Snowstorm in my tank

TomToro

TomToro

The Old Guy
Oct 21, 2006
597
0
0
68
Michigan
s122.photobucket.com
Something happened in my tank yesterday that I don't get. I've been dripping kalk 24/7 for makeup water. I use about 2.5 gal per day. I also dose bionic 2 part buffer every day.

Usually my parameters are around 9 dhk or 3.2meq. with around 480 for the calcium. My ph is usually around 8.2.

I usually mix my kalk vigorously for about a minute, let it sit for an hour and start dripping. This time I added the kalk (2 teaspoons per gallon), and without mixing (forgot) started dripping. I added my bionic as usual. Later on, I shut my return pump off so I could feed. I forgot about it and after a couple of hours, I turned it back on to a very cloudy tank. The ph from the sump shot up to 8.5, but returned to 8.0 a couple of hours later. There's a white film on a lot of the rock and glass now.

Now my water parameters are all lower than usual.

Ph at 8.0
Alk at 7.84 or 2.8 meq
Calcium at 400

What the heck happened? I know I did something bad by not mixing the kalk, but wouldn't that increase everything?

Thanks,
Tom
 
it was definatly from not mixing. if you add it strait to the tank, a percipitate will form. Kalk usualy forms a percipitate anyways, but when adding Ca and many ALK buffers (such as you b-ionic) that arent mixed, it can caus a percipitate
when i first started adding two part, i had a kent turbo Ca and the kent super buffer and i added them to the same jar to dissolve as it suggests and the entire thing bubbled over the sides and was completly cloudy.
i would run some carbon, keep the skimemr going, and a filter sock will also help. doing waterchanes, as always, is also a good thing.
 
Thanks, I won't make that mistake again.
Tom


fishieness said:
it was definatly from not mixing. if you add it strait to the tank, a percipitate will form. Kalk usualy forms a percipitate anyways, but when adding Ca and many ALK buffers (such as you b-ionic) that arent mixed, it can caus a percipitate
when i first started adding two part, i had a kent turbo Ca and the kent super buffer and i added them to the same jar to dissolve as it suggests and the entire thing bubbled over the sides and was completly cloudy.
i would run some carbon, keep the skimemr going, and a filter sock will also help. doing waterchanes, as always, is also a good thing.
Click to expand...
 
Germanman said:
i wouldnt recommend B-ionic buffer system on a side note....it leaches out aluminum into the tank and is not one of the best products out there.
Click to expand...

I think I still have two gallons of each left. Bummer. What do you suggest for a two part buffer. I really like the convenience and the kalk drip is never enough for some reason. I follow the directions (except this time) and I can't seem to get my ph, alk or calcium up where I want it without the Bionic.

Thanks,
Tom
 
i wouldnt recommend B-ionic buffer system on a side note....it leaches out aluminum into the tank and is not one of the best products out there.
__________________

Can you post the link to this data so I can read up on it? I want to know more. Thanks
 
i didnt read it from a link...the sales rep. form the company that makes it confessed it to me after i complained of problems from it and threatened to cause a fuss.
sorry but im sure there are links out there im just far to busy(pushing 18 units in collage and looking for a job) to search for something i heard out of the horses mouth.
its isnt much of an issue for fish only bu lots of inverts dont do well with it.
 
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