Alk ?

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 4, 2015

Trying to get my alk more stable the problem that I'm having is that my alk drops from 7.6 to 7.0 from 8am to 10pm then my apex turns on the 1.1ml pump at 10pm to dose 20ml from 10pm to 7 am.

I'm using BRS two part. Should I be worrying about the .6 drop or is it ok ?
Salifert test kit

eliramos · Apr 5, 2015

M3ace9 · Apr 5, 2015

Greenstreet.1 said:
Trying to get my alk more stable the problem that I'm having is that my alk drops from 7.6 to 7.0 from 8am to 10pm then my apex turns on the 1.1ml pump at 10pm to dose 20ml from 10pm to 7 am.

I'm using BRS two part. Should I be worrying about the .6 drop or is it ok ?
Salifert test kit

That kind of drop is not too bad. I have a similar dosing schedule to prevent precip and have never had a problem. It should be fine.

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 5, 2015

Ok thank you will try and keep it there

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 5, 2015

I wouldn't worry about that either, but splitting the dose into two or more periods spread out over 24/7 will eliminate the concern.

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 5, 2015

From 8am to 9pm I dose cal so I will leave it alone for now. Thank you all for the input

Alabamareef · Apr 5, 2015

What is your Ca and Mg?

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 5, 2015

Alabamareef said:
What is your Ca and Mg?

450 and 1400

Alabamareef · Apr 5, 2015

Great numbers, I was just curious. As long as your levels are this stable your golden.

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 6, 2015

Thank you but I may try to get it to stay at 7.6 at all times so may cut back on the cal hrs and add some more hrs to the Alk

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 6, 2015

That's a fine plan. calcium hardly changes in 24 h, so adding it all at once or over a short period is fine.

reefndude · Apr 7, 2015

I just started dosing 2 part 2 weeks ago. Received dosing pumps and pc4 on Friday. Think I finally have reefkeeper set properly. Anyways my dosing schedule has been alkalinity every hour on the hour 24 times a day.
Calcium doses on the half hour 24 times a day. Been testing 3 times a day since setting up pumps to see what was going on.

After coming up with needing to dose 1.1 ml for 3 1/2 minutes.
24 times a day. That's 92.4 ml per day.

Test 1 alk tested at 8.1 at 10 pm.
Test 2 alk tested at 8.2-8.3 at 7 am
Test 3 at 1 pm alk held steady.
Test 4 at 10 pm alk drop back down to 8.1

By 7 am alk rose back to 8.2-8.3 range. Been consistent like that for 3 days now.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 7, 2015

reefndude said:
I just started dosing 2 part 2 weeks ago. Received dosing pumps and pc4 on Friday. Think I finally have reefkeeper set properly. Anyways my dosing schedule has been alkalinity every hour on the hour 24 times a day.
Calcium doses on the half hour 24 times a day. Been testing 3 times a day since setting up pumps to see what was going on.

After coming up with needing to dose 1.1 ml for 3 1/2 minutes.
24 times a day. That's 92.4 ml per day.

Test 1 alk tested at 8.1 at 10 pm.
Test 2 alk tested at 8.2-8.3 at 7 am
Test 3 at 1 pm alk held steady.
Test 4 at 10 pm alk drop back down to 8.1

By 7 am alk rose back to 8.2-8.3 range. Been consistent like that for 3 days now.

That certainly sounds like it is working out well.

reefndude · Apr 7, 2015

I hope so...not convinced reefkeeper is working properly

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 7, 2015

What's the trouble with it?

reefndude · Apr 7, 2015

Wasn't dosing at specified times. Seemed to be dosing regularly. I think I fixed it last night. Ended up resetting back to factory setting and reprogram it.
Its been spot on today

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 7, 2015

Ok, let's hope it doesn't overdose!

Greenstreet.1 · Apr 8, 2015

Can phosphate cause an alk like reaction to sps ? Like bleaching and tissue loss

M3ace9 · Apr 8, 2015

Greenstreet.1 said:
Can phosphate cause an alk like reaction to sps ? Like bleaching and tissue loss

Yes but starving your sps can also do that in addition to pests and many other variables. I personally would raise your alk into the 8.5 range. This way when your alk is at its lowest point it will still be at 8.