Will zeovit alter kH value?

[reefplayer]

Hi all,

I have been using zeovit for more than 2 months. Now i have observed quite a low nutrient in my tank's water.

PO4 - undetectable
NO3 - 0.2ppm (It was 0.5ppm 2 weeks ago)

But my kH droped from 8.5 to 7ppm. This is a good sign or not?
This may be due to my CA reactor as effluent measured from my CA reactor output was CA - 450ppm and kH - very high, Mag - 1400ppm but my main water CA - 380ppm, kH - 7ppm, Mag - 1250ppm.

So what is the possible problem for my drop in kH? Was it because of those coralline algae or my corals?

Thanks in advance.
Stanley

[losmandy]

Stanley,

What you wrote seems normal.

The parameters from the effluent is supposed to be higher than what's in your main tank water as the CR adds on to the kH, Ca, Mg etc into the effluent as the media gets dissolves.

[reefplayer]

Stanley,

What you wrote seems normal.

The parameters from the effluent is supposed to be higher than what's in your main tank water as the CR adds on to the kH, Ca, Mg etc into the effluent as the media gets dissolves.

Yes, seems normal.. But i am still fine tuning my CA reactor as the Rowalite media only deplete 10mm after 5 mths. My kH at 7 is normal for my main tank?

[gqjeff]

I would add Mg granulate to your Ca rx and that will help maintain values of 1350 or so.. Also what brand of salt are you doing your weekly water changes with? You should really try to get that Ca at 420-440 and the Mg 1350 or so... I would add some Ca suppliment to bring it up the NSW levels, because your alk at 7 is withim NSW levels.. I try to keep mine at 7.5-8, my corals seem happier for some reason.. If you want to raise the alk a little turn up the co2 a little or slow the effuient feed...

[Ger]

Stanley, alkalinity at 7 dKH is great. Just keep an eye on it and make sure it does not drop below 7.

[reefplayer]

I would add Mg granulate to your Ca rx and that will help maintain values of 1350 or so.. Also what brand of salt are you doing your weekly water changes with? You should really try to get that Ca at 420-440 and the Mg 1350 or so... I would add some Ca suppliment to bring it up the NSW levels, because your alk at 7 is fine.. I try to keep mine at 7.5-8. My corals seem happier for some reason..

Hi,

Yes i have added Mg granulate inside my CA reactor. Only obvious depletion is the Mg granulate inside. I can see that they have become smaller.

I am using Tropic Marine's Pro Reef salt, they are very good indeed. However, do i need to add CA supplement to bring up the level to 450ppm. I have been doing that for pass 2 months in adding Mg and Ca supplements. Until i realise a drop in kH that last week, i stop adding it and instead adding seachem's kH buffer to increase the kH.

at 7ppm for kH, will it have adverse effect on my coral's health and fishes?


Stanley

[nyfireman3097]

when my alk goes down i add baking soda to get it back up
Nick

[losmandy]

Stanley,

If you have to keep dosing addictives then it just means that your CR is not keeping up with the consumption rate in your reef. You will need to boost up your CR either by increasing the effluent flow and/or the CO2 bubble count.

The changes in kH will always be more apparent compared to Ca as the consumption rate of kH:Ca is basically equal (2.8dkh:20ppm Ca) but seawater has a higher concentration of Ca and it always seems like kH is dropping when Ca is fairly stable.

Running your reef kH at 7 should be fine, I run mine at 7 and my CR holds my kH at 7, Ca 430ppm w/o problem for more than a month already without needing to do any correction with addictives. That's after about a week of fine tunning.

[reefplayer]

Thanks guys, Would love to follow.. Just that my kH is at 7 but there was once last week it droped to 6.5ppm and i was stocked and it may be resulted in my 8months old Morish Idol death. I quickly boost it up be adding supplements. Having kH at 7ppm is quite dangerous as it may goes down without warning.

I tends to increase my CA reactor bubble count but is concerned on drop in pH. So far, i run at 1 bubble per second, have tried to run 1.5bubble per second no drop in pH. The efflient flow with CA reactor pump is running quite fast but any further increase would see cloudy sentiment inside the chamber, hence resulted in my main tank cloudy. Maybe increase the bubble count and monitor closely.

However, so far nothing happen to my corals and fishes, but noticed some stn on my pocci. Dunno it was due to over dosing of zeovit or drop in kH. But the nutrient is lowering everyday. Now i have stop dosing for 3 days and hope to wait for another 2 days and see.


Stanley

[Aged Salt]

Hi Stanley, the metabolic life processes in our reef are acid-producing, as are to a lesser degree the ZEOvit method. In your situation, I would try for the mid 7's on the KH, for KH at 7 is a fine line to maintain. Also, we are relying on our tests which are variable at best. Bob