Alkalinity Swings

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I measured my alkalinity yesterday and today to see how much is depleted in a day. I started dosing "all for reef" about 3 weeks ago in two tanks. The only other thing I do is put AB+ in the tanks. I am doing weekly water changes (20%) on the large tank and 50% every three days on the nano.

Tank 1 - Total volume is about 140 gallons. Tank is 3 years old, is a mixed reef with about 35 corals.
Tank 2 - 20 gallon that is 2 month old with 8 coral in it. I used 30 pounds of ocean rock that was shipped in water. Ammonia was never over 0.11 the entire time.

Tank 1 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 9.3, 24 hours later it was 6.7 (using Hanna). Dosing 30ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.
Tank 2 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 10.3, 24 hours later it was 8.2. I am dosing 5ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.

Should I increase my dosing amounts of "all for reef"? Should I start dosing something that is just alkalinity specific?

I have been watching a lot of BRS and others on Youtube and I see they like to keep alkalinity at around 9 to account for a swing from 7 to 11. I thought the idea was to try and keep it stable and avoid these types of swings all the time? Is dosing hourly better? I would have to get dosing pumps then, sigh... lol Thoughts? TYIA

 

[archercorals]

Try testing 2x a day 12 hours apart. The all in one product can take alk longer to show up after dosing.

 

[arking_mark]

Tanks typically consume 0.5dKH to 4.5dKH per day...so your within a normal range.

AFR is calcium formate which has a delayed impact on Alk as it has to be broken down by bacteria.

There is some evidence that coral can uptake formate...

You can use the TM calculator to figure out the dosage if you know your average consumption.

From personal experience, AFR is hard to dial in. Understanding your consumption prior to starting AFR was essential for me.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I measured my alkalinity yesterday and today to see how much is depleted in a day. I started dosing "all for reef" about 3 weeks ago in two tanks. The only other thing I do is put AB+ in the tanks. I am doing weekly water changes (20%) on the large tank and 50% every three days on the nano.

Tank 1 - Total volume is about 140 gallons. Tank is 3 years old, is a mixed reef with about 35 corals.
Tank 2 - 20 gallon that is 2 month old with 8 coral in it. I used 30 pounds of ocean rock that was shipped in water. Ammonia was never over 0.11 the entire time.

Tank 1 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 9.3, 24 hours later it was 6.7 (using Hanna). Dosing 30ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.
Tank 2 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 10.3, 24 hours later it was 8.2. I am dosing 5ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.

Should I increase my dosing amounts of "all for reef"? Should I start dosing something that is just alkalinity specific?

I have been watching a lot of BRS and others on Youtube and I see they like to keep alkalinity at around 9 to account for a swing from 7 to 11. I thought the idea was to try and keep it stable and avoid these types of swings all the time? Is dosing hourly better? I would have to get dosing pumps then, sigh... lol Thoughts? TYIA

You need to measure at the same time every day in order to accurately measure Alkalinity. It varies considerably during the day due to coral consumption.

Pick a time and always measure at that time, probably best before you dose AFR as that product takes at least 12 hours to be metabolised and converted to Alkalinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I measured my alkalinity yesterday and today to see how much is depleted in a day. I started dosing "all for reef" about 3 weeks ago in two tanks. The only other thing I do is put AB+ in the tanks. I am doing weekly water changes (20%) on the large tank and 50% every three days on the nano.

Tank 1 - Total volume is about 140 gallons. Tank is 3 years old, is a mixed reef with about 35 corals.
Tank 2 - 20 gallon that is 2 month old with 8 coral in it. I used 30 pounds of ocean rock that was shipped in water. Ammonia was never over 0.11 the entire time.

Tank 1 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 9.3, 24 hours later it was 6.7 (using Hanna). Dosing 30ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.
Tank 2 - Yesterday, several hours after daily dosing the alkalinity was 10.3, 24 hours later it was 8.2. I am dosing 5ML all at once, once a day, of "all for reef", the dry kind you mix.

