Blog Comments

Originally Posted by brotherd

So very thorough! How did you manage to stay focused with the ladies watching your every move?

They are always there, I'm used to them.

So very thorough! How did you manage to stay focused with the ladies watching your every move?

Originally Posted by brotherd

I am always amazed at how much solution it takes to raise magnesium. And then I see the little bottles of it at the lfs and I think to myself "that isn't going to do jack squat!" Marc do you find salinity drifts higher during the course of raising mag levels?

For a bigger tank, you'll need tons. I remember my 280g needed a 2-liter bottle at a time. I shouldn't be surprised that this one needs 2-gallons minimum.

I've not tracked it, honestly. I just do my thing and check salinity. If I have to make adjustments, I do. I've heard mention that Phosphate Rx might affect briefly alkalinity, for example. But I've never seen any livestock issues, which is probably why I don't check salinity the next day.

I am always amazed at how much solution it takes to raise magnesium. And then I see the little bottles of it at the lfs and I think to myself "that isn't going to do jack squat!" Marc do you find salinity drifts higher during the course of raising mag levels?

First post updated.

Originally Posted by evoXmr

Wow, I will have to check that stuff out!

http://melevsreef.com/catalog/magnesium-pronto-1000g

Wow, I will have to check that stuff out!

If I did everything right...

You mix up 2 teaspoons of Magnesium Pronto to 8 oz of RO/DI water and mix well.
Two teaspoons of the mixed solution will raise 1g of saltwater 125ppm. Two teaspoons times the amount of gallons you need to treat is what you need to determine, then you know how much solution to mix up. I would have liked to know how much I needed per gallon, ideally.

I made enough to do my entire water volume, I think.

Googling some more, I found out there are 16 tablespoons in a cup. I needed 10, so that's 5/8 of a cup. Not a typical measurement, so I guess I'll use tablespoons.

I have been trying to raise the Magnesium in my tank as well, so this post peaked my interest. I have a hard time following your breakdown because it is hard to tell which solution you are referring to. I think it would help me to see the instructions from the Pronto. It seems like there are 2 steps. One is to mix the powder at 2 tsp per 8oz of RO water and you mixed about a gallon. Then step 2 is to add the mixed solution at 10 ml per gallon of tank saltwater. Does this sound right?

Thanks for another great post!

For Phosphate, I gave up on the Hanna Phosphate Checker. I have a long blog about it here, but bottom line is that the packets weren't giving me reliable readings. Salifert has always been an easy test, and the kit is affordable. I like the Elos one, but just a heads up about the color scale: Salifert's pure blue is 3.0 ppm where Elos' pure blue is 1.0 ppm. When I used Elos for the first time I almost freaked out until I noticed their color chart only read up to 1.0 ppm. I like the kit, but for some reason it is misplaced or borrowed. So I used Salifert for this week's measurement, and it read 0.25ppm.

Calcium usually reads about 420 ppm.

Good advice! Well, if it helps, you've converted me to using Phosphate RX (as well as many others I've seen over on your r2r thread regarding the subject). What test brand do you suggest for phosphste? Do you suggest using the ULR Hanna checker? I've been using my Hanna checker (although I am pretty positive it is not the ULR one) and consistently get a reading of zero (despite knowing there has to be some phos in there as there is some, although minimal, algae growth). I'm trying to decide whether to make the jump to either the ULR Phos Hanna checker or a high quality kit, such as Red Sea Pro, Elos, or Salifert. Also, out of curiosity, what do maintain your calcium level at?
Thanks Marc and keep up the great work, can't wait to see your video of the Long Island Aquarium!

Originally Posted by brotherd

Marc I look at your fantastic tank on my computer screen and then I turn my head 90 degrees to look at my tank.Makes me want to shut the tank lights off and call it a day.Sigh...

Don't get discouraged. There are times when my tank upsets me too. What can you do to make yours better? If it's within your reach, make those changes. I see other reefs that I love but mine never looks even close to their style.

Marc I look at your fantastic tank on my computer screen and then I turn my head 90 degrees to look at my tank.Makes me want to shut the tank lights off and call it a day.Sigh...

Originally Posted by brotherd

Marc you always impress!

Thanks! It's these little victories that make reefing fun.

Marc you always impress!

Anacroporas.I had no idea what they were called. I have 2,one is kind of an army green and the other is a nice encrusting/branching thing that looks sunrise/rainbow monti-ish.Yep they are definitely fragile.That blue tort is awesome!

Originally Posted by evoXmr

Very nice SPS frags!!! I haven't heard of that site before and will have to try them out!

Please tell me that instead of producing nasty, smelly skimmate, the NYOS Quantum skimmer produces beer!!!

We'll see. But don't get your hopes up on that beverage quite yet.

Very nice SPS frags!!! I haven't heard of that site before and will have to try them out!

Please tell me that instead of producing nasty, smelly skimmate, the NYOS Quantum skimmer produces beer!!!

Awesome! The 4th and 5th pictures are amazing!

Originally Posted by evoXmr

If you end up with some frags, I can think of at least 1 good home for a frag

Great idea!