Cali Kid Corals

Two part raising my salinity

Rostato

Rostato

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I’ve been running b ionic 2 part for almost a year now. I’m up to 70ml to maintain levels.

I am constantly fighting high salinity. Every week when I test my tank I am finding readings around 1.028-1.029.

I have not been consistent with it, but I will just take out about a half gallon of tank water and let the ATO fill it back up now and again. I’m just sick and tired of fighting it.

Any other 2 parts that won’t raise the salinity?

I know it’s not my digital refractometer because my frag tank stays constant...I don’t dose that tank because it’s all zoas.
 
I think I would exceed the maximum allowable amount on my tank with that stuff. Plus it’ll cost like 8x what b ionic costs. I did the math. It would be $62 a month if it has the same potency as b ionic

I wish it said how concentrated it was.
 
I was having the same issue with 2 part raising my salinity, which is why I’m runnning a calcium reactor now. As far as I know, all brands of standard 2 part are sodium carbonate, and calcium chloride. Your coral uses the calcium and the carbonate, leaving the sodium and chloride behind as....

Incidentally, I was adding so much 2 part because I was having serious precipitation issues (solved now), even though I kept my Mg around 1400 ppm. If your pH isn’t too high, have you thought adding some kalk to your dosing routine?
 
Corallus said:
I was having the same issue with 2 part raising my salinity, which is why I’m runnning a calcium reactor now. As far as I know, all brands of standard 2 part are sodium carbonate, and calcium chloride. Your coral uses the calcium and the carbonate, leaving the sodium and chloride behind as....

Incidentally, I was adding so much 2 part because I was having serious precipitation issues (solved now), even though I kept my Mg around 1400 ppm. If your pH isn’t too high, have you thought adding some kalk to your dosing routine?
Click to expand...

I don’t really want to do kalk because I’m already running my ph pretty high with a co2 scrubber. And I love the simplicity of 2 part.

I’m not seeing any precipitation anywhere in the tank.

I really do wish I had room for a calcium reactor, but at the same time I would hate having to tinker with it.
 
How much alk are you adding? My tank in TX takes a bit more than 1 dKH per day and I haven’t had any major salinity issues in over a year. I take out a few gallons per month (est. 600 gallon system) in frag transportation, a few gallons of macro, and 5-10 gallons of fairly wet skimmer effluent, but that seems to keep me steady.
Have you thought about just skimming wetter?
 
I do skim pretty wet already. I have to drain my cup every 3 days.

I’m adding 70 ml of b ionic. I have no clue what dkh that translates to. I just dialed the tank in slowly and usually have to up the percentage about 3 ml’s per week to keep up with demand.
 
Yes, all those things mess with your levels.
Do you do regular water changes? If so, simply put a bit less salt water in to replace what you siphon out,
and let ATO add a bit of fresh water.
After a while you should get a feel for how much.
 
rygh said:
Yes, all those things mess with your levels.
Do you do regular water changes? If so, simply put a bit less salt water in to replace what you siphon out,
and let ATO add a bit of fresh water.
After a while you should get a feel for how much.
Click to expand...

I do weekly water changes. That is a good idea...thanks


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treylane said:
It sounds like you're dosing a TON of 2part? Any chance you're having precipitation issues too?
Click to expand...
Definitely. Especially on my heaters.
I added a Kalk doser to reduce the use of two part, but it has not made a ton of difference.
May eventually switch to a CaRx.

Note: I have an auto-water-exchange system, so simply tweak the input/output timers to tweak salinity.
I wish the Apex conductivity monitor was reliable enough to make it automatic, but it is not.
 
I think reducing precipitation ( make sure to dose into a HIGH flow area of the tank, and dose SLOWLY ) might be the best place to start here.
 
I do not have any precipitation issues at all. My tank is just jammed full of small colonies and larger frags that are growing rapidly.


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I know you said you don’t have room for a carx but you might need to make room. I think one of our members has theirs in a closet on the other side of the wall from the tank.

Your doser probably doesn’t take up much room but I’m sure your reservoirs do (unless you’re refilling them constantly).
 
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