It is indeed sodium bicarbonate, I’m pretty sure I mentioned that somewhere, but I could be wrong. Salifert and the Alkatronic are both coming up with the same dKH values. I can run an API test too. I’m just baffled. I know the dosing solution is of proper strength as I diluted and tested it as well. There’s just no way my corals are using this much, and I don’t know where it’s going. I have dosed a bit of calcium chloride, but not as much as the Alkatronic. I only use API for calcium as well.
Alkalinity Consumption Question
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Auquanut
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There can be some disparity between the amount of Alk to calc (in ml) the the corals and inverts consume, but they should be close.
If your using massive amounts of Alk and minuscule amounts of Cal, I think you can rule out the idea that the corals are consuming the Alk.
If you are ABSOLUTELY certain that the strength of your sodium bicarbonate solution is correct, something else is amiss. Have you checked to see if the amount that the alkatronic says is being dosed is accurate? I'm stumped too. I would be very worried that if you are actually dosing that much Alk, you could be headed for a crash.
If your using massive amounts of Alk and minuscule amounts of Cal, I think you can rule out the idea that the corals are consuming the Alk.
If you are ABSOLUTELY certain that the strength of your sodium bicarbonate solution is correct, something else is amiss. Have you checked to see if the amount that the alkatronic says is being dosed is accurate? I'm stumped too. I would be very worried that if you are actually dosing that much Alk, you could be headed for a crash.
He means the problem almost has to be the sodium bicarbonate solution, as in there is something off with it, isn't mixed right etc.
When the doser is supposed to add some bi carbonate, catch it in a clean container and then measure it in ml. Then compare to the record in the program.
LARedstickreefer
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A two month old tank? That seems super young to be dosing alkalinity and going full on alkatronic 
There are other processes that use up alkalinity I believe. I’d imagine a young tank has a lot of wildly swinging organic processes still going on.
There are other processes that use up alkalinity I believe. I’d imagine a young tank has a lot of wildly swinging organic processes still going on.
Good point LARedA two month old tank? That seems super young to be dosing alkalinity and going full on alkatronic
There are other processes that use up alkalinity I believe. I’d imagine a young tank has a lot of wildly swinging organic processes still going on.
What are your nitrate levels, are they stable?
Nitrate levels have been stable somewhere between the 5 and 10 colors per Salifert. Phosphate levels have been stable somewhere between 0.04 and 0.07 per Hanna.
I'm certain the strength is correct. I'll turn off dosing for now and see what happens.
It appears as though the dose is correct.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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You sure you are actually dosing what you think?
you sure you made the solution correctly?
you sure you made the solution correctly?
3 mL sodium bicarbonate solution and 997 mL RO/DI gave a dKH value of 8. That checks out with what BRS calculators suggest. Pretty confident the solution is correct, and on a side note I’m pretty familiar with chemistry and relations in general. Not in the hobby sense, but it’s what I study
. That is why I am so confused by what is happening here.
Lithoman
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3 mL sodium bicarbonate solution and 997 mL RO/DI gave a dKH value of 8. That checks out with what BRS calculators suggest. Pretty confident the solution is correct, and on a side note I’m pretty familiar with chemistry and relations in general. Not in the hobby sense, but it’s what I study
Were you able to figure it out?
esse
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Is there any way to measure concentration of the supplements we mix up?
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you can get a rough estimate by sufficiently diluting it to come into the range of a kit.
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