Coral Growth = Need to dose less?
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Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
Forum Description: A place to discuss reef chemistry.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=73571
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Topic: Coral Growth = Need to dose less?
Posted By: Bryce
Subject: Coral Growth = Need to dose less?
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 10:57am
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So I recently had an alk spike up to 12 DKH in my 65g system, (normal it's 7-8 DKH) now I know Mark and others will chime in and say 12 DKH is no problem but in my system which is ultra low nutrient, (only a few fish, run GFO, Carbon, filter sock change every other day, skim heavy, feed light, dose bacteria) its way too high and will 100% for sure kill sps. The damage wasn't too bad because I caught it pretty fast so I only lost a birdsnest colony and a yellow - blue tip acro colony, and burnt some tips on most other sps colonies. I run automated dosers that have been on same dosing schedule for about 4 months. I can only attribute this alk spike to three things/ideas: 1) I had about 5 days before testing at 12 DKH refilled my dosing containers (only done every 3 months) and perhaps my cup measurements were rounded vs/ perfectly flat measured cups making the solution stronger that or my prior solution mix up I screwed that up and it was not strong enough. 2) My sps corals have really taken off the last 2-3 months resulting in almost 3 day visible growth on my larger colonies - like "oh dang that sps is 1/2-1" taller than it was 3 days ago. 3) I probably had not tested alk for 1 month prior to my testing at 12 DKH so perhaps the 2 prior water changes had abnormally high DKH - but I only change 15-20% a month Is it possible #2 above (in combination with adding more corals, not trimming my chaeto for 3 months) has displaced enough water over the last 2-3 months my overall water volume has decreased resulting in me needing to dial my daily dosing amounts back accordingly? My Ca was actually on the low side 350 when I tested at 12 DKH when I normally target 400-420. I'm sure it is also a possibility that all three contributed not to mention I'm a dumba$$ for not testing my alk more consistently (such an easy test too). Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. My mag was fine at 1450. Tank Now:  Tank in Summer:  ------------- 65g Reef |
Replies:
Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 11:14am
| What bacteria are u dosing? I think it has to ddo with the water changes and having high alk in that |
Posted By: Bryce
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 11:24am
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I dose Prodibio Bioclean Salt - bacteria and bacteria food .
------------- 65g Reef |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 3:35pm
Would it be good to dose less? I believe you hit the nail on the head.  Aloha, Mark  P.S. I check Alk almost weekly and Ca not quite as often. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Bryce wrote:Posted By: Bryce
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 3:49pm
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Thanks Mark, yea I have to say alk has really been the only coral killer that I have struggled with and unfortunately its always my own fault as I add it to my system daily and was not testing as I should have been and use to do. Its easy to forget how fast a parameter like alk can kill. For what its worth I dose way less than the recommended frequency of the Prodibio, originally started dosing it for cyano every 2 weeks as recommended, it eliminated it (and other changes contributed as well I'm sure) so I have kept up dosing but only every 2 months. ------------- 65g Reef |
Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 4:07pm
| Every 2 months you dose prodibio? |
Posted By: Bryce
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 4:42pm
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Yes, after dosing every two weeks for a few months in the summer as recommended by Nikki due to my cyano issue I had. I could not find any info on how long to continue dosing for something like why I started using it (bacteria out compete cyano) so I just cut it way back and the cyano is still 100% visibly gone - crap isnt really cheap so I may go 100% off it to see what happens. I use Prodibio Bio Clean - Salt Water /1 mL vials - combo pack BioDigest and Bioptim - for tanks from 30 to 250 gal and get it off Amazon. ------------- 65g Reef |
Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 5:04pm
| Talking with randy holmes Farley he said he doesnt believe dosing bacteria helps too much. He said carbon dosing is better cause you will grow the bacteria you need and most packaged bacteria is pretty lacking info of whats inside the bottle |
Posted By: Bryce
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 5:27pm
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Well prodibio is both a bacteria and a carbon food source, I was running a oversized uv with about as slow as flow rate as you can get so I don't think that was helping my bacteria, I removed the UV and started the prodibio and the results were dramatic (documented in another thread on the forum), not a hey that looks a little better, it was gone after battling cyano for months daily so that's all I can speak to is my experience. ------------- 65g Reef |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 07 2014 at 7:17pm
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I don't dose carbon because I believe there are better ways to get good results. As for Cyanobacteria, just about a month ago I did one regular dose of Dr. Tims Waste Away once and then again about 5 days later another regular dose (10 ml/10 gal). Cyano is gone. I believe that some products, as usual, are better than others. I bought a large bottle of Dr. Tims if anyone wants some for a small fee. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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