eric b 125
Active Member
Great looking kids my dude!
Back to basics- 29g adventure
- Thread starter snakeblitz33
- Start date
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Thanks bud.
And the tank is coming along nicely. I'm keeping the levels up and I am seeing a lot of growth from the sps in the tank. I would really like to add some new frags into the system when I can, but money is all of the sudden right. We will see about it in the near future.
And the tank is coming along nicely. I'm keeping the levels up and I am seeing a lot of growth from the sps in the tank. I would really like to add some new frags into the system when I can, but money is all of the sudden right. We will see about it in the near future.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Did anyone besides me notice that your response about the kids was very brief, and then you quickly turned the conversation back to your tank? Dude, you are sooooooooooooo addicted. Is there a support group for saltwater addicts? Oh... I forgot... this is a support group for saltwater addicts. Carry on... lmao!!!
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I keep it brief because I like to mostly keep my private life ... Private. If you knew me in person, I am quick and terse.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I was cleaning my tank yesterday and the scrper slipped and I knocked off a small chuncl of the Monti. Oh well, it will grow back.
Either today or tomorrow I will test my calcium and alkalinity again to see where they are at.
The blue ridges polyps are coming out more often now and its growth has been accelerated. I'm happy about that. Pretty much all is well with the tank. I would really like to buy a new cheap frag this weekend if possible. We will just have to see how things end up.
Either today or tomorrow I will test my calcium and alkalinity again to see where they are at.
The blue ridges polyps are coming out more often now and its growth has been accelerated. I'm happy about that. Pretty much all is well with the tank. I would really like to buy a new cheap frag this weekend if possible. We will just have to see how things end up.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I mixed up a one gallon water change and did a water change.
I think a one gallon water change will be easier over time if I can do that every day instead of ten gallons every month.
Everything is looking great. Gonna do a calcium and alkalinity check in the morning.
I think a one gallon water change will be easier over time if I can do that every day instead of ten gallons every month.
Everything is looking great. Gonna do a calcium and alkalinity check in the morning.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Never a loss when that happens. My wife has a monti in her tank now, for the same reason. A broken corals means new a frag... lol!
Not trying to rub it in, but my wife bought me a $50 gift card for my birthday, so I used it and $63 of my own money, to order a couple of frags last week. Since I wanted a Tuesday delivery, they came today. I knew I was getting a bonus frag, so I expected 3 frags. When the package arrived, I found 5 separate bags inside! They said since they didn't have a multi-branched key lime vermiculata like I ordered, they sent two instead. Funny, each of them has 3 branches. They also sent a replacement coral for one that I'd had for several months, and lost to RTN... and a bonus SPS. Looks like some kind of bottle brush acro, but I'm not sure at the moment. It was coloring up good and the polyps were extended before lights out, so I should be able to identify it by tomorrow afternoon. So yeah... I ordered 2 frags and received 5. It was a good day... a very good day! LOL!!!
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I'm glad you got a good order in and your happy man. There's nothing better than a free frag. 
I'm going to try to do this once a day water change thing and see if I see any improvement in the tank.
I saw some protein buildup on the surface water, so skimming it off the top during a water change will, I believe, help keep the problem away.
I miss my peppermint shrimp. I might try out a cleaner shrimp at some point. I don't think my damsels will be too hard on him.
The other thing I'm looking for is a cucumber to help keep my sandbed clean.
I'm going to try to do this once a day water change thing and see if I see any improvement in the tank.
I saw some protein buildup on the surface water, so skimming it off the top during a water change will, I believe, help keep the problem away.
I miss my peppermint shrimp. I might try out a cleaner shrimp at some point. I don't think my damsels will be too hard on him.
The other thing I'm looking for is a cucumber to help keep my sandbed clean.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
Where do you get your coral, Pegasus?
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
This morning I mixed up another gallon of water for another water change. Doing a gallon at a time I believe is really going to make a big difference.
I'm ready to go home and see how everything is doing already. Lol.
