TM Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 What are peoples thoughts on running levels high, KH 12 Ca 500 MG 1500 PH 8.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 It can be done, but you will be putting a lot in and your pumps will need cleaning a lot. Try alk 12, ca 450, mg 1350, you will get same or better growth, and less precipitation. pH would be better a bit lower too. Personally I wouldn't favour this, but if you want to go this way, that's what I would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 If you keep your Mg high does this not prevent precipitation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 No. It is needed to slow it down but will not stop it altogether. The levels in your first post are really pushing the boundaries you would have a lot of precipitation. You could try it if you wish the corals will survive it, I have had levels even higher than that just to try it out. But it will be better with ca and mg and pH a bit lower, both for precipitation, and for the corals. You can go with an alk of 12 with no negative effects though, other than the influence on precipitation. BTW my own alk is often only around 6, Reef was over one day & nearly flipped when he saw it when we did some testing, I thought it was fairly normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Was there a difference in growth when the levels were higher? Did you get the same results with just an elevated KH? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 A bit hard to say accurately about growth because I only use an eyeometer, that's as scientific as I get. But i THINK i got no advantage by having ca anything over 440. Higher alk though has an obvious increase in growth, from my own rather unscientific testing I would say the higher you go, up to 12, the more growth. Don't bother going more than 12 though you'll start getting other problems. BTW I assume we are talking about SPS. Also, everything else has to be OK obviously or there won't be any growth regardless. And the other thing you get from these high alk levels is awesome coraline. If you run high alk, plus does a LOT of strontium, you will get an awesome purple colour in the coraline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 BTW I assume we are talking about SPS. No, trying to get my star polyps to grow better :lol: :lol: yip, sps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Let's know how it goes TM, I am always interested in these boundary pushing experiments, done some good, and some harm, by my own constant urge to try new things. If you hike up to these levels, in about 2 weeks you should see obviously a lot of new tips forming etc. and you know it's working. Report back, I'll be interested. Just bear in mind you'll spend a lot more time cleaning pumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Thanks for that. I am getting a little board so want to try a couple of new things. I will report back in a couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 My tank has always had just below normal levels (always adding just enough to keep it up acording to the calculator kH 9 Ca 390). I had alright growth for a newish tank. But lately with uni and work I didn't have time to do the tests, so justed added a decent amount every few days. Then I noticed alot of new tips and more growth than I had seen over two months. My params now are kH 12/13 Ca 500ish. Dont think it is just coincidence, maybe my levels were just too low before. Really happy with the results planning to let it drop down to maybe kH 10/11 Ca 450 then keep it constant and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have been running mine high for the last couple of months and I would say only average growth so am dropping back to what wasp suggested to see how that goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have been running mine high for the last couple of months and I would say only average growth so am dropping back to what wasp suggested to see how that goes. That is? kh12 ca 400???? What are the par at the moment Fay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have been running calcium at 500 dropping to 450 mag 1500 dropping to 1400ish kh 12 dropping 9.7 add 14 tsps b/soda every second day One thing I did try was heavy feeding of corals at night have stopped know feeding altogether working on the nitrates. question: if I have high nitrates should I feed the corals at night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have been running calcium at 500 dropping to 450 mag 1500 dropping to 1400ish kh 12 dropping 9.7 add 14 tsps b/soda every second day One thing I did try was heavy feeding of corals at night have stopped know feeding altogether working on the nitrates. question: if I have high nitrates should I feed the corals at night? How high are they, mine were really high and i reduced feeding, well it was more making sure everything was eaten. Now they have come down a bit and i am increasing it again. I am feeding the corals a milkshake of seafood every second night. mussel, shrimp, pipi, clam etc + AA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 question: if I have high nitrates should I feed the corals at night? Uh Oh!! :lol: I better not say anything some people get REALLY upset over that one Fay! :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 dont think he's playing Wasp, no posts since he bid you farewell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 So I could answer without getting my head ripped off? Well MHO is that Layton was correct, long as export can cope with import, no worries. And the people who said it can take a while for a tank to adapt to higher feeding were also correct. Trouble is knowing what that point is, I guess your test kit and observation will tell you after it happens, it will obviously vary for each tank. However with a nitrate reading of 30 I would say even more feeding will only add to the situation, as the tank is already not coping. My 2 cents, now I better run away & hide!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 So things like reef booster / Pohl's Coral Vitalizer / Reefstar will add to the nitrates is that what you are saying. So will the sps feed off the Nitrate or will they get hungry.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 All those can be broken down as part of the nitrogen cycle, so yes they could add to it. They may only need to be fed in tiny doses though so wouldn't have a big impact. But I don't know a heckuva lot about this scientific stuff, where's Feelers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Where is Layton, I tried saying his name 3 times in the mirror but he didnt show. :lol: He's definitly very well up to date with the science of SPS. My philosophy is much the same is his, I would want to feed heaps, then extract what remains quickly. A problem with nitrates is showing you are putting too much in(or not taking enough out better be careful here!), so I would be careful about adding things. Then again if you try it out and it works for you; keep doing it. Now that's a politicians answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 What foods can SPS actually digest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Where is Layton, I tried saying his name 3 times in the mirror but he didnt show. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 This may be of intrest to some people? http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picren ... obtype=pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Then again if you try it out and it works for you; keep doing it. Cool but what if it doesn't work :lol: So I should just stop adding stuff for know? until things settle down and then be more moderate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 This may be of intrest to some people? http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picren ... obtype=pdf Only part I couldn't figure out (must have lost it in the details) is if they used the aminos fed to them, rather than synthesis their own only. Anybody catch that part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.