Cook's 80g Seapora Frag tank

[Cook]

In my case, the main cause of my problems was a collapsed doser tube on my Kamoer. I didn’t know but you are supposed to change the tube every 2000 hours on average, the tube had approximately 8000 hours on it based on a year of 24/7 operation. I ordered a head as well, so I can repeat most of this again soon. Thanks to Steve Burton, I was able to borrow a replacement tube but I didn’t get everything back up, calibrated, and running until midnight last night.

I also recalibrated the pH probe on the calcium reactor which had drifted up 0.4. I had to replace two John guest 1/4” male adapters also after I removed a couple pieces of tubing to determine the cause of the Kamoer not priming afterwards. They were causing a small air and water leak. I don’t think they were part of the original problem.

I lowered the pump dosage last night to 8.5ml /min, not knowing how long the probe had been reading high or the last time I calibrated the Kamoer output. I was up to 3.3 dKh this morning, but down to 3.0 tonight which is where it was yesterday when I found the problem. I increased the output to 15ml and I will check in the AM. I need at least .5 dKh a day increase to get on an upward trajectory and I have only a few days to get it right before we go on vacation.

 

[Cook]

So, back from vacation and I don't know what to think. Alkalinity should have hit about 6.5 based on .3dKH increases I was measuring per day before I left, but read 5.1 dKH on my Hanna checker Saturday. Everything still looks good with the exception of three more heads of rainbow hammers that died. I did a small water change to avoid a spike, 8 gallons for a calculated .3 dKH increase, and increased the Calcium reactor output slightly. Alkalinity was 5.3 last night and this morning. I switched to a new bottle of reagent this morning after I got the 5.3 again and now the checker measurement is 9.3!

Two weeks ago, I confirmed with my lfs that the alkalinity was low (I got 3, they got slightly less than 5), my display measured 7.4dKH (my target is 8), and fresh salt with some pH buffer measured 9dKH at that point in time, so the numbers I was getting from the test seemed accurate. I'll take a sample of water from both tanks and have them measured since my display is reading 13. I'm going to grab another bottle of reagent as well from a different batch. In the meantime, I'm cutting back the calcium reactors just a little to level them off in case the new readings are right.

 

[york1]

Ya definitely try another bottle of reagent. I love the hanna testers but the Alk reagent can be iffy

 

[DFlip]

I’m finding that as my Hanna Alk reagent bottles age their reading start to drift higher. Its pretty frustrating. I always test the old bottle with a newly opened bottle and at times will test double with two different reagent lots. They’re very inconsistent. I have the Alk checker calibration/confirmation kit and it always tests solid, so I don’t believe it’s my checker. From time to time Ill also bring a sample into my LFS just for confirmation.

In addition to a new bottle of reagent, maybe pick up a cheap API test as well? That test will at least tell you if you’re between seven and eight, eight and nine, etc.

-Don

 

[Cook]

I went by my lfs tonight with a water sample. They confirmed their checker with a calibrated sample and then measured with their Hanna and reagent - my sample read 4.1 dKH. I bought another bottle of reagent with the same lot number as my bottle at home (I didn't think to bring it) and when we tested that one it read 9.1, same as what I got this morning. We tested a display tank at the store and found it to be in range for what they expected, so the newer lot reagent appears to be the correct value. I do test the old reagent and the new reagent before I discard as well. I haven't grabbed a separate alkalinity test, I'll add one to my collection.

I wanted to get a different lot number of Alkalinity reagent, but it is apparently harder to come by these days. Another store I called was out with no estimate of when they would get more.

 

[billyocean]

Keep hanna alk regent in refrigerator! This will stop the readings from dropping or raising and keep fresh until the bottle is done. Wish I knew that a year ago when I started using hanna alk, they don't tell you this..but they should. I even keep my new boxes/bottles in the fridge

 

[Cook]

Thanks for the advice. I wonder if it is possible that some lots of reagent are more prone to this than others? Hard to know from my own limited data. I have two bottles now from the same lot, so one will go into the fridge for sure. Maybe I will compare the two at regular time intervals for my own curiosity. Tank dKH is continuing to rise and measured 10 this morning, so I have cut back the dosing pump again.

 

[billyocean]

Thanks for the advice. I wonder if it is possible that some lots of reagent are more prone to this than others? Hard to know from my own limited data. I have two bottles now from the same lot, so one will go into the fridge for sure. Maybe I will compare the two at regular time intervals for my own curiosity. Tank dKH is continuing to rise and measured 10 this morning, so I have cut back the dosing pump again.

I did this. My regent I kept out read lower after time, fridge stayed the same. Heard about this trick and have done it this way for the last several months.

Edit: as mentioned...should always shake it too

 

[Cook]

How much time approximately until it reads more than 2 points low?

 

[billyocean]

I found a "new" unopened box of it I lost that was over a year expired just the other day. My alk is 8.3ish and it was reading 7.6. Even in the open bottles that weren't refrigerated it was about .3 to .5 off after a month or so.

 

[wantsummora acropora]

Sht, checking mine as soon as I get home.

 

[Cook]

Tank parameters now that the Alkalinity is back up. Calcium measured 334 yesterday with 6 month old reagents and a battery warning on start up. With a new battery and fresh reagents it measured 480.
Alk: 9.1
Mag: 1450
Calcium: 480
Phosphate: 0.028
Nitrate: 1

 

[Cook]

I have not been one to maintain this tank like it needs to be. And this is the second time that I have ignored maintenance of the Kamoer dosing pump like I should. The wearable part of the dosing tube assembly began leaking into the cabinet and dripped saltwater onto the CO2 solenoid of my calcium reactor causing a dead short with flames present when I opened the cabinet door to investigate. Part of me is ready to shut this tank down, but it is really growing some nice SPS finally, so I'm going to move to simplify this setup as much as possible. Don't ignore the maintenance, it could literally burn down the house.

 

[project1004]

Wising you the best luck on your tank. That sounds horrible and it caught on fire. Shhhhh…

Kalk with co2 scrubber. Simple and effective

 

[Cook]

I can provide a little more detail and it wasn't so bad due to the circumstances. We were gone all day, had just gotten back 30 minutes before, and I was in the room when unit started arcing, so the fire was limited to only the plastic housing of the solenoid and the wiring when I cut the power to the unit. My other tank runs fine without the pH control of the CO2, and I was able to find a brass female coupling at Lowe's this morning to make the change.