salinity issues/ dosing issues

spawn2 · 09/17/2011, 05:29 PM

Over the last 5-6 weeks the sal. level in my tank has started to climb on a weekly basis from .026-.028 by weeks end. I think it is due to the amounts of Ca which is dosed at 253ml per day & the Alk which is dosed at 184 ml per day into 55gal GWV.
The thing of it is My Ca levels have been on decline for at least the same time period maintaining only 360-380 alk is quite steady @ 7.6-7.8. With dosing these amounts, I'm positive the dosing amounts are exceeding the top off amount causing the increase in the level of sal. I'm Using BRS 2 part recipe 1. There are no signs of precip in the sand, on heaters or pumps, so I've got to wonder where the hell is all of the CA going, because the growth rate is good but not that good? Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do about this? Thx Sean. Attached FTS to show the amount of sps

spawn2 · 09/17/2011, 06:07 PM

Ttt

snorvich · 09/17/2011, 06:14 PM

What is your magnesium level? How are you testing SG?

spawn2 · 09/17/2011, 06:36 PM

Mg is at 1325, & using a refractometer that has been calibrated to 1.026 & compared with a friends who is a local wholesaler & tank care specialist.

spawn2 · 09/17/2011, 06:47 PM

edited mg level

spawn2 · 09/18/2011, 08:38 AM

Ttt

iPolyp · 09/18/2011, 09:29 AM

I got into this same tailspin. Took me a while to sort it out it turned out. I was adding too much two part. I was adding 100's of mL of each per day and I was still struggling to keep parameters where I wanted them. I never has a "snow" event where a lot of ppt was visible in the water column, but I was cleaning my pumps all the time due to deposits. I was also battling salinity issues same as you.

How I sorted it was to literally just stop dosing and get new test kits. The old kits I had were terribly off which was caused me to make incorrect decisions. With new test kits and starting from a 0 mL/day starting point, I monitored my system and was amazed! I am now down to <50 mL/day two part addition and I am not needing to clean my pumps nearly as frequently as I used to and I no longer have salinity issues.

Good luck. You sound like you are where I was.

spawn2 · 09/18/2011, 05:48 PM

Didn't your levels fall off when you started again at the bottom of the dosing?

salty child 79 · 09/18/2011, 07:00 PM

Salinity issue could definately be because of the dosing. I had my slainity in my 45g go through the roof every month because of 2-part. Same stuff as you with the calcium low and alk normal and me trying to keep up. My mag levels were spot on around 1350 and my salinity was going nuts. I ended up using kalkwasser and a calcium reactor on the tank and ditched the two part. I lost ALOT of corals before this so I made the change and nver looked back. Just to give you an idea I was going through 1000mL (1L) of both Cal/Alk every 5 days. I believe (it was awhile ago so forgive me if im wrong) the chloride ions in the calcium and mag were driving up my salinity. Try putting kalk in your topoff and cutting back on 2-part, or get a CaRX

09/17/2011, 05:29 PM	#1
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	salinity issues/ dosing issues Over the last 5-6 weeks the sal. level in my tank has started to climb on a weekly basis from .026-.028 by weeks end. I think it is due to the amounts of Ca which is dosed at 253ml per day & the Alk which is dosed at 184 ml per day into 55gal GWV. The thing of it is My Ca levels have been on decline for at least the same time period maintaining only 360-380 alk is quite steady @ 7.6-7.8. With dosing these amounts, I'm positive the dosing amounts are exceeding the top off amount causing the increase in the level of sal. I'm Using BRS 2 part recipe 1. There are no signs of precip in the sand, on heaters or pumps, so I've got to wonder where the hell is all of the CA going, because the growth rate is good but not that good? Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do about this? Thx Sean. Attached FTS to show the amount of sps

09/17/2011, 06:14 PM	#3
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	What is your magnesium level? How are you testing SG? __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

09/17/2011, 06:36 PM	#4
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	Mg is at 1325, & using a refractometer that has been calibrated to 1.026 & compared with a friends who is a local wholesaler & tank care specialist. Last edited by spawn2; 09/17/2011 at 06:48 PM.

09/18/2011, 07:00 PM	#9
salty child 79 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 272	Salinity issue could definately be because of the dosing. I had my slainity in my 45g go through the roof every month because of 2-part. Same stuff as you with the calcium low and alk normal and me trying to keep up. My mag levels were spot on around 1350 and my salinity was going nuts. I ended up using kalkwasser and a calcium reactor on the tank and ditched the two part. I lost ALOT of corals before this so I made the change and nver looked back. Just to give you an idea I was going through 1000mL (1L) of both Cal/Alk every 5 days. I believe (it was awhile ago so forgive me if im wrong) the chloride ions in the calcium and mag were driving up my salinity. Try putting kalk in your topoff and cutting back on 2-part, or get a CaRX __________________ Great tanks don't come from great equipment. They come from great husbandry and great knowledge.

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09/17/2011, 06:07 PM	#2
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	Ttt

09/17/2011, 06:47 PM	#5
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	edited mg level

09/18/2011, 08:38 AM	#6
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	Ttt

09/18/2011, 09:29 AM	#7
iPolyp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 29	I got into this same tailspin. Took me a while to sort it out it turned out. I was adding too much two part. I was adding 100's of mL of each per day and I was still struggling to keep parameters where I wanted them. I never has a "snow" event where a lot of ppt was visible in the water column, but I was cleaning my pumps all the time due to deposits. I was also battling salinity issues same as you. How I sorted it was to literally just stop dosing and get new test kits. The old kits I had were terribly off which was caused me to make incorrect decisions. With new test kits and starting from a 0 mL/day starting point, I monitored my system and was amazed! I am now down to <50 mL/day two part addition and I am not needing to clean my pumps nearly as frequently as I used to and I no longer have salinity issues. Good luck. You sound like you are where I was.

09/18/2011, 05:48 PM	#8
spawn2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Calgary AB. Posts: 103	Didn't your levels fall off when you started again at the bottom of the dosing?