- Location
- westchester
justin ,how much do you use and what kind of system do you have to need so much of it.
Potassium is important. Are you dosing? Should you?
- Thread starter justincredabel
- Start date
- Location
- westchester
funny how only 10 members are chiming in on this topic
- Location
- Westchester NY
Very interesting... I think I will pick one up for the red sea POT test kit as a backup to one another.
- Location
- Westchester NY
I think most new reefers struggle with cal...alk...and mag. Subjects like carbon dosing and POT and IRON are more for the advanced.
- Location
- New London, CT
Agreed coralcruz 100% on priorities for element/ion manipulation.
- Location
- New London, CT
Salpet, regarding why I need it, my 1# goal is as much coral, as fast as possible, with as little work as possible. At a commercial size coral farm we have some variables that quite different than a home system or display tank for that matter. I tend run my display tanks with lower nutrient inputs, and thus I need less potassium to get the same effect of color, and vibrance. Maybe the coral grow 25% slower than the aquaculture systems. Even though I do consider my displays part of my aquaculture holding, the work that would be required to deal with the higher nutrient inputs, given all the Rock, sand and such.
However 25% less growth per month, multiplied by the entire holding of the aquaculture systems (i have 20 times more coral in my aquaculture systems). 25% on the majority of a grow operation (imagine a tomato farm), that margin is often make or break for profitability.
The main take away is that over 20 years, and trying my darnest to farm coral non-stop, every couple years I get comfortable with my regime of Addtives, what they do, and then wonder what might be something I'm missing in what I know could be optimal growth/health/color. So I now have steady, but periodically amended husbandry scheme. At one ion per 2 to 2.5 years, I am at roughly 7 elements, or compounds that there is a demonstrable benefit/effect/cost. Scaled up to farm level, each bump in productivity, and due to the fact that essential system design is geared for as much control of parameters as possible, it tends to be easier to determine needed protocol changes, because it's easier to observe, and dial in.
However 25% less growth per month, multiplied by the entire holding of the aquaculture systems (i have 20 times more coral in my aquaculture systems). 25% on the majority of a grow operation (imagine a tomato farm), that margin is often make or break for profitability.
The main take away is that over 20 years, and trying my darnest to farm coral non-stop, every couple years I get comfortable with my regime of Addtives, what they do, and then wonder what might be something I'm missing in what I know could be optimal growth/health/color. So I now have steady, but periodically amended husbandry scheme. At one ion per 2 to 2.5 years, I am at roughly 7 elements, or compounds that there is a demonstrable benefit/effect/cost. Scaled up to farm level, each bump in productivity, and due to the fact that essential system design is geared for as much control of parameters as possible, it tends to be easier to determine needed protocol changes, because it's easier to observe, and dial in.
- Location
- Westchester NY
@ Justincredabe; earlier in the thread or it could also be in your article you alluded to the fact that Potassium should be more readily abundant in a reef.
Can you expand on that a bit please?
If we take into account that the unit of measure in reef aquaria is PPM = parts per million = the ratio of mass of the ion in solution. Then we take a look at molecular mass of POT is 39.0983 g/mol and Calcium is almost the same at 40 g/mo. this is why cal thought to be 420-450 in a reef aquarium which should mean that POT should be just about the same given its molecular mass. Again this is why we are told that Pot should be at 420 level as well due to its similar molecular mass as Ca. Another way to look at it is that potassium is just as abundant as calcium in NSW. Compare this with say magnesium which is about 5 times more abundant at 1300PPM with a molecular weight of 24 g/mol. Mathematically if we are trying to achieve NSW than 420 PPM POT is it. but agree there may be something we are missing in a closed system that causes our systems to need the higher POT???
let me know if I am missing something here? but its def. interesting to think that raising potassium may have a possitive effect not unlike raising magnesium beyond 1300 PPM as it too has a positive effect in a reef.
BTW, PM'ed you!!!
Can you expand on that a bit please?
If we take into account that the unit of measure in reef aquaria is PPM = parts per million = the ratio of mass of the ion in solution. Then we take a look at molecular mass of POT is 39.0983 g/mol and Calcium is almost the same at 40 g/mo. this is why cal thought to be 420-450 in a reef aquarium which should mean that POT should be just about the same given its molecular mass. Again this is why we are told that Pot should be at 420 level as well due to its similar molecular mass as Ca. Another way to look at it is that potassium is just as abundant as calcium in NSW. Compare this with say magnesium which is about 5 times more abundant at 1300PPM with a molecular weight of 24 g/mol. Mathematically if we are trying to achieve NSW than 420 PPM POT is it. but agree there may be something we are missing in a closed system that causes our systems to need the higher POT???
let me know if I am missing something here? but its def. interesting to think that raising potassium may have a possitive effect not unlike raising magnesium beyond 1300 PPM as it too has a positive effect in a reef.
BTW, PM'ed you!!!
Last edited:
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
Just a heads up......Salifert Potissium are available on Amazon and you can received them as fast as 5/19-25. 29.99 free shipping.
- Location
- westchester
there goes another 30 bucks, thanks Pat,but seriously well worth the money im just very curious about seeing what the measurements are without having added any in my system, I also want to test before and after my weekly water change. i will post the results after i get the test kit
- Location
- New London, CT
Sorry for the late updating. Bogged down by Fishlife infrastructure upgrades these last two weeks. I'll be doing a test series on my 4 main prop systems and see what further info I can plug in.
- Location
- Westchester NY
perhaps you can reply to the PM I sent you several weeks ago? thanks
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
I got my Salifert Potassium test today from Amazon. I paid $18.49 with free shipping. Easy to use and my reading was 400.
- Location
- Westchester NY
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
Seachem Reef salt, been using it for 2 years and 12 gal a week WC on 115 gal water system.
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
Forgot all SPS tank too.."
- Location
- Westchester NY
I find it strange that I am using regular IO and testing with red sea and yet my levels are always at 200 or 220. I'm starting to think that POT test kits are just not that accurate.
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
- Location
- Westchester NY
oops I meant 400 -420 not 200 - 220. POT just does not fluctuate much in my tank.
- Location
- staten island
Both io and rc check out from 380-400. Remember guys, if your using salifert test, always always always wipe the tip on the 3rd titration reagent. It will spew results to be 20-30 ppm higher if you dont. The reagent has to come out straight from the bottle, if the liquid is built up on the sides of the tip the drops will be larger
- Location
- Southern California
Testing for >470 ppm?
I have been dosing Potassium using a dry bulk supplement and using the red sea Potassium test kit. I have noticed that neither the red sea or the Salifert test kits test for Potassium levels above 470.
How am I supposed to get levels in the 550 to 650 range without a test kit that will test for those levels?
Are other reefers diluting there samples?
Is there a consensus on whether or not the Rea Sea or Salifert test kits works better?
I have been dosing Potassium using a dry bulk supplement and using the red sea Potassium test kit. I have noticed that neither the red sea or the Salifert test kits test for Potassium levels above 470.
How am I supposed to get levels in the 550 to 650 range without a test kit that will test for those levels?
Are other reefers diluting there samples?
Is there a consensus on whether or not the Rea Sea or Salifert test kits works better?
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