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BradMugs
10/03/2009, 02:37 PM
I evaporate about a gallon of water per day. My new top up system holds up to 5 gallons of water. I add about 4 gallons of RO/DI water when it gets low. To that 4 gallons I want to add some supplements (that I will test for). What I've used in the past, and have on hand includes:

Kent - Strontium & Molybdenum
Kent - Iodine
Kent - Superbuffer -dKH (new to me my son gave it to me, never used it before)
Mrs Wages - Pickling Lime

I've got a few questions -

1 - How much to add to my 4 gallon additions, and
2 - Can I use them all together?

For the first two Kent liquids I figure about a cap full with each 4 gallons, the dKH buffer about 1/2 teaspoon once things are stabalized (I'm not far off as it is).

For the Pickling Lime I also figured about a teaspoon per top up.

How does that sound? Can I use those all together - the solution will sit for up to a week in the storage container mixed waiting to be used as top up.

Thanks,

Brad

HighlandReefer
10/03/2009, 03:05 PM
BradMugs,

I'm not sure why you want to add Strontium, Molybdenum & Iodine unless you are not doing water changes. They are already high in salt mixes.

Alkalinity supplements and kalk water can't be mixed in the same container, as this will lead to possible calcium carbonate precipitation. Instead of adding more alk. supplement I would increase the amount of kalk you add per gallon of rodi water. Kalk water will become saturated at 2 teaspoons per gallon and it appears you are not adding that much. Kalk will add both alk. and calcium.

Randy goes into more details in these articles:

Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

Strontium and the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2003/chem.htm

BradMugs
10/03/2009, 05:00 PM
Highlandreefer,

I don't either other than I want to start adding clams and it was suggested - yes I do water changes often to. I'll also not add the dKH and double up on the Kalk -AFTER I do some reading 8^)

Thanks,

Brad

HighlandReefer
10/04/2009, 06:28 AM
Sounds like a good plan to me. ;)