2 part dosing help

[Fishfinder]

Id like to start dosing 2 part. I been testing my cal, alk, mag daily. Yesterday: Cal 410, Alk 8.4, Mag 1350.... Today: Cal 390, Alk 7.6, Mag 1350. I have 2 part from BRS mixed up in gal jugs like their video shows. Its calcium chloride and soda ash. Today I set my doser up and dosed 10ml of Alk solution into my sump. It immediately turned white and precipitated to the bottom. What did I do wrong? Am I missing something? I turned my doser off.

 

[redfishbluefish]

What dosing pumps do you have and how fast is it dosing? You typically get a temporary white precipitate forming when adding that should quickly dissipate. You do want to add slowly and in a high flow area. I use BRS 1.1 ml/min pumps right into my return section of the sump.

And just taking a step back, you dissolved 2 cups of soda ash (sodium carbonate) in one gallon of RO/DI to make your solution?

 

[Fishfinder]

Correct I added 2 cups of soda ash to 1 gal of water. Then dosed 10 ml of that

So what I was seeing wasn't precipitation? It normally turns white and flaky?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Temporary precipitation of magnesium hydroxide is normal. Adding to a high flow area will redissolve it faster and prevent more problematic precipitation of calcium carbonate.

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.htm

from it:

Figure 3. The transient cloud of magnesium hydroxide that forms when high pH additives are added. In this case, the alkalinity portion of B-ionic was added to a fairly still portion of one of my reef aquaria.

 

[Fishfinder]

This is what it looks like
Normal or no?

 

[Fishfinder]

I did a test and poured a little in front of my MP 40, now there is little tiny white particles floating around in my tank. normal?

Retested to double check my numbers:
Cal 400
Mag 1350
Alk 7.6

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If they do not seem to readily redissolve, try adding it more diluted and more slowly.

 

[Fishfinder]

ok, ill dilute it down and try that

 

[Fishfinder]

It clouds up at first which I see is normal. But it still particulates into flakes. Anyone else had this happen?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It clouds up at first which I see is normal. But it still particulates into flakes. Anyone else had this happen?

Some people have it happen. I'm not sure if that is still magnesium hydroxide, or if it is calcium carbonate. If dilution doesn't help, you can switch to baking soda instead of sodium carbonate. It won't cause any local pH rise.

 

[Fishfinder]

I will try that too, thanks for the help