Best Alk solution for dosing?

[Floyd-]

Im only keeping LPS coral so mag and cal dont really need dosing but I do go through some Alk.
At the moment im using Brightwell 8.3 liquid. Is there any pro's and cons for other solutions? Cheaper? Im only dosing 15ml at the moment but I have a low load of coral.
Ive heard the powder alk products are "weaker" than the liquid and you have to double if not triple the dose to get the same results.

 

[jcdeng]

lps uses cal too, like chalices and acans, if they are expanding, they are using up both alk and cal.

But to answer your question, BRS soda ash is very good.

 

[Floyd-]

I guess water changes keep up with cal and mag at the moment. I always check but have never dosed.
Ill look into the soda ash and see what thats about. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Jekyl]

Baking soda works just fine. Cheap and the same thing BRS will sell you for more money.

 

[Floyd-]

Baking soda works just fine. Cheap and the same thing BRS will sell you for more money.

Using the calculators it only states how much baking soda to use and doesnt specify how much RODI water to use to dissolve.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ive heard the powder alk products are "weaker" than the liquid and you have to double if not triple the dose to get the same results.

Not sure what you are talking about, but in general you do not want to add undissolved solids to the tank water.

There are many good ways to supplement calcium and alk, and the best ones tie the two together.

Ordinary baking soda works perfectly well for occasional alk boosts, but a two part is a better bet for ongoing use.

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[Sean Clark]

Using the calculators it only states how much baking soda to use and doesnt specify how much RODI water to use to dissolve.

The amount of RODI is irrelevant in this case. Only the amount of baking soda matters here. Just dissolve it in any amount of water and add it to a high flow area.

 

[Floyd-]

Not sure what you are talking about, but in general you do not want to add undissolved solids to the tank water.

Its just comments Ive seen online. I have nothing to back it up other than that. I thought it was bogus.

The amount of RODI is irrelevant in this case. Only the amount of baking soda matters here. Just dissolve it in any amount of water and add it to a high flow area

Wasnt sure how that would work for dosing with a pump. I can add to 100ml or 500ml of RODI and the dose would change per ml added. Maybe I should stick to a liquid to dose?

 

[Sean Clark]

Its just comments Ive seen online. I have nothing to back it up other than that. I thought it was bogus.

Wasnt sure how that would work for dosing with a pump. I can add to 100ml or 500ml of RODI and the dose would change per ml added. Maybe I should stick to a liquid to dose?

I was referring to making a single adjustment to your alk with baking soda. You referenced using the calculators to see how much baking soda to add.

If you are going to use baking soda and want to use the calculator for "liquid baking soda" then you need to add the instructed amount of water.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wasnt sure how that would work for dosing with a pump. I can add to 100ml or 500ml of RODI and the dose would change per ml added. Maybe I should stick to a liquid to dose?

If you add more water to dissolve it, you add less liquid volume to the tank.

 

[Floyd-]

Last I tested this is what I got:

Temp-77
Salinity-1.024
Nitrate-3.1
PH-8.0
Cal-440
Mag-1350
Alk-8.7

I only dose 15ml of alk a day. This tank is 175gallons and is about 7 months old.