View Full Version : Budget reefkeeping; a contradiction in terms?
ggsteve
03/30/2013, 06:14 AM
Hello, not to whine but I am a high school teacher trying to do reef keeping on a budget. The school will pay for some supplies, but only those that I can find in my approved catalogs. That limits my "covered" purchase choices. I don't mind spending my own money when necessary, but I'm looking for help with what is necessary. For instance, lets start with testing and water management:
I know the API test kits are frowned upon here, but they are the only kits in the catalog. Plus, since the Saliferts and other test kits all range from about $15-40 each that would add up fast. Can I use the API kits for the basics, pH, Nitrate and maybe Phosphate? What about Alk, Calcium and Mg?
What kits do you feel are absolutely necessary beyond what I have mentioned?
For salt, my only choice appears to be Instant Ocean, but I have been using that since the 70's and have always been satisfied.
Now dosing. I read that you can use Epsom salts to raise Mg and Baking soda to raise alk. Is there a household product to does calcium?
Thanks in advance for your help! Oh, I should be able to get free distilled water if I can sneak past the anal-retentive Chemistry teachers (a redundant term).
whiteshark
03/30/2013, 06:57 AM
API should be OK for the cycle tests I suppose (ammo, nitrite, nitrate). All you really have to see there is ammo up, then down, nitrite up then down, then nitrate up. Dunno about their phosphate test. For Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium RedSea offers a kit for those three that comes highly recommended by many on here. Salifert is always good there too.
As for dosing, how big a tank will this be? What do you plan to keep in it? Regular water changes might be enough to replenish your params unless you want a heavily stocked SPS tank. If it's only fish and softies water changes will definitely be enough IMO. In any case, check this out:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
phenom5
03/30/2013, 07:49 AM
API would be fine for your cycle, like whiteshark said, all you really need is to be able to see the cycle happening. I do keep an API NO3 kit around just in case things go out of whack and I want to check my nitrates. I use Salifert for Ca & Alk. Worth the money IMO, but I've compared them to the API Ca & Alk and they both seem pretty consistent. Kits for PO4 are pretty useless down to the levels we'd like for this hobby. An API reef kit + a Hanna PO4 checker would be money better spent than API basic + Salifert Ca/ Alk/ Mg/ PO4.
IO salt it fine. I've used IO or Reef Crystals for years.
Randy's DIY 2-part is a huge money saver. But I also agree with whiteshark in that I'd wait to see what/ how much your tank consumes before I started dosing.
NeilFox
03/30/2013, 09:59 AM
Many de-icing crystals are Calcium Chloride. The School may already have some. Damp Rid is alsoa viable source. It is pretty easy to find, you will need to test for it though (calcium). Check out Wikipedia's link on Calcium Chloride. It gives a recipe for DIY and dosing guidelines. You can also find Calcium Hydroxide and make your own Kalkwasser. As a matter of fact, why don't you get with the school's chemistry dept.? They may already have an account with a company like Sigma Pharmacutical. Extra credit in chemistry for the DIY addatives!
Peter Eichler
03/30/2013, 11:25 AM
API tests get a bad reputation for no good reason other than their tab test kits were terrible years ago. THe calcium and alkalinity kits are quite good and as accurate as you'll ever need. The nitrate is good enough and the ammonia will be fine for the cycle. The only think I suggest is getting a 5 mm syringe and a better wider mouth vial for swirling and shaking the samples.
No one makes a good PH test kit, so either skip it or get the API since it's not all that important to test for if you have good flow. To test PH properly you will need a claibrated probe.
So, I suggest getting API alkalinity/kh, calcium, ammonia, nitrate to start out with. Once your ammonia zeroes out give the tank 2 more weeks and there will never be a need to test for nitrite. Nitrite isn't very toxic to what we keep in our aquariums and it's basically worthless to test once your cycle is comleted. Get a magnesium test months down the road or just test it every few months if the LFS has a test for it. Phosphate is kinda iffy as well since most of the kits on the market don't have the accuracy and resolution to be helpful. So, maybe see if you can get a Hanna checker through the chemistry department. Otherwise, just stick with the basics.
For calcium... Dowflake, prestone driveway heat. and peladow are some deicing options. If you can't find any check out bulk reef supply. Calcium hydroxide works as well, though you might be better off talking to the cafeteria and see if they can get Mrs. Wages pickling lime rather than talking to the chemistry folks.
ggsteve
03/30/2013, 12:29 PM
Thanks for all the great suggestions guys. You are right on that the tank will most likely just be fish and soft corals. It's good to know that regular water changes may be enough. I am planning to teach the kids about the nitrogen cycle so I'm kind of hoping for an ammonia, nitrite and nitrate spike. Also good to know that the API kits aren't as bad as people make them out to be (much like my Remora skimmer). Please keep the suggestions coming!
steelwrap
03/30/2013, 01:51 PM
This might(or might not) help:
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html
Also look into a local club or fish store that might be able to help You out
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