purple up enough for calcium?

[bv_reefer]

i know exactly what you meen marie, the biggest/thickest clump i got is barely 6'' away from a 400 watt mh, plating and growing away every day, it's competing with space with me xenia, should be interesting! ( in a slow, boring, & time-consuming sort of way )

[bv_reefer]

Originally Posted by PzReefer

I agree also that the magnesium levels are likely your cause of lower calcium levels. If you use a magnesium supplement like kents or seachem you could raise the Mg levels by about 50 ppm every couple of days over a week or so, to about 1400-1450 ppm then target your Ca at your desired level with a Ca supplement at about an increase of 15 ppm per couple of days after that.

My levels are as follows 1450 ppm Mg 440 Ca and Alk is 9.2 dKH.

I use a Calcium reactor with reef bones and Zeomag with an effluent drip rate of 80 ml/min and ph of 6.6 I have not added any other supplement for these three for over three months just check drip rates and monitor alk. check CA and MG once a month.

Pz

thats exactly the parameters i'm going for, looks like i might have to balance out other parameters like my alkalinity before worrying about my calcium. although my tanks not big enough to go into a Calc.reactor i think i'm gonna start another calcium buffer in liu with my purple-up in my top-off water.

thanks again for all the comments everyone-

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

as for you're calcium level of 500, that seems overkill, what test kit are you using? let it slowly drop down thru precipitation

I am using Kent salt and Salifert test kit. That is testing my replacement water just before a water change. The tank water was at 525 the same day.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

calcium is now 380 and magnesium under 1100 last time i checked

Is that all you test for? You don't test pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, Alkalinity, etc?

Your magnesium should be around 1350. Think of Mg as the fulcrum on a teeter totter. You can't keep alkalinity and calcium up if your magnesium is very low. In your case, it is very low. Try to aim for Calcium 400-430, Alk 8-10, Mg 1350-1400. pH should be 8.0-8.4, and Am, nitrite, nitrate, and phos all 0. Not close to zero, but AT zero.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by marie

One has to remember that coraline is an algae and requires the same conditions to grow that any other algae needs...nutrients and light. It just happens to be more desirable then any other algae and is therefore a good way to soak up nutrients in a tank.



And corraline not liking bright light is just a myth. It won't be the nice dark purples and reds but the pink stuff grows like gangbusters only 6" under a 250w 10K DE MH





and just in case there are people out there that don't know it yet...I HATE coraline algae

sigh..

[marie]

Originally Posted by 'Ol Nobodaddy

sigh..

Not sure why you feel a need to sigh, I wasn't trying to step on anyones toes. I was just pointing out to bv_reefer that maybe excess nutrients is the reason why he is getting better coraline growth then mik_101, not because he is using purple up.

And I really do find coraline to be as invasive as some of the "pest algaes" out there. I also realize i need to manage the nutrient levels in my tank better

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by Myka

Is that all you test for? You don't test pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, Alkalinity, etc?

Your magnesium should be around 1350. Think of Mg as the fulcrum on a teeter totter. You can't keep alkalinity and calcium up if your magnesium is very low. In your case, it is very low. Try to aim for Calcium 400-430, Alk 8-10, Mg 1350-1400. pH should be 8.0-8.4, and Am, nitrite, nitrate, and phos all 0. Not close to zero, but AT zero.

I am testing for all of these too. As some others have reported there was a batch of Kent that had some weird parameters. Calcium is continuously high, while Mg is low. So I have recently been dosing to get the Mg up.

My Alk has been too low. So before dosing for alk I think I am going to hold off on the purple for a few weeks to see what happens.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by marie

Not sure why you feel a need to sigh, I wasn't trying to step on anyones toes. I was just pointing out to bv_reefer that maybe excess nutrients is the reason why he is getting better coraline growth then mik_101, not because he is using purple up.

And I really do find coraline to be as invasive as some of the "pest algaes" out there. I also realize i need to manage the nutrient levels in my tank better

I am not fond of my coraline algae either thats why i sighed I like it on the rocks but never stays there. And yes i would agree excess nutrients will spur all forms of algae...among other things...as well all know

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Oscar

I am testing for all of these too. As some others have reported there was a batch of Kent that had some weird parameters. Calcium is continuously high, while Mg is low. So I have recently been dosing to get the Mg up.

My Alk has been too low. So before dosing for alk I think I am going to hold off on the purple for a few weeks to see what happens.

Honestly i find it easier to mix new water and adjust to what i want it to be, then add to tank. I realize you need to get wats in there already up to snuff so to speak, but make the water what you want before you put it in. Yes there have been a few instances with bad salt from kent...as well as seachem, instant ocean..i'm sure others which is why ...in my opinion test every batch of water before it goes in. Albiet contaiments we cannot test for can harm...but err on the side of caution

[bv_reefer]

Originally Posted by Myka

Is that all you test for? You don't test pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, Alkalinity, etc?

Your magnesium should be around 1350. Think of Mg as the fulcrum on a teeter totter. You can't keep alkalinity and calcium up if your magnesium is very low. In your case, it is very low. Try to aim for Calcium 400-430, Alk 8-10, Mg 1350-1400. pH should be 8.0-8.4, and Am, nitrite, nitrate, and phos all 0. Not close to zero, but AT zero.

no no i test for all those, just thought i'd point out the important ones first..

pH 8.3 ; ammonia undetectable ; nitrite 0.25 ; nitrate 0 ; alkalinity as mentioned 8 dKH ; phosphate 0

i'll start dosing some form of magnesium in that case, think kent tech-m will do it, i've been relying on my salt mix (seachem reef salt) as a constant source for magnesium!