tank snowing, what did i do wrong?

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by hydrojeff, Mar 1, 2009.

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  1. doog

    doog Peppermint Shrimp

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    your param's aren't too bad. what's your pH? with "snow" you've probably either not mixed the kalk well (this was my problem when trying a home-made reactor) or you've added too much too quickly.

    how's the tank?
     
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  3. hydrojeff

    hydrojeff Montipora Capricornis

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    i have a 6 gallon ATO tank, i made 5 gallons of kalk mix, i mixed it with a power head for about a hour and only let it set for maybe a half a hour then i pored it into the ATO tank and let it go through the day and night to wake to what i said at the beggining of the post the kalk mix was not clear but cloudy when i poured it into the ATO tank my Ph is 8.0 to 8.2, my Red Sea test kit is not that great for Ph in my opinion ( my ATO tank only drips about a drop every couple seconds) p.s. the ATO drips day and night and i have a reverse schedule lighting for my tank and fuge
     
  4. hydrojeff

    hydrojeff Montipora Capricornis

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    oh and im am using RO/DI water in my ATO...
     
  5. hydrojeff

    hydrojeff Montipora Capricornis

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    sorry i keep adding stuff i just cant think of everything at once,,,,before the lights came on today i cleaned all the mechanical filters like i do every weekend....
     
  6. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    You dosed 5 gallons of kalk at one time ? I hope it was a 500 gal tank ..Your Ph went nuts and then the Calcium Carbonate storm hit you can test all the parameter's you want at this point there is nothing to test for its is all bound up in the white covering and on the bottom .
     
  7. hydrojeff

    hydrojeff Montipora Capricornis

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    no i did not dose all 5 at once it was suppose to go in over the course of a week in a 72 bow, should i only mix up one gallon into the 5 gallon ATO at a time, per week? Ph has not changed at all, all fish and corals look good as well, i would say no more than 1 and 1/2 gallons went in the tank in 2 days at the most...
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2009
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  9. fishtongue

    fishtongue Astrea Snail

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    I dont think those water peramiters would cause Ca snow. it must have been extra Kalk.
     
  10. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    If you've had a Ca storm you would only measure the CA and ALK that is still in solution with your tank water. The snow is the Precipitate of CA and is not measurable

    When using Kalk you should only use the solution and once mixed should be allowed to settle. the precipitate at the bottom of the mix should not be added to your top off

    J
     
  11. hydrojeff

    hydrojeff Montipora Capricornis

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    no i just poured off the top 4 gallons or so and the rest was poured down the drain but the mix was still very cloudy, is this how its suppose to be?
     
  12. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    It should be clear with no cloud