The LAST big upgrade

[michika]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I have to profess I am sort of confused that your consumption rates seem to be so high at this point. Given my understanding on how the world works, I would expect that the initial dosing would be based on the gap between your target levels and and the leves of your salt mix, which, given the larger tank volume, would make sense that it may require an excessive initial dosing .. but once there, I would have expected that the nominal or day to day dosing would be based on replacing that which is consumed by coral growth and coraline and so on. Ie., it should taper off and then gradually increase to match the growth (ie. as corals get bigger, there is more corals to take more Ca and Alk, and stuff..). To be dumping in >1gallon of Can and Alk dosing per day just seems very surprising. Unless you have way more corals than I think you do .. maybe I need to look at them pictures again!

You're right. I overcame the hump of bringing everything into line about 2 weeks before I started dosing. I think I'd have to go back and really look to be sure though.

I think my fluctuations/usage are little parts of a few things; a) water changes, b) coraline, c) top off water, and very minorly d) corals/clam.

I've been tracking things pretty hardcore in regards to water changes and I've noticed that topping off over the course of a week brings up my dKH, and lowers my Mg. However water changes lower my dKH and raise my Mg.

I think most of the Ca and dKH in the system right now is going to coraline growth. Its starting to take off, and I think I'm starting to see a similar increase in uptake, but I only have a small data sample to guess with. Ca has the largest daily uptake by far, with Mg being next, and dKH being last.

I'm switching to Eli's products when I next need to refill my supplies. I agree the cost of BRS shipping makes it nearly prohibitive to dose their products. I have repeatedly heard and seen first hand that there is a quality (purity?) difference and it shows with Eli's stuff.