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Unread 04/03/2017, 04:07 PM   #101
jmiotke
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Originally Posted by roostertech View Post
what is your magnesium at?
1500


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:12 PM   #102
roostertech
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Hmm, random thoughts here:
If you just leave the tank alone, what does it level out at?
Do you lose both alk and cal in similar ratio?
For sanity check, have you double check your reading with another test kit?
Is your skimmer running? Is it possible the the precipitation is being pulled out by the skimmer?
Lastly, if all else fail, try running w/o rock and see what happen?


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:21 PM   #103
jmiotke
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thanks for your help rooster. Here are the answers to your questions:

If you just leave the tank alone, what does it level out at?

About 5dkh

Do you lose both alk and cal in similar ratio?

Yes

For sanity check, have you double check your reading with another test kit?

Yes multiple test kits and verified at lfs

Is your skimmer running? Is it possible the the precipitation is being pulled out by the skimmer?

Yes. I did turn it off for a week. No change in the drop.


Lastly, if all else fail, try running w/o rock and see what happen?

This is what im leaning toward. It will be hard to remove as it is all joined. I would think i would need to replace like 1/3 at a time over several weeks or something to allow new rock to populate with bacteria.


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:32 PM   #104
roostertech
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmiotke View Post
thanks for your help rooster. Here are the answers to your questions:

If you just leave the tank alone, what does it level out at?

About 5dkh

Do you lose both alk and cal in similar ratio?

Yes

For sanity check, have you double check your reading with another test kit?

Yes multiple test kits and verified at lfs

Is your skimmer running? Is it possible the the precipitation is being pulled out by the skimmer?

Yes. I did turn it off for a week. No change in the drop.


Lastly, if all else fail, try running w/o rock and see what happen?

This is what im leaning toward. It will be hard to remove as it is all joined. I would think i would need to replace like 1/3 at a time over several weeks or something to allow new rock to populate with bacteria.
Well, since you don't have any life in the tank yet, it doesn't really matter if you swap out all your rock at once and cause a partial cycle. There are plenty of bacteria on the sand to repopulate the rock.

What is your PH? IIRC Cement based rock might increase PH before fully cured. But normally it would also increase alk.


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:40 PM   #105
jmiotke
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I have 8 small fish and a shrimp to worry about.

pH is between 7.8 and 8.1 depending on what ca/alk was dosing. With 2 part it is around 8.1. With other methods it was in the 7.8 to 7.9 range.


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:47 PM   #106
roostertech
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I have 8 small fish and a shrimp to worry about.

pH is between 7.8 and 8.1 depending on what ca/alk was dosing. With 2 part it is around 8.1. With other methods it was in the 7.8 to 7.9 range.
Ah I missed a few fishes part. I still think you can move a little faster, those man made rock doesn't have that much porosity anyway so most of your biological would be in the sand.

Any snail? My baby snails suck down crap load of alk.


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Unread 04/03/2017, 05:52 PM   #107
jmiotke
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Just 3 astrea snails and they havent changed in size.


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Unread 04/03/2017, 10:24 PM   #108
demeyer2
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Unfortunately I'm not here with answers, but hopefully some encouragement. Your tanks are beautiful. When I saw your freshwater tanks, my first reaction "Wow I can't imagine what his reef is going to look like". I hope you're able to figure out the issue and build the reef you're wanting to as I'm sure it will be great. Have you considered one of those websites where you can send a sample of your water and they give you a comprehensive analysis?


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Unread 04/04/2017, 05:12 AM   #109
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Did you double check the mag results?


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Unread 04/04/2017, 07:30 AM   #110
jmiotke
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Unfortunately I'm not here with answers, but hopefully some encouragement. Your tanks are beautiful. When I saw your freshwater tanks, my first reaction "Wow I can't imagine what his reef is going to look like". I hope you're able to figure out the issue and build the reef you're wanting to as I'm sure it will be great. Have you considered one of those websites where you can send a sample of your water and they give you a comprehensive analysis?
Thank you! Yea I have thought about it.


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Unread 04/04/2017, 07:34 AM   #111
jmiotke
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Did you double check the mag results?
Yea the Mg results are most likely wrong. Im headed to the LFS at lunch today with a sample. Hoping they carry the Salifert Mg test kits so I can pick up one.

