Ace's N/P Test Log

[Supra]

What is the water change schedule between the 2?

[Ace25]

Last water change with good clean water on the 75G was February 2011. I did 'swap' water out of a dirty clownfish breeding tank a couple times back in March but the water going in was much worse than water coming out.

Last water change on my 60G was 1 month after I set it up (I did 4 10G water changes the first month I set it up), so August 2011. Both over a year since last water change.

[Ace25]

Got tired of doing nothing and kind of wanted to get my levels a little more closer to 'good' before I started dosing K tomorrow. Sooooo... 25ml of Lanthanum into a 1 micron filter sock and 1 hour later, I dropped my P in 1/2 on my 75G. I can already tell my SPS corals are liking it, I am starting to see the first hint of polyps coming out. On my garf bonsai it is really noticeable since it has bright green polyps on a purple base. Side note, some reason I went from having one of by best 'growth' weeks on my ATS, to last week being by far my worst week. No idea why but I will see if dosing K helps.

[Ace25]

75G Test readings for 9/9:

Alk - 7.2
CA - 370
Mag - 1150
PO4 - .18 (tested 12 hours apart to ensure stable reading)
K - 340

Currently dosing full strength kalk top off water for the past 7 days + added 50ml of K today. No other dosing/phosphate reducing methods are being used at this time in order to test if raising potassium levels decreases phosphates naturally.

[Garf]

Ace - do you allow the Kalk to settle for a few hours before you dose it ? I don't, and find my mag stays at 1350 ish.

[Ace25]

I usually let the kalk settle for 24 hours before I carefully scoop out the top 1/2 and pour it into my ATO bucket.

I have been dosing 75ml of Tech-M every day for the past 7 days.. doesn't seem to have made much difference. 525ml worth of Tech-M raised my Mag 40 points.

[Garf]

Thought so, after all it's what you are advised to do. However the naturally present magnesium is precipitated out into the sludge rather quickly because of the high pH. I supposed you ain't got much choice if your putting it into an ATO. The container I use is caked up good, it just syphons Kalk straight into the display each night.