ALK help

[MimicOcto8]

Ok so since upgrading to my new ATI lights my alk has been dropping and I fight it everyday to raise it and everytime I slowly get it to 9dKH the corals use it is mass quantities and it drops down to 5dKH! any ideas? its a 90g tall i'm using SeaChem reef builder.

mag is 1350
ca is 440

 

[Jcr's Reef]

Is it a bare bottom tank?

 

[MimicOcto8]

no i have sand not a DSB tho

 

[youngtimothy]

are you checking it everyday? you are more then likley going to have to check it every day and add accordingly, I was using seachem products and I had to add both alk and cal every day for what my 100 gallon was using. once I figured out what I was using every day it was just a matter of adding that amount every day. I now use two part on doseing pumps and a reefkeeper lite and dose every hour.

 

[iani]

Have you double checked your Mag and Calcium with different test kits? What are you using right now to test both? Either low Mag or high Calcium will cause your ALK to drop. My bet is on low Mag. IME the seachem test kit is the most reliable for Mag.

 

[sts04c]

Mimic,

What's the PH? If low you could add buffer to raise the PH and then in turn the ALK will rise.......... If the ALK does no rise enough you may just have to keep dosing ALK through the reef builder. Although you probably are aware of this..

 

[iani]

BTW, I just saw you were using seachem reefbuilder. I personally no idea what is in the product, none the less I would recommend switching to a 3 part dosing routine. One for each calcium, alk, and magnesium.

 

[MimicOcto8]

i'm using salifert test kits and all are brand new. my ph is at 8 right now. i've been testing each day and i'll just have to add it each day.

 

[Jcr's Reef]

I'm adding around 25ml of Alk everyday to my 100g

I asked if you were running BB because I found it hard to keep my alk up with no sand

 

[dougers31]

Not sure what the ratios are between brs alk and seachem but I add about 60ml or so of alk on a daily basis to my 29gal. I would maybe raise your mag just a bit.