Two Part Solution Problem- Help!

[dcw1sfu]

If running biopellets you may need to have ur alk in the 7-8 range. Many people that run biopellets report STN with alk levels above 8

[straightrazorguy]

Quick update: I finally broke down and took the kalk stirrer online. The Alk solution part of the two-part was offline for a coupl of days before that. The alkalinity took a couple of days to fall to today's range of 7.6-8.2. Which leads me to think my corals have shut down. What puzzles me is that I am now only adding Ca solution (part one of the two-part) at the same rate as before the STN started, and I can barely keep the Ca above 400.

I noticed STN startingin in a couple of other acros, including my green slimer. This is truly tragic....

[reefwars]

if you cut out the kalk but kept chloride the same as before the stn then your dosing less calcium as the kalk had calcium in it too so the chloride dose would need to be more to be the equivalent of both.

small differences in calcium are hard to control and test for ....it takes 1-2 weeks just to get an accurate consumption rate as the differences daily are to small.

sucks man every sps guys future and nightmare

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

Quick update: I finally broke down and took the kalk stirrer ...

I gather you meant to type 'offline'

Sorry to hear about your losses Catalin

Keep the Kalk stuff in case you ever need to remove the 2-part for some reason, but ya, you should have removed the Kalk from the equation when you started 2-part ...

BTW, I've just this week stopped using DowFlake Xtra
I suspect issues from it and have switched to J&L's Schlobster Calcium Chloride

I now have about 40lbs of ice melter on hand

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I gather you meant to type 'offline'

Yes, Greg, I meant "offline". I still use Dow Flake CaCl2. What kind of issue do you suspect?

[mseepman]

I didn't see you mention what type of salt you are using...have you recently opened a new bucket? There can be other extenuating factors...not saying just salt but its something to consider.

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by mseepman

I didn't see you mention what type of salt you are using...have you recently opened a new bucket? There can be other extenuating factors...not saying just salt but its something to consider.

Good point mseepman: I have always used IO salt. I don't remember starting a new bucket around the time of the problems. I also haven't made any huge water changes (I have been changing approx 5 gal per week). I test religiously and the parameters were always good.

I also use DOWflake for the calcium part, and Arm and Hammer baking soda for Alk. The Kalk I was using (offline now) was BRS Kalkwasser.

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

What kind of issue do you suspect?

There's a chance it's causing my GHA issues
My problems started less than a couple months after I started using the Dow and I haven't been able to get it in check since (6 freakin' months )

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

There's a chance it's causing my GHA issues
My problems started less than a couple months after I started using the Dow and I haven't been able to get it in check since (6 freakin' months )

Have the GHA abated since you stopped using Dowflake? Have you heard of it causing problems?

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

Have the GHA abated since you stopped using Dowflake? Have you heard of it causing problems?

Haven't heard of any issues, but the elevated Bromide levels amongst whatever else is in this non-lab grade stuff made my mind up to switch
I've only started using it this week and expect to not see any results for a couple months
I'm thinking it'll take many WCs to remove what's in the tank now

I hope to have my new NSW tank online over the next couple weeks
This will allow me to perform 25% WCs