[NAS]

I am trying to use as little supliments as possible. Currently I am using Purple up to maintin my calcium and Carbonate levels. With small doses weekly of the new Kent Nano a and nano b. I do not remember all the foods names. Liquid life phyto plankton is the base. I have a canister filter acting as a constant supply of nitrates. I will add in the rest of the foods when I get to the house.

[NAS]

I am trying Kent Marine Nano-reef a and b for trace lemements. purple up for calcium alone as needed. Kent super buffer for Carbonate alone when needed alone. Food wise for the clams I am trying to keep 10-20 ppm nitrates, feed Rotifers, live nannochloropsis culture (phytoplankton), live Tetraselmis (phytoplakton) cuture.

At this point in time i think the most critical piece to this tank is keeping only clam friendly fish. No one in the tank will pick at the mantles of the clams.

[NAS]

sorry for the crummy spelling, it's early and my coffee is not ready yet....

[NAS]

Have now had chalice coral for 2 months doing great in clam tank. Also now have a swollen brain doing awsome, he has a hitch hiker!
some unknown Purple Acropora (I think) Growing like hell! The next big test this week is a Blue Stag horn and a purple stag horn.

A side note, I am starting to have a hard time keeping carbonates over 120. LOL To many dam clams...

[teriyakithunder]

are there any corals that consume nitrate/phosphates as a food source?

[NAS]

not really. the Clams like the nitrates between 5-10 ppm, i have had it as high as 30. Im not really sure about corals soakin up nitrates. I know that no corals like the phosphates, nor to the clams. I use Chemical phosphate removers for my clam tank and in my bigger fish tanks Macro algae's, Nitrate resisn & Phosphate removers. However, I all my Fish tanks I have huge bioloads so they need all the help they can get.

I am actually starting to see really minimal nitrates in my clam tanks now because I have so many clams.

Im Dieing to get some more picturs up of the tank to share, but alas broke my camera.

[NAS]

OMG!

Carbonates 3 days ago were 160, today 100ppm. These dam clams eating me out of house and home...lol

[NAS]

Ok,

My buddy just came up and happened to have his camera. So, got some new pics of the clam tank.

[NAS]

I thougth this may be intersting to do. As time progresses I will post the parameters of the tank. Is any one out there intersted in seeing what happens? Or should I not bother?

July 28: 9a pre-treatment
KH: 110
Ca2+: 380 ppm
Ph: 8.0

[NAS]

One last good pic

[NAS]

Ok,

After Treatment

KH: 140ppm
Ca2+: 440ppm
Ph: 8.4 WOOPS Slite ph spike from KH booster. No worries though occured over 4 hrs. Tested up to and including noon with ph probe.

Salinity 1.024 (refract)

[NAS]

Before Treatment:

KH: 90ppm
Ca2+: 420ppm
pH: Forgot to test.
Salinity: 1.024

Replaced Carbon and phosphate resin. Noticed elevated doc's and algae growth.

New Dersa CLAM! White, puprple and green rim. Very odd.

[NAS]

Well, I have not been posting much on this thread. However, There has been some drastic changes. Hurricane season has also hit my tank! A complete re-build on the landscape. GREATLY IMPROOVED, in my opinion (i am biased though).

An up date on the water stuff....

Calcuim is droping from 450+ down to 300ppm in 24hour period. I am using Purple Up daily at 150 gallon daily dose (REALLY!) for my 40 gallon nano. That barley keeps it up. With addition of more acropora, it's going to get jacked. EVERY DAY for 10 days and it is stabalized at that dose. (I forsee a dosing system soon!)

The carbonate drops from 180 to 130 in same 24 hour peroid (sometimes 140, it's not as consistant). I am using Kent Pro-buffer to maintain the carbonate daily.

I finaly got my solinoid for my calcium reactor. Next is the controller.

Until then, Dose, dose, dose....

[jimw369]

This was brought to your attention several months ago.

Originally Posted by jimw369

Id like to know how you are going to maintain Ca levels in those small tanks full of clams. Got a plan for that?

Whats your plan now? Keep a close eye on your Ph levels dosing all that Purple up.

Enjoy your acros. Many arent going to make it with bouncing params. Smaller tanks with rapid Ca depletion can only mean Ca reactor.

[NAS]

Hey Jim,

I have to admit that im a little nervous about the chemical chaos going on. I simply have no other means to keep up at this time. Im hoping to recieve the controler some time this month... I have all i need to get it rolling now, Do you think I should run it with out the controler for now? I am a bit sketchy on the opperation of the calcium reactors. I have a Corallife reactor (second size), Regulator (with buble counter), solenoid, and 5lb cylinder. Is it ok to use Reagent grade co2?

[NAS]

WOOOOHOOOOOOOO!

Ordered my controler today!

It's on its way..........

Yea baby

[NAS]

It's official. I have my reefkeeper 2. Fired up and running. Last step is the CO2, and reactor media. Should be in within the week. Bad news though, I have to spend more money... and put controller on all my tanks... YEAH!

[NAS]

ok, now that I have got my camera back... here are some new pics...

[NAS]

Ok, Now that the Calcium reactor has been up and running for a bit here is where I sit...


515 ppm Calcium
pH 8.3
KH 240

the only thing im wondering about is the KH, she's a little high. I have backed down the reactor flow rate to see if if will balance out futher. Any similar experiences out there?

[NAS]

[IMG]<a href="http://s382.photobucket.com/albums/oo265/kmasavagelemming/?action=view&current=Clam Cluster4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo265/kmasavagelemming/ClamCluster4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>[/IMG]

[NAS]

[IMG][/IMG]











Ok, now I got this figured out.... These are the most current pics of the tank. Since adding the Calcium reactor every thing has balanced out. Interesting side note, my Carbonate hardness was 290 (too high)! After doing a bit of digging on it I dosed the tank with some Magnesium suppliment... over night it dropped to 180. Calcium and pH are holding perfectlly.