Should I increase my dosing amounts of "all for reef"? Should I start dosing something that is just alkalinity specific?

I have been watching a lot of BRS and others on Youtube and I see they like to keep alkalinity at around 9 to account for a swing from 7 to 11. I thought the idea was to try and keep it stable and avoid these types of swings all the time? Is dosing hourly better? I would have to get dosing pumps then, sigh... lol Thoughts? TYIA

The results do not seem unreasonable to me. You might consider splitting the AFR doses to smooth out the alk, and if it gets too expensive, switch to a cheaper product like a two part.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

OK so I am taking everyone's advice. Here is what I am going to do - For the next 7 days I am testing at 6AM and 6PM and dosing 100% after the 6PM test. In 7 days I will start splitting the doses in half and administer the dose after each test.

To recap -
Tank 1 - Sunday 9.3. Monday 6.7, dosed after test. Today at 6AM, 12 hours after dose 8.5 today 6PM 7.3 then I dosed.

Tank 2 - Sunday 10.3. Monday 8.2, dosed after test. Today at 6AM, 12 hours after dose 9.9 today 6PM 8.6 then dosed.

I will track here. I'd like to have smaller swings keeping it at around 9, is that achievable if I spread the dosing out?

 

[MrGisonni]

I dosed my liquid AFR 4 times a day with a doser. It took a while to get it dialed in but now alk is fairly stable.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I dosed my liquid AFR 4 times a day with a doser. It took a while to get it dialed in but now alk is fairly stable.

@MrGisonni I mix the powder stuff. I have to shake it each time I go to dose it, the powder seems to settle at the bottom some. I want to hook it up to a doser, but I don't think it work right. Or, which is more likely, there is some operator error going on.

 

[gbroadbridge]

@MrGisonni I mix the powder stuff. I have to shake it each time I go to dose it, the powder seems to settle at the bottom some. I want to hook it up to a doser, but I don't think it work right. Or, which is more likely, there is some operator error going on.

You need to mix it until it dissolves which can take a while.
I use a magnetic stirrer and let it stir for a couple of hours and it's done by then.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

You need to mix it until it dissolves which can take a while.
I use a magnetic stirrer and let it stir for a couple of hours and it's done by then.

@gbroadbridge like this? Would this work?

 

[gbroadbridge]

@gbroadbridge like this? Would this work?

Pretty much what I use.
Try to use warmish water - room temp or so

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

So I realized when I went back to double check the dosing guidelines that I haven't increased the dose weekly and I think I am seeing the results of that in the Max 500 testing results. I am dosing at 5ML per 26G, going to increase that to 7.5 now.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Latest test. Need to get my alkalinity up to 9 and stabilized there.

 

[Fritz05]

I also need to dose alk (I use baking soda) in addition to AfR to maintain my alk stable. With AfR alone I had excessive calcium when increasing the dose to stabilize alk.

 

[Aqua Man]

50% every three days on the nano.

Tank 2 - 20 gallon that is 2 month old with 8 coral in it. I used 30 pounds of ocean rock that was shipped in water.

What salt are you using? 10 gallons every 3 days? Would have thought that Alk would be replenished!!

What is your Calcium?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

What salt are you using? 10 gallons every 3 days? Would have thought that Alk would be replenished!!

What is your Calcium?

Reef Crystals. 460 in the 20 gallon that I am doing lots of water changes on.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I also need to dose alk (I use baking soda) in addition to AfR to maintain my alk stable. With AfR alone I had excessive calcium when increasing the dose to stabilize alk.

Measured this AM. Last night after I dosed AFR at 7.5 ML per 26G in the 500, I also dosed at 1/2 the amount suggest by BRS (below). Let's see how this goes. I really want to try and keep stable alkalinity at around 9.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

The Sodium Bicarbonate worked as expected. I split the dose to walk the alkalinity up. In addition to my AFR (@7.5ML per 26) I think I should start a constant dose of soda ash, no?