Alk Cal mag levels when using bio pellets

[Eckolancer]

I wanted to see what poeples levels are when running Biopellets. Currently my levels are

Alk is at 10.30 with Hanna and 10.40 with redsea

Cal is at 530 with redsea (a little on the high side for my liking)

Mag is at 1450 with redsea

Phosphates are at .04 with hanna (this with me feeding like crazy. Im talking like 3 cubes of frozen food, 10 types of pellets and flake foods, with 2 types of algae hanging in tank at all times)

Salanity is 1.028 right now (bringing it down to 1.027, I dont do water changes but maybe once every 3 months and only 10 gallons in my 108 gallon tank)

Biopellets are at a slow steady tumble with 1000 ML of BRS pellets.

My tank is sandless with very little rock work and running DIY LEDs on a shallow rimless (48x26x20).



My setup is only about 1 month old as I just switched to the rimless tank. I used all rock and most water in the switch so only a 1 day cycle period happened. I sold most of my colonies and kept a small frag of each and already seeing new growth form most corals. Previous tank did not have biopellets so just want to make sure I am on the right track with what Im doing.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.

 

[hoopsdaddy]

Looks good. I run my alk closer to 9 and my calc I keep at 400-420.
Either run the water that comes out of your biopellet reactor directly to your skimmer if you have that option, or have it dump right around the skimmer intake. If your doing that, you are good to go.

 

[Eckolancer]

@hoopsdaddy wrote:

It dumps about 2" away from the intake of the skimmer


Sent from pay phone in the airport.

 

[ThanhNguyen]

my Alk is around 8 dkh. Ph 7.9-8.0

here's how i connect my bio pellet reactor. Reactor connects in that grey barb there. and sucked directly into my skimmer.

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[jaybomc]

I run Alk at 8, Cal at 425, and Mag I haven't tested in a couple of months (need a new test kit.)

 

[Eckolancer]

@ThanhNguyen wrote:

I really like this idea. I need to set this up.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.

 

[ThanhNguyen]

It works great for me. I mess with my sump a lot cause of my frag tank is in my sump. so i sometimes knock that bio pellet hose around a lot. It's real easy. get a T. sometimes they fit perfectly over. this one i had to bore a little out to fit.. Cut one end off(so it don't stick out too much and take up space), then the barb screws on. It never gets knocked out of place and it always get directly fed into the skimmer. It's just a tight fit, so i can remove it with minimal force, but not so loose as it can get knocked out easily. My advice on your alk running Bio pellets. Do not let it get over 10 dkh. stick to 7-8 dkh is good. 9 is high.. anything over 9... you'll see corals bleaching.

 

[melev]

My reef's water tests from last night:
Temperature: 78° F (Apex)
Salinity: 1.025sg (Digital Refractometer)
Alkalinity: 7.5 dKH (Elos)
Calcium: 400 ppm (Elos)
Magnesium: 1300 ppm (Elos)
Phosphate: <.1 ppm (Salifert)
Nitrate: 0 ppm (API)

I run at least 1500 ml of Vertex biopellets and my tank is fed food three times a day. Alkalinity is a little low at the moment but I adjusted my calcium reactor a tad to bring it up. The media is nearly used up and I have a new container ready to bring online in a week.

 

[Eckolancer]

Update on my levels.

7.6 alk redsea

500 redsea

Mag 1500 redsea

Phosphates .03 with hanna (slowed down feeding a little)

Salinity is down to 1.024 (need to bring it up some)



At this time I'm not sure why my mag has gone up also my cal just will not drop. I did start seeing burnt tips like some mentioned. I'm hoping that has stopped and will start seeing some growth. Wanting to add more sps and acans but kinda need to wait till this is dialed in first. Any ideas how to get cal to drop without shutting dosers off. They only run 25 seconds on drews dosers 4 times a day. My alk is running at 3:30 4 times a day on drews doser. Mag dont dose at all right now.

At one point in dropping my alk it did drop down to 7 and have been bringing it back up.

Sal not to worried about I can just add some salt to top off water.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.

 

[ThanhNguyen]

There's a balance, if your Alk drops then your Calcium will rise and vice versa, so once you get your Alk back up to 7.5ish, you'll notice your Calcium will drop slightly. Also, If you lower your dosage on your calcium, the corals will consume it and will drop. it takes awhile though. just be patient with it. I do not recommend bumping up your Alk over 8 dkh. imho your Alk is perfect, just let the corals consume the calcium down. the bleaching tips are probably from the high Calcium or alk swing. Or the water being more clearer. have you tried to turn the lights at a lower intensity? Ecotech Radions have an acclimation program to help. I would suggest a similar approach if you do not own a Radion.

 

[melev]

Don't dose Calcium for a day or two so the number can drop. Test until you see the need to add CA again.