strange calcium readings with LED

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by Ddubya, Aug 7, 2011.

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  1. Ddubya

    Ddubya Skunk Shrimp

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    Ok so as odd as this may sound try to follow along and share any of your findings with me please, because im stumped.

    So I have been doing a MH vs LED experiment and have noticed something VERY VERY strange.
    During my water param tests I have had an issue with my calcium,before I put the LED's on the frag tank in question I would use up around 105 ml of calcium per week dosing at 15 ml per day I could keep it stable around 420 calcium.
    Now here is where it gets wierd since adding the LED's over the frag tank I have not dosed 1 drop of calcium and it stays at 450 has not moved in 3 weeks. Now my question is this.... are the LED's just not the proper lighting to make the corals want to use up the calcium or am I on crack?
    What would make them all of a sudden stop absorbing my calcium alltogether.
    Meanwhile my frag tank with the halides is still using calcium at a normal rate.
    Any help with the or ideas is greatly appreciated,as im not a water chemistry guru I would love some input from others. In the meantime I have switched the lighting of the frag tanks, the LED is now on the 1 that had MH and the MH is now on the 1 that had LED just to fix my own curiosity.
    Now remember it has been 3 weeks since dosing any calcium in the led frag tank so I'll let you know if it has the same effect on the tank they are now on as soon as I can. In the meantime im just looking for some input on this. BTW im using saliferts test kit has always been reliable for me
     
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  3. N3MATOCYST

    N3MATOCYST Spaghetti Worm

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    Hey I don't know why I am skeptical about LEDs but I don't like them lol... and I haven't even used them.
     
  4. pink4miss

    pink4miss Panda Puffer

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    looking forward to hearing your results
     
  5. barbianj

    barbianj Hammer Head Shark

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    What has your alk usage been?
     
  6. Newreef15

    Newreef15 Horrid Stonefish

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    Maybe since you just put these corals under a new light source they are still adjusting to the light and the corals arent growing yet which in turn means there not sucking up the calcium like they where prior to the light change
     
  7. Ddubya

    Ddubya Skunk Shrimp

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    I guess I should have mentioned that I use B-Ionic calc/alk my alk has stayed around 8 dkh and has also not been dosed ph stable at 8.4
     
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  9. Ddubya

    Ddubya Skunk Shrimp

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    you think 3 weeks would still be adjustment time?
     
  10. evolved

    evolved Wrasse Freak

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    Yes, and that's all I attribute it to. Give it 6 months and you'll be using more than before, assuming you've got a sufficient LED fixture...
     
  11. Ddubya

    Ddubya Skunk Shrimp

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    I just find it odd that they accept my halides so easily
     
  12. Ddubya

    Ddubya Skunk Shrimp

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    also some of the frags under led didnt look so hot like I have a torch frag and candy cane frag that both seemed to almost be dieng all shriveled up,and mushrooms seemed to be shriveled, today with the halides the shrooms are expanding big again the torch seems to be doing much better in just 1 day but the candy cane im still waiting on the verdict with him