwee Alkalinity and pH. The literature...