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Tom Gunner

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Posts posted by Tom Gunner

  2. Refractometer

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    Does anybody have any recommendations for refractometer types, and where to buy one from?

    I've had a couple of really bad NSW batches, inevitably due to the shocking weather in Wellington recently, and I'm going to go artificial for the winter. So the hydrometer has to go.

    If anyone is keen to sell one, I'm all ears.

  4. Speed's Tank

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    speed - I really like this tank. I like the uncluttered clean look, and works well for the size of the tank.

    Do you miss not having a sump? I'm weighing up whether or not I go for the sump option on a 75 litre tank?

    Beutiful photographs btw. What Camera do you use?

  7. 2 Gallon Pico Reef

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    JoeBlog - It seems to be that way - he's got his little cave at the back of the tank, and he rarely strays.

    wasp - I compared the tank to the photo I took 2 weeks ago, and was suprised at how much growth there's been on the pink and green Monti's. On the pink one, the crown has started to branch out nicely, and the colour is great.

    I have to adjust my DKH level by adding some baking soda (it's currently at 4-5 with the CA at 440).

  9. CA and KH additives

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    Layton - I've been adding Distilled White Vinegar to the Kalk mix on the recommendation of this Reefscapes article. Any thoughts on his methodology? Agree - disagree?

    When Calcium Hydroxide solution (Kalkwasser) is slowly dripped into your aquarium, it captures free Carbon Dioxide present in the tank water and converts it to Bicarbonate ions (which is a good thing), like this:

    Ca++ + 2(OH-) + 2(CO2) <==> Ca++ + 2(HCO3-)

    If you drip too fast or if there is not enough Carbon Dioxide available in the water, your shiny new Bicarbonate ions will be converted to Carbonate ions (a bad thing), like this:

    Ca++ + 2(OH-) + 2(HCO3-) <==> Ca++ + 2(CO3--) + 2 H2O

    The Carbonate ions formed will make the Ca++ you are trying to add to your tank get wasted by the useless precipitation of Calcium Carbonate -- the white stuff you are seeing.

    So, too rapid addition of Kalk may actually cause the Calcium and Alkalinity in your tank to go DOWN instead of UP (a bad thing), like this:

    Ca++ + 2(HCO3-) + Ca++ + 2(OH-) <==> 2 CaCO3 + 2 H2O

    In the above reaction, a Calcium ion and two Bicarbonate ions from the aquarium combine to form solid calcium carbonate -- the white stuff you are getting in your tank, which is really just a kind of sand.

    This can happen even with a slow drip of Kalk if there is not enough CO2 in your water -- something you can't easily control.

    To avoid this, try mixing and adding your Kalkwasser like this: pour 15ml of 5% Acetic Acid (or ordinary Distilled White Vinegar from the grocery store -- same thing) into a 1 liter (1 quart) container. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of lab-grade Ca(OH)2 (or commercial Kalkwasser mix) in the Acetic Acid, and then dilute to 1 liter (1 quart) volume with either RO/DI water, or even tank water.

    15 ml is more Vinegar than some people are comfortable with, but I use it constantly with no problems. There should be no sediment in the mixture, or just a little bit at most. You can let the sediment settle out if you don't like the white flakes in your tank. I just drip the liquid and the sediment both into my tank.

    Dissolving the Kalk powder in the Vinegar first will accomplish several very good things.

    First, it will get more Calcium ions (Ca++) into the solution because you are dissolving the Ca(OH)2 in an acid instead of water, and forming Calcium Acetate, which exists as a dissociated equilibrium of free Calcium ions and Acetate ions.

    Second, the Acetic Acid (Vinegar) provides an equivalent of all the CO2 you need to avoid precipitating the newly-added Calcium ions as useless white Calcium Carbonate powder.

    Third, after all the cool Calcium ion chemistry is over, the leftover Acetate ions from the broken-down Vinegar leaves you with free organic Carbon in the water that feeds the bacteria in your tank so that it converts more poisonous Nitrates to NO2 gas (a very good thing).

    http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/breefcase/kalkwasser.html

  12. 2 Gallon Pico Reef

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    chimera - thanks man, although the tank size is more out of neccessity than choice. I do like the challange the size restraint presents.

