Alk dosing

[Piece of reef]

hey guys, so at the moment i just have a fowlr tank and i dose around 10ml alk a day, i have a little gha which likes to stick around around lol
Anyways i have been using a liquid form of kh called quantum aragonite B which has been great, keeps the alk around the 8.2 range and it comes in a 1 litre bottle
anyways i was doing some research and happened to come across some guys that are dosing 300ml or 400ml of alk, then it came to mind that if i was dosing that much then 1 $42 bottle would last just over 2 days, lol

surely ive made a mistake and theres a cheaper alternative for a product you can add to a doser

Yes ive heard of kalkwasser but is that the only way thats affordable ?

 

[blaxsun]

The guys that are potentially dosing 300-400ml of alkalinity per day have very large tanks and massive amounts of corals. Myself, I probably does 60-70ml in a 160-gallon with a moderate amount of corals (YMMV). Yes, if you get the powdered forms of alkalinity (etc.) you can usually save quite a bit. But since you're running a FOWLR, you'll probably never need to do anything significantly more than you're doing now.

 

[Piece of reef]

The guys that are potentially dosing 300-400ml of alkalinity per day have very large tanks and massive amounts of corals. Myself, I probably does 60-70ml in a 160-gallon with a moderate amount of corals (YMMV). Yes, if you get the powdered forms of alkalinity (etc.) you can usually save quite a bit. But since you're running a FOWLR, you'll probably never need to do anything significantly more than you're doing now.

So ive got the fowlr only for now because im waiting for my new tank to arrive which is 85gallon then ill start with corals but was just suprised at how much alk was dosed. And wanted to prepare myself from now !

So powdered form, thanks !!

 

[blaxsun]

So ive got the fowlr only for now because im waiting for my new tank to arrive which is 85gallon then ill start with corals but was just suprised at how much alk was dosed. And wanted to prepare myself from now !

So powdered form, thanks !!

Red Sea, Nyos, etc. There's also other alternatives like Tropic Marine All For Reef. Initially your 10%/every 2 week water changes will replenish a lot - until you start adding a lot of corals, that is. A good idea is to invest in a good series of test kits (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium) to ensure you can stay on top of testing. Salifert, Red Sea, Nyos - anything but API.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

The guys that are potentially dosing 300-400ml of alkalinity per day have very large tanks and massive amounts of corals. Myself, I probably does 60-70ml in a 160-gallon with a moderate amount of corals (YMMV). Yes, if you get the powdered forms of alkalinity (etc.) you can usually save quite a bit. But since you're running a FOWLR, you'll probably never need to do anything significantly more than you're doing now.

What are you dosing "60-70" ml a day of?

 

[blaxsun]

What are you dosing "60-70" ml a day of?

60-70ml of alkalinity. Bear in-mind that this varies, and it's been as high as 90-100ml/daily at other points.

I'm currently dosing maybe 6-8ml of calcium and magnesium combined as I have a lot of soft corals and I was trying to bring both my magnesium and calcium down slightly after a water change.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

60-70ml of alkalinity. Bear in-mind that this varies, and it's been as high as 90-100ml/daily at other points.

I'm currently dosing maybe 6-8ml of calcium and magnesium combined as I have a lot of soft corals and I was trying to bring both my magnesium and calcium down slightly after a water change.

No, I ment what alkalinity supplements are you using (esv, redsea, brs , tropic marin) what brand because ml. amount Would be different values for each

 

[blaxsun]

Nyos alkalinity, calcium and magnesium.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I’m partial to esv

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Nyos alkalinity, calcium and magnesium.

I'm not familiar with nyos, other than testing products, i will have to look it up.

I’m partial to esv

Esv is good, a little pricey but quality

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Nyos alkalinity, calcium and magnesium.

Sodium bicarbonate alkalinity....

 

[Gtinnel]

I prefer arm and hammer. Although I do bake it first to convert it to sodium carbonate.

 

[Gtinnel]

Hah la I just did the math and using baking soda/washing soda I can make almost 15 gallons of the alkalinity supplement that I dose for $9.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I prefer arm and hammer. Although I do bake it first to convert it to sodium carbonate.

I use soda ash too, but from brs, I prefer to use sodium carbonate, and enjoy the ph boost. I use bicarbonate for large adjustments ( brs also)

Hah la I just did the math and using baking soda/washing soda I can make almost 15 gallons of the alkalinity supplement that I dose for $9.

I get 1 gallon of soda ash for 8-9$ and currently dose 112ml a day.......

 

[Piece of reef]

Hah la I just did the math and using baking soda/washing soda I can make almost 15 gallons of the alkalinity supplement that I dose for $9.

Wow yeh that makes much more sense, if i was dosing the product i use at such large quantities, id be spending a fortune

I use soda ash too, but from brs, I prefer to use sodium carbonate, and enjoy the ph boost. I use bicarbonate for large adjustments ( brs also)

I get 1 gallon of soda ash for 8-9$ and currently dose 112ml a day.......

I think thats what ill resort to, soda ash and bicarb when the time comes , i found a supplier here in Australia where i can get it

 

[SilvermistInc]

... What

 

[Gtinnel]

I use soda ash too, but from brs, I prefer to use sodium carbonate, and enjoy the ph boost. I use bicarbonate for large adjustments ( brs also)

I get 1 gallon of soda ash for 8-9$ and currently dose 112ml a day.......

I just use arm and hammer that I buy from the store in 15lb bags. I do bake it to convert to sodium carbonate for the pH boost though. I dose around 100ml of solution a day in my 125. I used to use it and Prestone Driveway heat for calcium, but the Driveway Heat left a pink goo in the container that worried me, so I started buying it from BRS as a bulk powder.

I’ve been considering switching to lye for alkalinity to get a even bigger pH boost but the thought of having a container of lye sitting around for someone to accidentally knock over concerns me.

 

[blaxsun]

I just use arm and hammer that I buy from the store in 15lb bags. I do bake it to convert to sodium carbonate for the pH boost though. I dose around 100ml of solution a day in my 125. I used to use it and Prestone Driveway heat for calcium, but the Driveway Heat left a pink goo in the container that worried me, so I started buying it from BRS as a bulk powder.

I’ve been considering switching to lye for alkalinity to get a even bigger pH boost but the thought of having a container of lye sitting around for someone to accidentally knock over concerns me.

Driveway Heat, lol. You're a pioneer!

 

[Gtinnel]

Driveway Heat, lol. You're a pioneer!

Quite the contrary using driveway de-icer is an old school way. I actually never had an issue with it, but the sediment concerned me too much. BRS once did a investigates on various alk/cal supplements including diy where they sent in icp tests. It was interesting.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hmmn, I'm just using Arm & Hammer Baking soda and baking it for Alk, and DampRid (Calcium Chloride) for Ca, ebay for Magnesium Chloride. Only thing I get from the LFS is Mineral Salt (AF) and Trace Elements (AF).

Using Randys Recipe for two part and adding Mineral Salt and traces. Dosing in 90 gal is around 60ml each per day.

I'm a cheapskate for Macro Elements as there's nothing special about the chemicals involved, and I loathe paying big buck for a bottle of water with a cheap chemical added.