mg chips ?'s and Frankly not impressed.

[CAReefer]

I will be getting some Mg chips in the next couple days. Where is the best place to put them in a 2 stage reactor? The easiest would be in the second chamber. Effluent ph runs about 6.65 and about 80 ml per min. My Mg typically runs at 1250 without supplementation on my current w/c schedule and with the Reef Crystals salt. I have used the Kent Mg with little success. I was dosing 60 ml per day for over 10 days and the 1250 climbed ALL THE WAY to 1275. I am going to try the Seachem Reef Advantage Magnesium to raise it to 1350 and add approx. 15% volume to my CR-6 Calcium reactor. If the Reactor holds 24 lbs of media, then 3.5 lbs of chips should be about right? Thanks.

A few specs
240 gallons net volume
Alk 7.8
CA 450
Mg 1250
N03 & P04 0 with Salifert
Temp 79.5-83
Ph 7.85 - 8.2

Mostly SPS, I speculate a moderate stocking level due to size of colonies more than the number of specimens.

Thanks again
CAReefer

Current dosing-
2.3 ml start daily (1.15 x2 daily0
7 drops AAHC daily
6/6 bak/food 2 x weekly.
Due to change out (3rd time, 10 week mark) Zeos on this coming monday.

Frankly I am not overly impressed with the results thus far. I will however "stay the course" As bob would say. I feel the results obtained could have been achieved with the improved husbandry that Zeo has brought me to. Growth is better than ever but that was the last thing I was looking for from Zeo. A few corals have colored up moderately, but most have turned white/tan on the under/non light sides, with increasing coloration in the tips. Polyp extension has improved but not dramatically. I do have a few frags that continue to decline very slowly losing tissue from the base at a rate of about 1/16th inch every week or so. I did stop dosing all zeo for 10 days with no change in coral tissue recession. My hair algae growth accelerated. I still have to clean the glass of green/brown algae film every 3 days. This has not increased nor decreased since beginning the zeo "lifestyle".

Is my dosing in line?
Too conservative?
Where to now?

Thanks and eagerly await your input.
CAReefer

[gqjeff]

3rd changeout at 10 weeks? What is the flow through your reactor? How many liters of zeos are you using? How old was the system before starting zeo? DSP or not? New or old LR? Funny thing is at about the 10 week mark is when I really started to notice a difference in my corals.. Noticed water clarity within the first days... I agree stay the course... Also about the Mg issue.. I had to use a TON of the kents Mg to get it to 1350.. When I did that I added about 10-15% of the growtech mg granulate to the first chamber. My Mg stays 1400-1450 now.. I am going to use less next time to see if I can get it around 1350.. I also use oceanic salt and that test 1450-1500 with new makeup water... I think I am going to also try Tropic Marine pro reef cause the Mg #'s tested better with it... Your second chamber is readin 6.55 ph? Thats would mean you first is 6.3-6.4 or so. What media are you using? Not turning it into mush?

[zcom]

With 240g of water, dosing of zeobac/zeofood should be more like 10-12 drops daily for 2 weeks after a changeout, twice a week for the other 4 weeks in the 6 week cycle. The AAHC, however, seems on the high side...I believe it should be around 10-12 drops twice a week as well (and not daily even first 2 weeks after changeout).

Arthur

[gqjeff]

I have 200 gallons net water volume.. My doses are 8drops bak/food every other day after changing the stones for 2 weeks.. then 2 x weekly for 4 weeks.. After the first changeout of zeos you should go every other day with bac and food for the 2 weeks.. For my start I do 1ml a day over 3 x's a day. For my AAHC I do 4 drops daily.. I was doing 8 drops daily wihtout any problems.. I just tapered back to 4 drops a couple weeks ago... No difference either way.. About 3 weeks after dosing AAHC I did see a growth spurt and have been very happy with the product..

[Aged Salt]

Hi Marshal, your estimate of 2.5-3.5 lbs of Mag granules should be correct. I have used Seachem's Reef Advantage Mg in the past with good results. Kent's Mg adds Chloride which over time can be a potent element on SPS stability. As Arthur & Jeff mentioned, I would recommend trying for a time[1-2wks] 10-12 drops of bak/food7 every other day with new zeolites, then the same quantity 2x's/wk. Observe your corals for any signs of tissue thinning or recession. At the same time, continue your present Start dosage. If you begin to notice any of the above, hold all zeo's for 5-7 days, then resume at 50% quantites. Bob

[CAReefer]

Thanks for all the replies. In order: Yes 3 rd change out. first after 4 weeks, oops I see the problem. Technically I guess the 2nd change out, I was considering the first use as a change. Oh well. Flow through the reactor is 240 gph near as I can figure. I can fill a five gallon bucket in just under 4 1/2 minutes. 2 1/2 liters of Zeo. Effluent is 6.6 after second chamber, I use ARM media and have had no problems with it mushing on me. If I try to raise the eff. ph, the alk is only about 15 leaving the reactor, and this will no where near keep up with my demands. System was within a week or two of being 1 year old. 240 lbs of live rock was new 1 year ago and 40 lbs or so came from my 5 year old 75 gallon reef tank. SSB ranging from 1" -2". Refugium (no longer a true 'fuge as I removed all algae) currently houses about 10 lbs of live rock and a 3" sand bed I am removing slowly.

So dosing plans as follows

2.3 ml of Start (1.15 2x daily) current
10 drops AAHC 2x weekly
10/10 bak food every 2 days for 2 weeks than 2x weely at the same dosage.

Oh, and 2 cups of carbon changed monthly. Currently 2 weeks on this bag. Kneading every other day or so (when I remember).

All agreed?
CAReefer

[OUinLA]

Marshall, I was just about to ask about your flow through the reactor. what pump are you using (Quiet One 1200)? Or something else, is it closed down at all? Unless I messed up on my calculations, you are only running about 70gph. Obviously you want more than this.

[CAReefer]

I will re check and go about it in a different way. Let me see how many gallons I get in 1 minute. Should be easier to do the math. Yes I am using the quiet one 1200, it is shut down most of the way, the water level in the reactor is at the top of the 1 inch fitting and increasing flow more, only fills up the reactor and I would have to assume puts it under enough pressure to expel the water. Another chink in the plan is when the reactor isn't running, the 1 1/2" overflow from my fuge to the main sump is maxed out. I really can't increase the flow through the sump without adding a second drain, in the plans, just not in the time schedule yet. I'm going to check the flow and be back in a few.

CAReefer

[nbd13]

hey just time how long it takes to fill up a gallon milk jug and then take 3600 and divide it by the amount of time you get, it should be in like around 10 secs or so.

anyway its easier to do it that way, just take 3600/# of secs it takes to fill up a gallon milk jug.

easier to do the math that way.

Nick

[CAReefer]

Sounds easy enough, just got to figure how to get a 1" pvc drain line into a milk jug without soaking the carpeting and myself . I'll see what I can come up with. Thanks for the tip.

CAReefer

[CAReefer]

Ok, 16 seconds to fill a 1 gallon milk jug. (Didn't even get wet. WooHoo). 3600/16=225. 225 gph and 2.4 liters of Zeo seems right on the money to me.

CAReefer

[Aged Salt]

Yep, that's a good flow rate Bob