Randy's Q&A at December BRS Meeting

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If anyone has any specific questions or issues or whatever that you'd want me to address, just post them to this thread. If I knew them in advance I might be able to be better prepared to answer (especially hard ones that will require careful answers ).

I'm happy to expound on any topic, but the farther it strays from chemistry, the less informed it might become.

See you there!

Randy

 

[marine mike]

Hey Randy. I would be interested to know if there are any bulk available products out there right now that you would still feel comfortable using when mixing the two part and mag supplements. I am not talking bulk reef supply and those, but the large size bags of dowflake and mag flake we all used to use. Are we now forced to stick with those sold strictly by reef product companies at this point? thanks!

 

[~Flighty~]

We had condensation on some copper pipes in the basement that drips off near the sump and where we store rodi. I noticed some corrosion on and dried greenish residue under the pipes. We tested the tank and found no evidence of copper. My question is would that sort of thing be making a toxic amount of copper in a 700g system or are we talking insignificant? Am I courting disaster having this green residue that might get into the tank somehow? We're going to insulate the pipes before the summer when this is a problem again, but I'm worried about making more green dust. I'm sure there are a lot of basement sumps with similar problems lurking overhead.

If I scrape a bit of the copper into a gallon of seawater to test the copper level is there anything I need to be aware of (like copper tests not being accurate or this type of copper taking a long time to dissolve).

 

[maurod]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on zeovit's chemistry versus phosban or other oxides in reducing phosphate levels on a tank.

 

[JohnK]

Maybe the relationship between dripping kalk and Mg levels.

I've heard it said that kalk depletes mg, and I've also heard it said that kalk does not deplete mg but does lead to low mg by not supplementing it along with the ca and alk.

What's the real story?

 

[JayM]

We had condensation on some copper pipes in the basement that drips off near the sump and where we store rodi. I noticed some corrosion on and dried greenish residue under the pipes. We tested the tank and found no evidence of copper. My question is would that sort of thing be making a toxic amount of copper in a 700g system or are we talking insignificant? Am I courting disaster having this green residue that might get into the tank somehow? We're going to insulate the pipes before the summer when this is a problem again, but I'm worried about making more green dust. I'm sure there are a lot of basement sumps with similar problems lurking overhead.

If I scrape a bit of the copper into a gallon of seawater to test the copper level is there anything I need to be aware of (like copper tests not being accurate or this type of copper taking a long time to dissolve).

GEEZ Cindy, thanks for injecting THAT nightmare scenario into my head! ::

Oustanding question though

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Great input.

I am not talking bulk reef supply and those, but the large size bags of Dowflake and mag flake we all used to use. Are we now forced to stick with those sold strictly by reef product companies at this point?

Sure, that is a bit of a tricky question, especially as it relates to Dowflake, and I'd be happy to expand on that.


but I'm worried about making more green dust.

Another fine question. I have similar condensation sometimes, but I think my pipes are iron.


I'd love to hear your thoughts on zeovit's chemistry versus phosban or other oxides in reducing phosphate levels on a tank.

If you can tell me what zeovit is, I’d be happy to answer.

But seriously, there are many new evolving ways to reduce nutrients and I’ll be happy to discuss them as I understand them.

Maybe the relationship between dripping kalk and Mg levels.

I've heard it said that kalk depletes mg, and I've also heard it said that kalk does not deplete mg but does lead to low mg by not supplementing it along with the ca and alk.

What's the real story?

Good. Folks are often misled by statements to that effect. I’ll be happy to expand in it, but the short truth is that it just doesn’t add any, and as corals and abiotic calcification incorporate some magnesium into the deposited calcium carbonate, magnesium gets used up and not replaced unless you add it.

 

[afboundguy]

Maybe the relationship between dripping kalk and Mg levels.

I've heard it said that kalk depletes mg, and I've also heard it said that kalk does not deplete mg but does lead to low mg by not supplementing it along with the ca and alk.

What's the real story?

Maybe the relationship between dripping kalk and Mg levels.

I've heard it said that kalk depletes mg, and I've also heard it said that kalk does not deplete mg but does lead to low mg by not supplementing it along with the ca and alk.

What's the real story?

Good. Folks are often misled by statements to that effect. I’ll be happy to expand in it, but the short truth is that it just doesn’t add any, and as corals and abiotic calcification incorporate some amgneisum into the deposited claicum carbonate, magnesium get used up and not replaced unless you add it.

I second this... I seem to be dosing a lot more mag now that I'm dripping kalk and would love to hear this one...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Anyone else?

Don't be shy...If you don't understand something, chances are a lot of other folks have the same issue

 

[Greg Hiller]

Okay, this one is really out there, and there's probably not an answer, or at least not one easily arrived at. Randy, elsewhere I've described to you some problems I've been having in my tank with some corals suffering (slow growth or even tissue recession, poor polyp extension, bleaching on some surfaces of coral that have extreme light exposure). I'd originally thought that there might be some copper in the tank (potential that a copper wire fell into the tank), and it seemed like copper removing compounds were helping. But now that I've had the problem come back a few time and been able to reverse it a few times, it seems like the additions of a trace element mix are having the largest effect. As much as I don't like snake oils, and have always thought that just the elements coming out of a calcium reactor using crushed coral should be enough!

The trace element mix is something I prepared myself in the lab that has the same composition as the old Combisan was supposed to have (but did not!). Any ideas what one of the elements might be making the difference?

Recipe for Combisan replacement
Add in order, do not combine the two parts

Part 1 grams for 1 liter
Chemical

ZnSO4.7H2O 0.54
add 1/2 Fe before and 1/2 after Cu
FeNaEDTA 16.5
CuSO4 0.14

Part 2 grams for 1 liter

MnCl2.4H2O 6
CoCl2.6H2O 0.28
BaCl2.2H20 0.1
LiCl 0.2
Na2MoO4.2H2O 0.13
H3BO3 0.66
NaI 4
ml of 10% SrCl 50

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I knew I should have excluded you from the Q&A. You couldn't have just asked about potassium or something equally hard but maybe not impossible.

 

[tubsy3]

I have a question about trace elements too. Not so complicated as gregs though . I know about the big 3: cal, alk, mag. But what about other stuff like iodine, stronium etc. I cant remember others off the top of my head but I am sure there are more.

How do these affect coral?

And do 20% waterchanges every month or even less frequest enough to replenish them?

Should I be dosing those other elements?

Any other info on trace elements is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sure, I can cover that topic. In most cases, aside from Greg, the answer is that you usually do not have to worry about them.

 

[tubsy3]

Sure, I can cover that topic. In most cases, aside from Greg, the answer is that you usually do not have to worry about them.

Ah great. I cant wait to hear what you have to say about this and everything else.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks.

One thing I think I'll comment on is the issue of bromide in Dowflake, and the likelihood that it may not be as much of a concern to many folks who might want to use it as we originally worried about.

 

[swampy]

Can you have too much Magnesium? I use NSW and it runs about 1490.

Thanks!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, but that's not there yet.

 

[BrianMac]

Thank you Randy.

I really enjoyed todays meeting.

 

[daves-reef]

Thank you Randy.

I really enjoyed todays meeting.

I also enjoyed it very much. This was the 2nd time I have made it to a meeting when you were the speaker and again I have come away with a lot of valuable information that I can apply to my own system.

Thanks again.
Dave

 

[~Flighty~]

Anyone have cliffs notes? I couldn't make it since I'm still stuck tending a generator and an electricity-less house.