I'm ready to go home and see how everything is doing already. Lol.
eric b 125
Active Member
It's funny how adamant you were about not doing frequent water changes and here you are...
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Lol!!!!!!
I'm trying it out for a period of time.
It's mainly because I missed my last ten gallon water change on the first of the month and its almost been two months without.
I think it would work either way. The thing though is that frequent small water changes still aren't making up for the amount of calcium that is used by the system. The reason I was doing it now is that I was skimming the proteins off of the surface of the water and trying to put some trace elements back into the system .
I'll probably quit in a few days, knowing me. In the mean time, its cheaper for me to use the salt I got, rather than buying it from the store. I haven't worked in three weeks, and my newborn baby boy needs formula and diapers, yah know?
I'm trying it out for a period of time.
It's mainly because I missed my last ten gallon water change on the first of the month and its almost been two months without.
I think it would work either way. The thing though is that frequent small water changes still aren't making up for the amount of calcium that is used by the system. The reason I was doing it now is that I was skimming the proteins off of the surface of the water and trying to put some trace elements back into the system .
I'll probably quit in a few days, knowing me. In the mean time, its cheaper for me to use the salt I got, rather than buying it from the store. I haven't worked in three weeks, and my newborn baby boy needs formula and diapers, yah know?
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I was mixing my saltwater up the last couple of times really well by shaking the gallon jug and agitating it, and then slowly pouring it into a clean bucket from a height to aerate it well enough before pouring it into the tank. Well, in the mixing container, I noticed a residue and what looked like pure white sand, so I collected it by filter paper...
And then I put it into a container and got out the vinegar.
I poured a small amount of vinegar into the container and about four seconds after adding, it started foaming.
Yep, that's right, calcium carbonate, most likely. Somehow it is precipitating out of solution before it is being dissolved. I guess I discovered the reason why my small water changes aren't keeping up with the tanks demand...
At least I am keeping it stable with two part dosing.
Things are looking great though, still.
And then I put it into a container and got out the vinegar.
I poured a small amount of vinegar into the container and about four seconds after adding, it started foaming.
Yep, that's right, calcium carbonate, most likely. Somehow it is precipitating out of solution before it is being dissolved. I guess I discovered the reason why my small water changes aren't keeping up with the tanks demand...
At least I am keeping it stable with two part dosing.
Things are looking great though, still.
bang guy
Moderator
The first second the salt mix hits the water is a critical time. If you're pouring the mix into a gallon jug it's probably collecting at the bottom for a second or two before you start agitating it. Even if you're only making a gallon use the bucket. Stir the water vigorously while you are slowly adding the salt mix to the bucket. You may still have precipitation, but it shouldn't be as much.
Cold water also, but you know that.
Cold water also, but you know that.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
I am struggling with this idea that mixing in cold water is better. As a chemist I know the solubility of ionic solids increases as temperature increases and the solubility of gasses goes down as temp increases. Why would there be less precipitation in cold water when mixing salt. I always mix in room temp water, winter 68 summer 78.
bang guy
Moderator
We're not trying to dissolve Calcium carbonate. We are trying to slow the reaction of Calcium bonding to Carbonate until we thoroughly dilute the mixture and the Magnesium can start poisoning any crystals that start forming. Calcium carbonate precipitation increases as temperature increases.
Take a look at the heating element of your home water heater. That Calcium carbonate isn't dissolving even though the water around it is very hot.
The actual salt itself will dissolve better in warmer water but there's no difficulty in dissolving Sodium chloride as long as the water isn't frozen.
bang guy
Moderator
I would love a chemist's take on why something like Sodium chloride dissolves much faster in hot water and yet Calcium carbonate precipitates much faster in hot water.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
That is what puzzles me. It shouldn't. Sodium chloride is very soluble compared to calcium carbonate. It is probably a combination of things. In cold water the molecules move slower so between that and the slower dissolution in cold water might be enough to keep the calcium and carbonate far enough apart to prevent binding until the mixture is homogeneous.