My 80 Gallon Reef

[charlie]

Cynthia, I am at a loos here, I just can't think of anything else. None of us have a stable temp, we vary 3-4 degrees during the day. The heater also being brand new should not be the problem. what is the temp in the basement???
I am lost.

[cdearing]

This morning:
Temp 78.4
PH 79.4
SG 1.024
CA 250

I've been adding a teaspoon or two of Calcium Chloride to top off water every day. It's up from 210. How am I going to get it to 420?

It is not cold in my basement since it's so warm outside. I just had to add another heater. Don't know why the 200 watt was not enough. Bummer.

[returnofsid]

I'm not sure what Calcium Chloride you're using, as a supplement, but you're going to need to add a lot more than 2 tsps. to get up to 420. For instance, if you're using ESV Calcium Chloride, to get from 250 to 420, will require 5oz. or 28.6 tsp!!

This is obviously something you won't want to make such a drastic change to, all at once. I'd start adding an oz at a time, instead of a tsp or 2 at a time. Mix an ounce of supplement with your top off water and drip it into the tank, overnight.

This is all assuming that your Calcium test is accurate.

[zhenya]

This is all assuming that your Calcium test is accurate.

That's an excellent point. Before you start adding anything in large quantities I would maybe ask Charlie to bring his test kit (or you can take a sample to him) and double check the readings you get with Salifert's.
His Ca kits are pretty good but you never know if reagents got stale, or passed expiration date. Check the expiration date on the box, Cynthia, and see if the kit is up to date.

Also, what are the readings you get of Ca in a the freshly mixed water for exchanges? Perhaps your brand of salt (or this particular bucket) has low Calcium? If so, I would recomend large water change with a different brand that has higher Ca in it. After that you need to make a suppliment schedule so that your Ca and Alk are in balance. With Ca at 420 your alkalinity needs to be higher than 2.2 meq/L. Natural sea water has alkalinity around 2.7 meq/l, as you know.

Anyway, you can check Ca concentration of various salt mixes here

[lostcreekreefer]

Anyway, you can check Ca concentration of various salt mixes here

I had no idea there was so much variation in composition (both good things & less desirable stuff) in these salt mixes. Charlie directed me to IO Reef Crystals & I've been happy with that for the last year.

[charlie]

Cynthia, use that link to that reef calculator, that has proven really trusty for me.

[cdearing]

That's an excellent point. Before you start adding anything in large quantities I would maybe ask Charlie to bring his test kit (or you can take a sample to him) and double check the readings you get with Salifert's.
His Ca kits are pretty good but you never know if reagents got stale, or passed expiration date. Check the expiration date on the box, Cynthia, and see if the kit is up to date.

Also, what are the readings you get of Ca in a the freshly mixed water for exchanges? Perhaps your brand of salt (or this particular bucket) has low Calcium? If so, I would recomend large water change with a different brand that has higher Ca in it. After that you need to make a suppliment schedule so that your Ca and Alk are in balance. With Ca at 420 your alkalinity needs to be higher than 2.2 meq/L. Natural sea water has alkalinity around 2.7 meq/l, as you know.

Anyway, you can check Ca concentration of various salt mixes here

Gene,
I have a bucket of saltwater stewing for a water change this weekend. I'll check CA before adding to DT. I am using Reef Crystals. I recently switched from IO about a month ago. I didn't just switch salt mixes, I started mixing the IO with RC until it was entirely RC. I've been doing 5 gallons every week. Expiration date is 09/2014. I just got this Salifert test kit last weekend. I am adding CA slowly but at a larger dose that a tsp a day. I'll check levels this weekend and give you another reading.

My temp has held pretty steady during the day. 11:00 AM - 78.7, 2:40 PM - 78.2, 7:00 and 8:00 PM - 78.2. This is good news.

