AcroporAddict
09/28/2012, 02:42 PM
Guys,
I just set up a 465 gallon bare bottom all SPS reef tank, an upgrade from a 300 gallon that had a substrate. Would the resident Chemistry Gurus look at my scenario posted below and tell me if I am wrong or whatever in my thinking about my problem with high KH. I will say that my KH Test kit is a new Salifert that tests correct for the included reference with the kit. My pH probes are brand new and just calibrated. My current KH tests between 10.5 and 11.5, whereas in the reef the rock and corals and fish came from tested in the lower 8s. My controller is a DA RKE.
Usually, I have had to fight to keep KH up at the proper level, with the tendency to go down. All my reefs before have had a 1" or so deep substrate in them But this 465 gallon is all SPS and bare bottom (my first BB tank), so I don't know if my high KH is related to the lack of substrate or not? Substrate does not buffer the water per you guys in a prior thread IU posted here, but it can have a lot of bacteria on it, so my thinking is if I have a lot less bacteria without any substrate, the demand on KH from the bacteria is not there, resulting in the higher KH, from a decrease in overall demand in the BB tank.
I have had to greatly increase the setpoint of the CO2 on my calcium reactor (GEO 818) controller, to 7.2 in this tank vs 6.6 in the 300 gallon the coral and fish were in before being moved to the 465 gallon. As a matter of fact, the CO2 is unplugged right now to try and let the tank normalize at a KH of 9 or so. Last time I tested it was at 10.5. Then next day it was 11.2. I just don't like being on the high end of normal KH readings.
Any input is helpful. If I did not post any needed info, please let me know.
Dave
I just set up a 465 gallon bare bottom all SPS reef tank, an upgrade from a 300 gallon that had a substrate. Would the resident Chemistry Gurus look at my scenario posted below and tell me if I am wrong or whatever in my thinking about my problem with high KH. I will say that my KH Test kit is a new Salifert that tests correct for the included reference with the kit. My pH probes are brand new and just calibrated. My current KH tests between 10.5 and 11.5, whereas in the reef the rock and corals and fish came from tested in the lower 8s. My controller is a DA RKE.
Usually, I have had to fight to keep KH up at the proper level, with the tendency to go down. All my reefs before have had a 1" or so deep substrate in them But this 465 gallon is all SPS and bare bottom (my first BB tank), so I don't know if my high KH is related to the lack of substrate or not? Substrate does not buffer the water per you guys in a prior thread IU posted here, but it can have a lot of bacteria on it, so my thinking is if I have a lot less bacteria without any substrate, the demand on KH from the bacteria is not there, resulting in the higher KH, from a decrease in overall demand in the BB tank.
I have had to greatly increase the setpoint of the CO2 on my calcium reactor (GEO 818) controller, to 7.2 in this tank vs 6.6 in the 300 gallon the coral and fish were in before being moved to the 465 gallon. As a matter of fact, the CO2 is unplugged right now to try and let the tank normalize at a KH of 9 or so. Last time I tested it was at 10.5. Then next day it was 11.2. I just don't like being on the high end of normal KH readings.
Any input is helpful. If I did not post any needed info, please let me know.
Dave