Additives

[SeaMaster]

I know this is a highly subjective subject, but I need some advice about supplements. I have always felt that the fewer the better, and the times I have tried using them I have almost crashed my system chasing test values.

My tank is a 72 bow with 18 gal sump. I run a calcium reactor on a slow drip because I don't have a large demand for calcium as yet. A few months ago my alk was high (off the chart), calcium was low (320), and pH was low (7.5 to 8.0).

At the time I started adding Kent Superbuffer-dKH to raise the pH and Aragamilk to raise the calcium as recomended by my LPS. The pH would increase, but only temporarily, and no increase in calcium was realized at all.

I have come to realize the error of my ways to some extent and do not add either anymore. My system has settled back down, but I still need to deal with the same issues, as I think we all do with a reef system.

1) What do those of you running a calcium reactor use for supplements, and what do you routinely supplement for?
2) What do you use to test for calcium and alk? I have been using Seachem but I was wondering if there is another good alternative.

 

[this is me]

Once your reactor is dialed meaning getting the correct bubble count and drip. I wouldnt mess with the drip rate, just set it to a fast drip like a broken seam and control the bubble count. That way you only have one control variable.
If you have a high ALK but low Calcium, add only calcium supplement to a level you want. If you have too alk, add only alkinity supplement.
If you have both low alk and calcium, increase your bubble count.
The supplement I use is Bionic 2 parts.

 

[this is me]

Test kit i use is salifert

 

[SeaMaster]

More Additives

Thanks "This is Me"

You are confirming what I thought I had painfully come to understand about additives.

I know so much depends on the tank and the load, but can you give me some idea of how often you need to add supplements. Do you need to add to keep your pH up to 8.3?

 

[this is me]

Nah, if you have a calcium reactor, your alk and calcium is likely to be high(alk of 10+ and calcium of 400+) and PH is low(7.8-8.2)
My tank has always been 7.8-8.1 but my alk is 10-11 dkh and calcium is at 450ppm. The low PH is counter balance by the high alk and calcium.
get your ALk and Calc up, I wouldnt worry too much about PH.

 

[Moe_K]

Keeping your pH at 8.3 during the day will help drive coral growth.

Test for your calcium and alkalinity daily for about a month.
Watch how the levels change (if they do). After a month of monitoring, you should be able to predict when you need to add supplements.

Another good paramter to test for and to supplement is magnesium.
Test kits for magnesium (Mg) are kinda pricey, and involve many steps.
Maintaining a good Mg level will also help with coral growth.

Mg, calcium, and carbonate (which we measure as alkalinity) are the only three things to supplement, IMO.

 

[this is me]

Yup, forgot to mention Magnesium.
Too low of magnesium(below 1100ppm) will cause more fluctuation of ALK. I keep my magnesium of 1310ppm.

 

[nunofs]

1) What do those of you running a calcium reactor use for supplements, and what do you routinely supplement for?
2) What do you use to test for calcium and alk?

1) Since I got my calcium reactor, I stopped dosing anything else (I was using b-ionic and kalkwasser before). Once the reactor is dialed in, you shouldn't really need to dose either calcium or alk supplements because it will maintain the proper levels of both params... but you need to get the levels right before letting the reactor do its job, maybe that's the problem you're having.

2) I also use Salifert's tests... simple to read and apparently accurate.

Nuno

 

[SeaMaster]

Thanks nunofs,
I've enjoyed your posts and appreciate the advice.