whosinpower
06/26/2008, 08:12 AM
Hi all;
I have a 90 gallon system with sump and have been having some challenges with alk being too low. I have allot of problems with algae/dino's and added a phosban and carbon reactor - thought perhaps this may have to do with my water chemistry as well as too much nutrients - and was dosing to bring them up to the appropriate levels, and cut way back on feeding.
Once I had the alk at 8dkh, Calcium at 425 ppm I began to dose kalk via topoff - hoping that it would keep the levels stable.
I mixed 8 teaspoons in a 5 gallon bucket - rigged up the pump to hang through two small holes in the bucket lid. My alk levels continued to drop, but calcium stayed close to the same - dropped to 400 ppm.
So - when this bucket was exhausted(not quite empty because of the sludge at the bottom - I mixed up a new bucket with 10 teaspoons and used that. Alk continues to drop - calcium is stable.
I am estimating that I am evaporating about 1 - 1 1/2 gallons per day and have mostly lps, Zoas and one leather coral.
So - can I safely dose something to bring alk up along with the kalk? I have not yet tested for magnesium - my lfs has been sold out of those kits - but have been dosing magnesium every couple of days (4 teaspoons of kent magnesium in a couple of cups of water and poured in high flow area of sump)
I have a 90 gallon system with sump and have been having some challenges with alk being too low. I have allot of problems with algae/dino's and added a phosban and carbon reactor - thought perhaps this may have to do with my water chemistry as well as too much nutrients - and was dosing to bring them up to the appropriate levels, and cut way back on feeding.
Once I had the alk at 8dkh, Calcium at 425 ppm I began to dose kalk via topoff - hoping that it would keep the levels stable.
I mixed 8 teaspoons in a 5 gallon bucket - rigged up the pump to hang through two small holes in the bucket lid. My alk levels continued to drop, but calcium stayed close to the same - dropped to 400 ppm.
So - when this bucket was exhausted(not quite empty because of the sludge at the bottom - I mixed up a new bucket with 10 teaspoons and used that. Alk continues to drop - calcium is stable.
I am estimating that I am evaporating about 1 - 1 1/2 gallons per day and have mostly lps, Zoas and one leather coral.
So - can I safely dose something to bring alk up along with the kalk? I have not yet tested for magnesium - my lfs has been sold out of those kits - but have been dosing magnesium every couple of days (4 teaspoons of kent magnesium in a couple of cups of water and poured in high flow area of sump)