To Make them Grow

[SnowManSnow]

hey guys... up untill now I've been messing with mixed reef tanks .. that being mostly lps a few softies and a few sps corals.

For some reason, it seems I want to really grow some sps out My question is.. (besides time) what else am I going to need?

Currently I'm running an Aquatinics Constellation t5 and the sps's i DO have seem to really enjoy it... and look like they are growing at a fairly good clip.

I guess I'm asking about water parameters as far as calcium and that sort of thing goes.. what CA range should I shoot for?

Also what equipment makes maintaining these levels easier?

I know flow is also very important, but I'm running w mp40w's on a 120 so I should be fine there

Thanks for any advice you can offer

B

 

[Ben1]

I like my CA at 450, my Alk at 7, and my Mg around 1400-1500.

I know some people run dKH a bit higher but when ever my tanks get closer to the 9 range I start seeing base up receeding and I don't get this at a dKH of 7.

When I set up my 178 I am planning on 4 vortechs. I have two in my 58 already that run full speed on pulse mode one slave to the other. I think 4 in my 178 should be just right.

I use 2 part from bulkreefsupply and plan on going that route long term, since it is automatically added alls I have to do is fill the containers once a month.

I love SPS, some of the most interesting corals out there IMO. I do have an LPS tank as well and do have acans in my 58 but no softies. I did do a green polyped leather in my sons tank though.

Good luck!

 

[kgross]

I try to shoot for Ca 450 and alk at 10-11.

You should have enough flow with vortchs on there.

As for what equipment to keep the ca/alk up, either a calcium reactor or a dosing system for 2 part.

Since you have some softies and LPS you will want to make sure you run quite a bit of carbon as well.


Kim

 

[Anonymous]

I'm happy with my calcium at 400ppm and dKh at 7

 

[SnowManSnow]

Ok... ive seen a few ppl say "keep ca up"... I currently use 2 part anyway.. but doesn't 2 part to "maintain" your level? What do I use to actually RAISE ca to the desired level? Just more of the CA part? I have some turbo calcium from Kent too.. but I think its basically the same thing.. just not a liquid.

B

 

[SnowManSnow]

Oh.. and a ca reactor.. or even a Neilson reactor will just do the same thing as 2 part as it "maintains" CA and lvls correct?

Also, If you DON'T use 2 part... I guess PH can become an issue with raising CA.

Oh.. and where does the Mg fit in? I understand it not just as a trace element, but as something that makes use of free radicals in the system so that they can bond with Ca?

B

 

[kgross]

2 part is great for either maintaining or raising the levels.

If your ca needs to go up, you can use the Reef Chem Calculator.

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Just plug in the amounts and it will tell you want you need to do.

Yup kent turbo calcium is an about the same as dowflake, to make it into to part, if I remember correctly for formula 1 is is 400 grams to one gallon of water.

A ca reactor is very good for maintaining the levels, but is bad for trying to raise them, you want to tune the reactor so it is replacing the same amount of ca/alk as the tank is using. Then use a 2 part to increase the levels if needed, otherwise you will be re adjusting the reactor a lot.

pH has nothing to do with Ca it is based on the ALK and the CO2 in the tank. I say as long as the pH is between 7.8 and 8.5 don't worry about it at all.

Mag, Mag is not normally used a lot in the aquarium, but it is very important to the ionic balance of the water, You can not keep the Ca above about 1/3 of the Mag level.

Mag is used some in calcification, but most people think it is used as a accident rather than Ca. If you do anything to create an a biotic precipitation event, mag will precipe out of the water just like Ca, so you do need to monitor the mag, just not as regularly as Ca.

Kim

 

[SnowManSnow]

wow KGross.. r u a chick and can i have your baby?

ya... i know.. a lil backwards and twisted

So the 2 part actually WILL raise CA lvls.. isntead of being used to maintain it.

I'll check the link to the caluclator out

also.. what about just a plain kalk reactor with a stirrer of some sort.. is this technology just plain outdated.

OH.. and do good CA test kits go bad? I have one.. but its prolly a year old.

B

 

[kgross]

I'm not a chick.. sorry.

You can use 2 part to maintain or raise, it can add a lot of ca and alk if needed, reactors normally will not add enough to raise, just maintain.

Kalk reactors, are great units. But they have one major downside the amount of Ca and Alk in kalk is pretty low, so on many tanks, the amount of kalk that you add will not keep up with the ca and alk demand of the tank. But they are great because they help keep the pH higher than just the Ca reactor or 2 part will, it helps to combat the co2 in the air.

So if you have mainly lps and softies a kalk reactor might keep up with your total demand, but if you have very many sps or even lots of coralline algae growth it will not keep up.

Ca tests can go bad, what brand of a test is it? Most last about three years or so, but many things can effect them, and some tests are better than others.

Kim

 

[SnowManSnow]

seachem i think

 

[Unarce]

For some reason, it seems I want to really grow some sps out

I'm happy for you, B!!!

 

[SnowManSnow]

haha i used the calculator and it said i need 78 tsp to get ca up to 450 if it were at 140 hahaha

thats a CRAP load of the stuff

 

[kgross]

Yes it can be.

I would suggest getting a different test kit, I have never liked that kit. The salifert and elos are very good, and API is good and very inexpensive.

Kim

 

[SnowManSnow]

its actually nutrafin

and my lvl was 340 right now..
so i dont have THAT far to go

B

 

[iseeweed]

I like my CA at 450, my Alk at 7, and my Mg around 1400-1500.

I know some people run dKH a bit higher but when ever my tanks get closer to the 9 range I start seeing base up receeding and I don't get this at a dKH of 7.

I agree with Ben. I had my Dkh level at 10-11, and experienced lots of coral recession, and burned some of my monti stuff. I lowered the level to 7 and everything is great now. My Ca is around 400-420 and Mg 1300-1400.

 

[kgross]

The only problem with keeping your alk at 7 is if anything goes wrong it can drop down really low fast. A fast growing tank can loose over 1 dkh a day, so there is less room for mistakes with a new sps keeper.


Kim