I have this cry for help cross posted on multiple forums. Quite a few folks have been helping me out. It appears that I do have coralline algae taking off. It must of got in the system from the few frags I put in there. So it is probably that this is where the alk/ca is going.

My plan right now is to:

1. Continue dosing to maintain alk near 8 and calcium at 420
2. Get a good Mg reading


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Unread 04/04/2017, 11:49 AM   #112
roostertech
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Which kit do you use for mg? Red Sea kit is easy go over, it turns back to purple from blue if you let it sit a little which give the impression that end has not been reached.

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Unread 04/04/2017, 12:01 PM   #113
jmiotke
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Thanks again to everyone helping me out.

Visited the LFS. They measured Mg for me using Salifert:

Frag tank: 1350
Display tank: 1380

My measurements with RedSea on same water sample:

Frag tank: 1800
Display tank: 1600

So looks like Mg is spot on. So RedSea test kit found its way to the trash. Its interesting because I had another LFS verify my Mg and they used a Redsea kit and also showed a high reading of like 1550.


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Unread 04/06/2017, 04:09 PM   #114
br88dy
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I hope I'm not suggesting something you've already tried, but you might consider chatting with a customer service rep on Bulk Reef Supply. I've chatted live with them many times when I needed quick answers to my questions. They've been a tremendous help.


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Unread 04/16/2017, 07:59 PM   #115
Fuel Doodle
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I must have missed it. What is the problem?


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Unread 04/16/2017, 09:12 PM   #116
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I must have missed it. What is the problem?
Bottom of page 4.


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Unread 04/17/2017, 09:38 AM   #117
Fuel Doodle
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I have a question. Did you get your rock as dry rock, or moist/wet live rock? Instead of taking out all your rock, why don't you do a little experiment. Take out some sand from the display tank and run that, check levels after 1 week. Take out some large cluster of rock and fill a small container with that, test after 1 week. You will then have your answer of what is consuming the dkh.


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Unread 04/17/2017, 09:39 AM   #118
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Ohh, another question, were do you get your source water from? LFS, tap, or some home filtration?


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Unread 04/17/2017, 11:41 AM   #119
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You have a very nice tank there and I think it is too early to call it quit.
It is just a fish tank, sooner or later, you will figure out where all those Alk and Cal went.

Since your other tanks has solid parameters, grab a few piece of rocks from the display tank and drop it over there? if Alk goes down, then you know it is the rock. if that doesn't work. Start taking out the rocks and Sand and go from there.


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Unread 04/17/2017, 01:22 PM   #120
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Some random thoughts.

Are you running alot of GFO, can depress Alk.
Are NO3 rising, that consumes Alk

I had some bad salt with Mg > 1540 and Ca > 500 at proper salinity, that out of balance is an issue.

If you started with stable salt, you shouldn't have to add much. Lots of coraline growth can be 1+dkH a day I believe

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Unread 06/13/2017, 04:43 PM   #121
jmiotke
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So after much research and debate I have replaced all the rock and sand as I believe it was the root of the problem. Just happy to move on as this tank is almost one year old and has been nothing but frustration.

Here is the new scape that I threw together this morning. Probably will tweak it a bit as this is the result of about 1.5 hours of effort so far.




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Unread 06/13/2017, 10:03 PM   #122
br88dy
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I'm really glad to hear you've decided to stick with it. This is one of the better build threads I've ever read and I'm excited to see what you'll come up with once your chemistry problems have been solved. Good luck to you!

PS. I'm really diggin the new scape. You've made some really awesome looking shapes with the rock.


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Unread 06/14/2017, 06:32 AM   #123
jmiotke
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I'm really glad to hear you've decided to stick with it. This is one of the better build threads I've ever read and I'm excited to see what you'll come up with once your chemistry problems have been solved. Good luck to you!

PS. I'm really diggin the new scape. You've made some really awesome looking shapes with the rock.
Thank you br88dy. I really appreciate the kind words.


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Unread 06/14/2017, 08:05 AM   #124
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Your pics looks really amazing

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Unread 06/14/2017, 08:48 AM   #125
easybee
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So after much research and debate I have replaced all the rock and sand as I believe it was the root of the problem. Just happy to move on as this tank is almost one year old and has been nothing but frustration.
What rock and sand did you use in this new aquascape?


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