Alk up what do I buy to dose with

[drakebuffie]

Attaching my last 2 tests. Phosphates is coming down slowly thru running gfo and dosing phosphate e once a week or so.

Need to get the alkalinity up. What product should I be dosing with to do that? I would think regular wc would keep things where they need to be but apparently not.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I am using Sodium Bicarbonate to bring ALK up from 7.2. Relatively inexpensive and available from BRS in their pharma grade.

Use the reef calculator on their site or this one to determine how much is needed. https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Raise ALK moderately over a few days (I am doing .5 dkh per day and testing the next day until I get to target).

After this I have added Kalk ia a reactor (added to top off or manually works as well) to maintain the desired level.

Side question: Why are you running GFO and dosing Phosphate to raise that back up?

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Depends on your ph. If ph is lower all the time, sodium carbonate will help keep it up. If your ph is higher most of the time, sodium bicarbonate can be used, and won't raise ph.

 

[jayman19]

Attaching my last 2 tests. Phosphates is coming down slowly thru running gfo and dosing phosphate e once a week or so.

Need to get the alkalinity up. What product should I be dosing with to do that? I would think regular wc would keep things where they need to be but apparently not.

If you have baking soda(sodium bicarbonate), it’s easy and safe to dose. I have a 50-55 gallon water volume, so for me 1 teaspoon will increase my alk by 1. It’ll bring your pH down slightly but it’s mostly negligible. I use kalkwasser now to maintain my alkalinity of 8 ish or so and keep my pH up. But baking soda is easy to use.

 

[drakebuffie]

I am using Sodium Bicarbonate to bring ALK up from 7.2. Relatively inexpensive and available from BRS in their pharma grade.

Use the reef calculator on their site or this one to determine how much is needed. https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Raise ALK moderately over a few days (I am doing .5 dkh per day and testing the next day until I get to target).

After this I have added Kalk ia a reactor (added to top off or manually works as well) to maintain the desired level.

Side question: Why are you running GFO and dosing Phosphate to raise that back up?

I am running gfo and phosphateE to lower phosphates. Phosphate E lowers phosphates. Unless I have the name of the product wrong which I dont think I do. Both lower phosphates. GFO slowly and phosphate E instantly at smallincrements.

 

[drakebuffie]

My PH is good never below 8 and last time I checked was8.2. I dont check it often because it has never been an issue.

So it sounds like baking soda is the way to go?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My PH is good never below 8 and last time I checked was8.2. I dont check it often because it has never been an issue.

So it sounds like baking soda is the way to go?

It doesn't really matter for a one off correction. Both are fine. if you have baking soda in the kitchen already, use that. For most regular dosing, sodium carboante is a better choice since most tanks benefit from a pH boost.

 

[drakebuffie]

Bought some fritz sodium bicarbonate. I will dose that and then check parameters again sometime this week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Bought some fritz sodium bicarbonate. I will dose that and then check parameters again sometime this week.

Assuming it is a solid, use this calculator:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Zero_Cool]

I am running gfo and phosphateE to lower phosphates. Phosphate E lowers phosphates. Unless I have the name of the product wrong which I dont think I do. Both lower phosphates. GFO slowly and phosphate E instantly at smallincrements.

Thank you. I misread the phosphate e as a typo.

 

[TheSheff]

Attaching my last 2 tests. Phosphates is coming down slowly thru running gfo and dosing phosphate e once a week or so.

Need to get the alkalinity up. What product should I be dosing with to do that? I would think regular wc would keep things where they need to be but apparently not.

KALKWASSER. CHEAP AND GOOOOOODDD. AKA calcium hydroxide btw

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I make my own soda ash. Bake baking soda in the oven. 99 cents worth of baking soda and lasts for months.