[Urban_S]

I'm up. I don't go to bed until 6 or 7. I'm feeling a lot better now. I also finaly figured out why my tank crashed.....Not enough heaters. 105 gallons and i was only using 1 300 watt heater. I added another 100 watt and its only up to 75f...

[charlie]

Wow, I didn't know that it crashed. Did your existing heater fail? I would think that one heater would be enuf for that size tank. I have only one on my 80 and it has the same amount of water basically.

[Urban_S]

It dident crash crash, All the corals dident open for a month, and I had an alge bloom from hell. My perc clown died. But now everything is doing great.*knock on wood*. My basement temp is like 58-60f.

[charlie]

Sounds like you need some heat down there this time of year. Nice in the summer tho.
If you can't make it before I leave Jerry, I will just hold that coral until the meeting, OK.

[ret25yo]

I'm currently running a single 250w heater in my 270g and i'm steady at 78

[cdearing]

I've never cleaned a little skimmer before but I'm sure I can learn.

[ret25yo]

dump/rinse

maintaning is different..lol

[Urban_S]

Wiping the skimmer neck out then scraching your forhead not thinking that you have skimmate on you hands is less the pleasing.

[charlie]

No hazing here!!!

[ret25yo]

hey charlie could you do a rundown on how the calcium reactors work and function. maybe that'll get more people into sps (plus it opens up a whole nother line of testing...lol ) plus i'd really appreciate it as I am a hands on/visual learner..

[charlie]

Kyle, and this is really embarrasing, I have never run a Ca reactor on this tank. I have one ready to set up, but it will have to wait until I get back from Vegas to get that going.
I can't be setting stuff up, then leaving. That has already happened, as you know. Having to leave for work just about killed me, and I am not going to let that happen with the Ca reactor.

[ret25yo]

how are you keeping you ca up mines loooowww and alk. at 5?

2-part or kalkwasser?

[charlie]

Ain't dosing anything at all, just changing water, I don't have any corals in there Kyle, I am in NO RUSH. I don't really want an instant reef. I am going to start with frags again, but everything will be in place and functioning before that happens.

Sorry to disappoint, but life needs to move real slow this time.

[ret25yo]

well what did you do before ---- "last time"

[charlie]

I think you mean dosing, right?

I got my levels to where I wanted them with the CaCl2 and the baking soda/washing soda mix: 6-1. I have since realised that if you bake the baking soda, it does the same as the mix. Right now, my Calcium is at 420 and alk is 2.86 meq. That is real close to the levels I ran when the 300 was in full bloom before.

Grab yourself some Turbo Ca and get those Ca levels up my friend, or you could get your butt into trouble. Look into ssome of Randy Holmes Farley's articles about the alk, with your bioload you are hinging on disaster.

How often are you doing water changes, and what salt are you using?

[ret25yo]

water changes 30g every @2weeks but since ive noticed my Ca ive been doing 10g every 2 days... w/IO salt,,,, and i'm still low..

[ret25yo]

i'm orderig some now... through dfs thx.
what erlse do I need to keep it up... besideds a reactor?

[charlie]

Ordering some turbo Ca????

Yeah, IO is always a little low on calcium. When I bought salt for the changeover, I ended up with Reef Crystals, made by the same folks that make IO. It comes out of the mix at over 400.
Sounds like you need to add Ca real bad. Take it easy with it tho, make sure you don't raise it to fast.

[ret25yo]

alrighty thats orderded ... I'll add it in with my water changes..w'ell see how it works. thx again charlie.

[charlie]

Good luck, keep us updated with the progress.