potassium - Page 7

Big E · #**151** 12/02/2006, 07:24 AM

The Dow Flake contains potassium chloride.......it's a listed ingredient on the bag although it doesn't say at what percentage.

Their website lists a total for akali salts of 4.3%. It doesnt' say how much is sodium chloride or potassium chloride.

DrBDC · #**152** 12/02/2006, 08:26 AM

OK, I see what you're going at. After one year of adding the homemade it does put a small amount of potassium. See chart from the homemade 2 part article:

Table 2. Elements present after one year of additions and after adjusting for salinity changes. Calculations assume no water changes take place.
Element Seawater Concentration Final Tank Concentration (w/ Part 3A) Final Tank Concentration (w/o Part 3)
Chloride 19,350 19,440 19,710
Sodium 10,760 10,730 11,360
Sulfate 2,710 2720 2170
Magnesium 1,290 1270 880
Calcium 420 420 (assumed) 420 (assumed)
Potassium 400 384 405

DrBDC · #**153** 12/02/2006, 08:30 AM

I guess the question to answer is how much K is used by a tank over a year. And is it only zeo tanks, or only tanks with a certain variety of corals, or even a certain type of skimmer for that matter. But if you look at the ~400 of K left after a year, it is also w/o water changes. I think there would be more problems than how much K you have!

But seriously if you would do your changes w/water at 300, it would be like the sulphate buildup, negligable.

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**154** 12/02/2006, 09:01 AM

The Dow Flake contains potassium chloride.......it's a listed ingredient on the bag although it doesn't say at what percentage.

Their website lists a total for akali salts of 4.3%. It doesnt' say how much is sodium chloride or potassium chloride.

I discuss that in my two part article, as mentioned above. It is enough potassium to keep the additive balanced with respect to a seawater residue, but not enough to cause any rise in potassium:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

from it:

Interestingly, the potassium present as an impurity in the Dowflake works to our advantage in this use. Recipe #1 has 1,342 ppm potassium in its calcium part. That amount puts it in the right ratio relative to other ions in the recipe (chloride, sodium, etc.) so that it is neither boosted nor depleted significantly over time based on salinity changes (see modeling below).

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**155** 12/02/2006, 09:04 AM

Yes, but a Poodle is a dog and to me they are unnatural looking dogs So why have one.................not me

I don't care much for poodles, particularly when they have a ball of fluff on the tip of their tails.

DrBDC · #**156** 12/02/2006, 09:30 AM

I think they look funny as well. When you look at them they almost give you a look that tells you that they know how ridiculous their haircut is. Although we always have boxers and many think they look funny too.

Mike O'Brien · #**157** 12/02/2006, 01:25 PM

Sorry I left you guy's hangin. Glad you figured it out.

Mike O'Brien · #**158** 12/02/2006, 01:30 PM

Ok so I'm wrong. It'g gotta be better than nothing though. If your interested in that sort of thing.

DrBDC · #**159** 12/02/2006, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike O'Brien
Ok so I'm wrong. It'g gotta be better than nothing though. If your interested in that sort of thing.

Any dog is better than no dog. Oh, you mean zeovit!

Mike O'Brien · #**160** 12/02/2006, 01:58 PM

If you're interested in potassium level's, Zeo or no. You guy's seem to be the only ones that are using it. I'm just not interested in it. I have colorful coral's.

Bebo77 · #**161** 12/02/2006, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike O'Brien
If you're interested in potassium level's, Zeo or no. You guy's seem to be the only ones that are using it. I'm just not interested in it. I have colorful coral's.

have you seen some zeo tanks?.. and honestly its about getting the water in out tank to mimic NSW... that should be everyones goal

Mike O'Brien · #**162** 12/02/2006, 06:26 PM

Sure, I've seen a few and alot online. In my opinion most had very light pastel colored coral's. Coral's that looked to me to be starving. No coralline algae to speak of, and nasty algae that look's like dinoflagellates instead. Again IMO the methodology used will work without the zeolite and without any of their addatives. Good skimming, frequent water changes and 24/7 activated carbon use. IME you can have richly colored coral's that are fat and happy with good husbandry and plenty of feeding. Just high import and high export.

