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Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium levels??!!?? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Diesel
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When I was using the BRS dosers, I think they said to try not to run them longer than 60 minute increments, without a "rest period in between? With that being said, I don't think it would matter which cycle to add the 5 minutes. I don't think it will swing your Alk enough to worry about. 5.5ml increases your Alk?
If you are trying to keep SPS I would say smaller more frequent doses rather than two or three large ones. That way your water chemistry is more stable.
You need to figure out your Alkalinity consumption...
The idea is to pick an Alk level that you want to maintain, say 10dkh, your tank at. Now what you need to do is stop all alk dosing. take a measurement, take another measurement at 24 hours and then another 48 hrs and possibly even a third at 72 hours. You can then come up with a 24 hour consumption rate average.
Lets say for example that your alk decreases by .5 dkh over 24 hours.
Then go to 'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV'
Now assuming you have a 100 gallon tank, and using 10 and 9.5 the calculator tells you, you need to add 71.4 ml/day of Randy's type 2 alkalinity (cooked baking soda/soda ash/BRS alkalinity).
Since you dosing pump doses 1.1 ml/min, you can calculate how long it needs to run a day (71.4/1.1 = 64.9 or 65 minutes).
You can then divide that time by however many times you want it to run to get the run length per period. I don't know what resolution you have for turning it on/off but say 12 times/day that would work out to 5.42 minutes.
For SPS stability is key so smaller more frequent doses are better than a few larger ones.
Hope I explained it ok...
The idea is to pick an Alk level that you want to maintain, say 10dkh, your tank at. Now what you need to do is stop all alk dosing. take a measurement, take another measurement at 24 hours and then another 48 hrs and possibly even a third at 72 hours. You can then come up with a 24 hour consumption rate average.
Lets say for example that your alk decreases by .5 dkh over 24 hours.
Then go to 'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV'
Now assuming you have a 100 gallon tank, and using 10 and 9.5 the calculator tells you, you need to add 71.4 ml/day of Randy's type 2 alkalinity (cooked baking soda/soda ash/BRS alkalinity).
Since you dosing pump doses 1.1 ml/min, you can calculate how long it needs to run a day (71.4/1.1 = 64.9 or 65 minutes).
You can then divide that time by however many times you want it to run to get the run length per period. I don't know what resolution you have for turning it on/off but say 12 times/day that would work out to 5.42 minutes.
For SPS stability is key so smaller more frequent doses are better than a few larger ones.
Hope I explained it ok...
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Your welcome.
Here is a nice article discussing water chemistry Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
below radar
Guest
Just read that reef keeping article. Bookmarked it and saved it as a home screen tab on my phone. Great for references...especially for a noob like myself. Thanks Steve.
emixa
Guest
also, you are not really supposed to dose alk and calcium at the same time, right?
Mark L.
Moved On
Elton, yes you want to separate them. You can do this using the OSC command in your Apex controller. I separated mine by 30 minutes. Here's my program for Alk and Cal.
(Alk)
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/005:45/054:15 Then ON
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF
(Cal)
Fallback OFF
OSC 030:00/005:45/024:15 Then ON
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF
As you can see my Alkalinity dosing pump runs at the beginning of every hour for 5 minutes and 45 seconds. Then my calcium runs at a 30 minute offset for 5 minutes and 45 seconds. So this is basically what happens....
12:00-12:05 Alk on
12:30-12:35 Cal on
1:00-1:05 Alk on
1:30-1:35 Cal on
and so on. So I dose 24 times a day for 5 minutes and 45 seconds each time. That basically gives 25 minutes between each dosing every hour. Just remember, when using the OSC command all three numbers must add up to 60 minutes.
emixa
Guest
Mark,
what does the last number stand for in the ALK (054:15) and CAL (024:15).
also, i see that you even put the clause that if you PH > 08.4 then OFF. How did you come up with that value? what is you desired ALK and CAL parameters?
emixa
Guest
So i know that the whole point is to slowly get your desired values and then not dose for 3-5 ways in order to see how much your tank is sucking up but say if you are using an ELOS test to test your parameters:
ALK: you are adding drops until your test tube sample turns true yellow (easy because i guess each drop is a M/L?)
CAL: you are adding part A, then your powder then your Part C and to get specifics part D. in testing for true cunsumption, use more of part D to find the 10ths instead of the 50ths?
ALK: you are adding drops until your test tube sample turns true yellow (easy because i guess each drop is a M/L?)
CAL: you are adding part A, then your powder then your Part C and to get specifics part D. in testing for true cunsumption, use more of part D to find the 10ths instead of the 50ths?
Ben- your CAL is a little low to start with- I would use several small doses over the next few days to get it to around 440 (420-480), then do your consumption calculation and figure out your long term dosing amount. In other words do a slightly larger (still want to do it over a few days so not a dramatic change for anything) amount immediately to get it where it is supposed to be, then figure out your maintenance levels. I am a big fan of automation and think you will really enjoy the dosers.
Also on MG the consumption rate is much slower (and 1420 isn't bad) so just pay attention. I only dose a few days a month for MG.
Also on MG the consumption rate is much slower (and 1420 isn't bad) so just pay attention. I only dose a few days a month for MG.
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(Alk)
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/005:45/054:15 Then ON
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF
(Cal)
Fallback OFF
OSC 030:00/005:45/024:15 Then ON
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF
The first number is when during the hour to start dosing, 000:00 is at the start of the hour (for alkalinity), 030:00 is at the half hour (for calcium), next value is amount of time on, third value is amount of time off. So for Alkalinity the controller turns the pump on at the beginning of every hour for 5 min 45 sec and then turns it off for the remaining 54 min 15 sec of the hour. Likewise Calcium starts at the half hour and the on/off times specify what to do during the remaining 30 min of the hour.
emixa
Guest
thanks for the explanation. sorry but sometimes i cant take you serious with the cat pawing at me.....but i try.
Mark L.
Moved On
Thanks Kat 
Elton as for the pH > 8.4 statement I'm just telling my Apex that if my pH reading goes higher than 8.4 then don't dose. Dosing alk can raise your pH so if for some reason my pH is already elevated I don't want to compound it by dosing. Just a little safety net I learned on RC in some Apex threads. As for my levels I keep them at 9.5 alk and 450 cal. I keep my magnesium right at 1350. I dose once a month after I have gone through 1 gallon of alk and cal per BRS recommendations.
Elton as for the pH > 8.4 statement I'm just telling my Apex that if my pH reading goes higher than 8.4 then don't dose. Dosing alk can raise your pH so if for some reason my pH is already elevated I don't want to compound it by dosing. Just a little safety net I learned on RC in some Apex threads. As for my levels I keep them at 9.5 alk and 450 cal. I keep my magnesium right at 1350. I dose once a month after I have gone through 1 gallon of alk and cal per BRS recommendations.
