Starting 2-part dosing

[dmatt56]

Hello Everyone,

 

Well, I woke up this morning and noticed my male Bangaii was attached to my powerhead. My cleaner shrimp went after him shortly. :( My Bangaii pair was actively breeding, and I thought just last night that they are both a nice size now.

 

Anyway, I checked my water parameters, and they are as follows:

 

Chem readings:

o Salinity: 1.0235

o pH: 8.3

o Nitrate: 20

o Nitrite: 0

o Ammonia: 0

o Phosphates: <.25 ppm

o Carb Hardness: 6 dKH

o Calcium: 400 ppm

 

My alkalinity is low, and I have the Two-Part Two Little Fishies solution so I can start dosing immediately.

 

My questions are as follows:

 

1 Should I start dosing based on these parameters or just perform a water change (using instant ocean salt)?

2 How do I start the dosing process?

3 Can I just add the alk component of the 2-part?

4 What will happen to the other parameters when I add just the alk?

5 Do you think the Bangaii died b/c the alk?

 

My tank currently has fish, inverts, and softies (leathers, shrooms, zoas, polyps, and ricordia. I also noticed the coraline is starting to spread much quicker than before.

 

Thanks,

 

Matt

Edited December 20, 2009 by dmatt56

[Origami]

If you're growing corals, I'd raise the salinity to 1.026 first, then you can dose alk to get things into balance. Depending upon your evaporation, you can raise salinity by topping off with salt water, or doing water changes with higher salinity salt water. You're pH is good, so to bring up alk, I'd just use the alk component of two part (in this case, baking soda is fine). Just watch your pH and make sure it doesn't shift more than about 0.1 pH units as you dose. Baking soda solution will have a tendency to initially depress pH slightly. Dose into a high-flow area if you can, this can help to keep calcium carbonate from precipitating out.

 

How long have you had the Bangai? Was it eating well? Some wild-caught Bangai don't adjust well to captivity, failing to eat and eventually getting weak. I doubt that alk had anything to do with it's demise. Could it have simply been weak and gotten sucked up to the pump intake? That happens.

[dmatt56]

If you're growing corals, I'd raise the salinity to 1.026 first, then you can dose alk to get things into balance. Depending upon your evaporation, you can raise salinity by topping off with salt water, or doing water changes with higher salinity salt water. You're pH is good, so to bring up alk, I'd just use the alk component of two part (in this case, baking soda is fine). Just watch your pH and make sure it doesn't shift more than about 0.1 pH units as you dose. Baking soda solution will have a tendency to initially depress pH slightly. Dose into a high-flow area if you can, this can help to keep calcium carbonate from precipitating out.

 

How long have you had the Bangai? Was it eating well? Some wild-caught Bangai don't adjust well to captivity, failing to eat and eventually getting weak. I doubt that alk had anything to do with it's demise. Could it have simply been weak and gotten sucked up to the pump intake? That happens.

 

 

I've had the Bangaii since August. They were captive raised and more than doubled in size.

 

Matt

[OldReefer]

I've had the Bangaii since August. They were captive raised and more than doubled in size.

 

Matt

Be careful as you dose the Alk. It tends to spike the Ph. Go slow.