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**163** 12/03/2006, 09:25 AM

have you seen some zeo tanks?.. and honestly its about getting the water in out tank to mimic NSW... that should be everyones goal

I don't want to start a zeo debate here, but I wonder about that philosophy. While I agree it is a good goal, how do you know that you have natural levels of nutrients, and not below normal levels since they cannot be detected with kits?

Bebo77 · #**164** 12/04/2006, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Randy Holmes-Farley
how do you know that you have natural levels of nutrients, and not below normal levels since they cannot be detected with kits?

I test and match what parameters i can... as more and more test kits become avail it will allow the hobbist to better match NSW levels.

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**165** 12/04/2006, 03:08 PM

I test and match what parameters i can... as more and more test kits become avail it will allow the hobbist to better match NSW levels.

That's a fine plan and goal, but the zeovit method intentionally drives nutrients below testable levels (as do many methods), leaving the attainment of your goal as an unknown.

Bebo77 · #**166** 12/04/2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Randy Holmes-Farley
I test and match what parameters i can... as more and more test kits become avail it will allow the hobbist to better match NSW levels.

That's a fine plan and goal, but the zeovit method intentionally drives nutrients bellow testable levels (as do many methods), leaving the attainment of your goal as an unknown.

very true.. the first time i started Zeo i nuked my tank and lost most of my sps frags... i stoped and restarted 2 months later at a much slower rate and have been going strong ever since.

but i gotta tell you it can really stress you out when something goes outa wack and you start getting RTN...

DrBDC · #**167** 12/04/2006, 03:52 PM

I think something is funny in Denmark. No offense if anyone is from Denmark!

I just recieved that test kit from Zeovit to test potassium and it tests at 250. I'm wondering about a demand to meet supply type issue here.

Bebo77 · #**168** 12/04/2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrBDC
I think something is funny in Denmark. No offense if anyone is from Denmark! I just recieved that test kit from Zeovit to test potassium and it tests at 250. I'm wondering about a demand to meet supply type issue here.

do you run Zeo?

DrBDC · #**169** 12/04/2006, 04:50 PM

Nope. Husbandry wise I do but not zeovit reactors, additives, etc.

REEF-DADDY · #**170** 12/04/2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrBDC
I think something is funny in Denmark. No offense if anyone is from Denmark! I just recieved that test kit from Zeovit to test potassium and it tests at 250. I'm wondering about a demand to meet supply type issue here.

Why do you say that? Looks to be like you better get some K+

Mike O'Brien · #**171** 12/04/2006, 05:55 PM

Has someone actually proved we need it. ? Did I miss that ?

REEF-DADDY · #**172** 12/04/2006, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike O'Brien
Has someone actually proved we need it. ? Did I miss that ?

Well for me the proof is in the pudding and I can only say since getting my K+ to normal levels my montis really look great. PM my2girls and have him show you his low level K+ monti and the same monti at NSW level.

Mike O'Brien · #**173** 12/04/2006, 06:16 PM

Maybe BB tank's have a problem with K, I don't know. I do know that I had very light coral's in general with a BB system and adding sand to the sump alone was enough to cause a complete turn around with all coral's. What monti's were able to survive are now very healthy and growing by the day.

Jason McK · #**174** 12/04/2006, 06:20 PM

Tagging along.

ZEO user here and have seen incredible colour improvements in my corals since starting Zeovit.

Since I began raising the levels of K I have noticed increased growth and colour

Mike O'Brien · #**175** 12/04/2006, 06:35 PM

Just a thought, you guy's can pick it apart if you want.

Bot method's, Zeo and BB rely heavily on skimming of bacteria. Both are using oversized skimmer's. For example, bomber uses a bullet 3 on his tank wich is pretty large, about 400 gallon's IIRC. Now your not that bad with a 280 and the same skimmer, but many have much smaller tank's with these skimmers. You feed the tank heavily, but the food's are not right for coral's and they get skimmed out too fast. The breakdown of waste is greatly limited and good food that would normally be eaten and reeaten untill it was the size the coral's like is in really short supply. If they had more of that food they would be eating K along with the other thing's they need to survive and grow. Without it they start to metabolize themselves untill their tissue becomes so thin it blow's off.