Cyn

[zhenya]

Gene,
I have a bucket of saltwater stewing for a water change this weekend. I'll check CA before adding to DT. I am using Reef Crystals. I recently switched from IO about a month ago. I didn't just switch salt mixes, I started mixing the IO with RC until it was entirely RC. I've been doing 5 gallons every week. Expiration date is 09/2014. I just got this Salifert test kit last weekend. I am adding CA slowly but at a larger dose that a tsp a day. I'll check levels this weekend and give you another reading.

My temp has held pretty steady during the day. 11:00 AM - 78.7, 2:40 PM - 78.2, 7:00 and 8:00 PM - 78.2. This is good news.

Cyn

So, what's the Ca levels are after the water change, Cyn?
As far as temp goes I would go ahead and raise it to about 80 during the day, or at least 79 degrees.
What do you measure your temperature with? I use digital thermometer that I checked with couple of glass thermometers and it is off by a single degree, so I'm fine with that.

[cdearing]

So, what's the Ca levels are after the water change, Cyn?
As far as temp goes I would go ahead and raise it to about 80 during the day, or at least 79 degrees.
What do you measure your temperature with? I use digital thermometer that I checked with couple of glass thermometers and it is off by a single degree, so I'm fine with that.

After water change and several additions of Calcium Chloride, my level tonight is at 380. Maybe it's going up to fast? Everyone is looking good but it's sure a big jump from 250.

I upped the temp on my thermometer. Hopefully, it won't go out of whack. I'll try to get it steady at 80.

Gene, I didn't answer your question earlier about using GFO??? or carbon. I used carbon in a sock in the sump for about 3 weeks and it didn't seem to make a difference with the cyano so I took it out. What is GFO, or whatever you said?

Cyn

[zhenya]

Hi Cynthia,

GFO would be the Granulated Ferric Oxide. ;)

380ppm is much better than 250, If you raise to 420 by next week it should be OK. There is no need to dump one large dose, like everyone already mentioned, you can raise it by adding smaller doses but more often. Once there you can either use kalk to maintain it or any two-part system. I used kalk for a few years before I got calcium reactor and into sps, then it was kalk and reactor combined and still I couldn't keep up....

[DevonM]

380, nice! I found that 13 tsp of Calcium Chloride raises my tank about 20 ppm. Hopefully tonight I will be in the 410 zone .

[charlie]

380, nice! I found that 13 tsp of Calcium Chloride raises my tank about 20 ppm. Hopefully tonight I will be in the 410 zone .

That is about the upper limit of a safe addition

[DevonM]

That is about the upper limit of a safe addition

As the handy reef calculator you shared also explained. Thanks! ;)

[cdearing]

Measured CA after water test and it was 400 so added a teaspoon to top off next day. Should be pretty close.

Temp is staying pretty stable around 78.5 - 79.5

First are a few frags I bought from Charlie before he left for Spokane: Orange Cap(has a boo boo from fragging but is healing)
Can't remember what Valida


OK, have to resize others and upload later. Will be back...

[DevonM]

Looking good! I haven't gotten the purple acro with green polyps to purple up yet. I noticed that mine has some red bugs too ;;.

[cdearing]

OK, finally a few more photos:
Feather dusters popping up everywhere. Partial tank shot. Furry Hydno.
My newest addition Trachyphyllia and a full tank shot.

[ToddTT]

How do you get your seaweed clip to swim around like that???

[cdearing]

A couple more comparison shots:


It's growing!!! Woohoo! I know Charlie is just biting his tongue saying, "Yea, just you wait! Another weed!"

[charlie]

I find myself biting my tongue alot these days

Things are really looking good there Cyn, you should be happy. What is the Ca looking like?

[cdearing]

How do you get your seaweed clip to swim around like that???

I'm sorry Todd. I'm a blond. Is that a joke?

Charlie - CA was 400 when I checked last week. Getting closer to normal and the corals are really showing their appreciation. I should take a recent pic of the neon green hammer. Woo boy!