    The specs are very simple:

    9 litre Tank

    2 X 9watt PC bulbs - 10000k and Actinic - in a homemade hood & stand.

    1 computer fan at the back for cooling.

    Aquaclear 50 HOB filter with LR rubble and a small bag of carbon.

    Small 50w heater in the corner.

    I should have added a small Powerhead right at the back to circulate the bottom of the tank, but it's too much hassle to add now.

  13. 2 Gallon Pico Reef

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    Pies - cheer mate, I'll give that a go.

    hazymranch - I dose Kalk my mixing 5ml of 5% Acetic Acid (ordinary Distilled White Vinegar) into a 1 liter water with 1/2 teaspoon of Kalk. This is supposed to allow more calcium to enter the water due to making more Co2 avalible. Layton would be able to clear this one up - as I'm well out of my depth on the chemistry side of things. I've not added baking soda yet, as I'm not readily testing my alkalinity yet (I need a new testkit), but my ph has stayed at a rock steady 8.2. The other this I do is dose at night with the lights off, due to the naturally occuring ph drop.

    Feelers - maintenance is very minimal - take out 2 litres and replace with NSW once a week - 10min. I'm dosing Kalk and adding Salifert soft trace. I do manage to faff with it every other day though :D

  14. 2 Gallon Pico Reef

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    Pies - cheers mate, you're first on the list for the mass harvest of frags.

    Wasp - I've been keeping an eye on this guy for signs of stinging, as he's getting big. I've found that the yellow polyps and the torch keep him in line rather than the other way around.

    One thing I've found with the mushrooms is a slight bleaching of colour. I've done some reading on this and I'm guessing that I have either too much light on them, or the iodine levels are a little low. I'm tempted to add Iodine, but fear an overdose with the small water column I'm dealing with. Has anybody else had this problem?

  15. 2 Gallon Pico Reef

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    The tank is slowly filling up, and everything is doing pretty well. The most recent noticeable addition is the SPS frags I have in the centre of the tank. It's going to be a little bit of an experiment to see how well these guys do.

    Over the past few months I've been keeping close tabs on how stable I can keep the tank in the temperature, salinity, and nutrient content of the tank, and so far it's been quite steady. I hope with the close proximity to the lights and increased flow from the HOB filter I can at least keep the monti's happy. I'm now adding Kalk and starting to measure the CA and Alkalinity levels.

    56368511.30_fullshot_05.jpg

    56368535.31_leftside.jpg

    aquarium

    56368554.33_torch.jpg

    56368558.34_mush.jpg

  16. baking soda

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    I don't know if this might help you:

    hardness Units: .............Eq in ppm CaCO3:

    1 mEq/l............................. 50 ppm

    ppm CaCO3........................... 1.0 ppm

    1 grain CaCO3/US gal................ 17.1 ppm

    Clark (eng) 1grain/impGal........... 14.3 ppm

    10ppm(france) CaCO3................. 10.0 ppm

    1 dKH (Germany) 10ppmCaO............ 17.9 ppm

    If you want to do the conversions:

    (mEq/l) X 50 = ppm CaCO3

    (mEq) X 2.8 = dKH

    (dKH) divided by 2.8 = mEq/l

    (dKH)X 1.25 = Clark ( English hardness units)

    (Clark) X 14.3 = ppm

    (Clark) X 0.8 = dKH

    ppm X 0.07 = Clark

    ppm X 0.05 = Clark

  20. CA and KH additives

    in Saltwater

    Posted

    Due to to fact that I'm beginning to add some SPS coral to the tank, I want to raise my levels of Calcium to around 400-420ppm and kh around 9kh.

    I've been adding small amounts of kalk to every other topup water-bottle to kick start the coralline successfully, but I was wondering what peoples recommendations where for maintaining a good CA and KH level on a tank of my size (tiny) with (surprisingly) no calcium reactor etc.

    My shortlist from initial research would favour:

    Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium & Seachem Reef Builder - This was a popular combo in Canada, and I know a couple of guys who use this with success.

    Reef Success Calk - I think a couple of people have recommended this as an all in one CA and KH additive.

    Kalkwasser - Using this along with baking soda to keep the KH in check.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated - my knowledge in CA and KH management is rusty at best.

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