SPS Growth Puzzle

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Sebae again

I heard some people had issues with Salifert Alk test kits.

Possibly, but 2 kits gave the same reading, and I can't see them being more than 10% off either direction, neither case would give me these (non) results in growth. However, the current alk is a bit higher than usual, just because I haven't watched it. It's typicaly been about 20% lower, Ca has generally been no higher than 400, so it too is a bit high now, but still not "out of range" for growth.

[littlesilvermax]

I used to get major precip, but after adding HUGE amounts of magnesium it went away.

I really don't like magnesium to get below 1380 or so, and unfortunately test kits accuracy is not that great IMO.

The whole reason I got into selling magnesium was seeing how much it would cost over the course of year at the amount of Seachem Mag I was using.

[lastlight]

Sorry I can't help being such a noob. But it blows my mind that a sandbed can solidify to the point where you can't break it up! How long did that take to happen? You had creatures sifting while this occurred?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Sorry I can't help being such a noob. But it blows my mind that a sandbed can solidify to the point where you can't break it up! How long did that take to happen? You had creatures sifting while this occurred?

Brett, as best I can tell, it took a few months. I had the usual compliment of critters, but no help. I've read about this kind of thing, but never actually saw it. I couldn't believe how hard the slabs were! Sand actually bonded to the bottom of rocks and I had to chisel it off with a knife.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by littlesilvermax

I used to get major precip, but after adding HUGE amounts of magnesium it went away.
.

What gets me, is when did Mg start becoming a supplement? 10 years ago nobody even heard of dosing, and there were a lot of awesome tanks out there. And for me, I guess my levels measure fine due to the large Ca reactor I run. But I've never dosed and never had a need to...

[christyf5]

lol are you shaking your fist as you say this, old man?

I agree tho, 10 years ago there were a lot of nice tanks out there that to my knowledge, weren't dosing magnesium. However, my tank wasn't one of them and since dosing magnesium (amongst other things), now it is

Have you ever thought about having your water completely tested? I don't know if that would help but it might shed some light on things.

http://www.aquariumwatertesting.com/

I thought there was a canadian version of that company but I can't seem to find it.

[reefermadness]

The canadian version of aquarium water testing is out of business.

How are you checking P04 and NO3?

Something is fishy.....I had the same thing on my old 90g BB tank. My N03 was 20-40ppm.....algae didnt grow though and p04 was fine using a high sensitivity merk kit.

I think my problem was I let the detrituis build up in the bottom and around the rocks of my tank causing a NO3 problem. With a BB tank you really need to keep it clean.

[Aquattro]

My NO3 is undetectable, and the bottom is really clean. I clean under the rock work with a powerhead. PO4 measured with Salifert and a meter. Both well into acceptable. Even Mg was 1350, so that's not the problem.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by christyf5

However, my tank wasn't one of them and since dosing magnesium (amongst other things), now it is

Christy, aren't you running a Ca reactor? Mine is apparently keeping my levels in mid 1300's.....

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Christy, aren't you running a Ca reactor? Mine is apparently keeping my levels in mid 1300's.....

no my reactor was giving me issues and I was going through CO2 too quickly so I decided to jump on the automatic doser bandwagon a couple years ago. I haven't had growth like this, well, ever and all the parameters are steady (except for alk which I am having a hell of a time with).