Best way to raise alk

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

I am currently having a problem with my alk. I use kalkwasser,. My calcium is steady at 450, but my alk has dropped to 6.5. I am unsure the best method to raise the alk?
Baking soda? Or two part? I'm on my way to Lfs but they will just sale me stuff.

tigerdragon · Oct 14, 2014

Do a 25% water change first then see what your alk is and start dosing. I take that you arent doising alk atm you need to bring it up to around 10 which is a good spot. I use two part and been keeping by alk around 9.2 i would like to bring mine up a little higher myself but i like to go slowly as to not shock everything

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

I am not currently dosing, but I need to start I assume. I will do the water change, and grab some two part and go from there. Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 14, 2014

FWIW, I don't think a water change will do anything important for this issue, but water changes also do not generally hurt anything.

If the limewater is saturated and is being used to replace all evaporated water, then my suggestion is to start using a two part additive in addition to the limewater.

You can buy a commercial one, or a DIY using my recipes with bulk chemicals sold by folks such as BRS.

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

I do 10% water change weekly, I am due today. I am using 1/2 tsp per of kalk gallon should I bump that up a little?

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

1/2 tsp per gallon the is. I'm not dyslexic.

zemuss · Oct 14, 2014

So what the 1/2 tsp is mixed in your Salt mix?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 14, 2014

tencwhiskey said:
I do 10% water change weekly, I am due today. I am using 1/2 tsp per of kalk gallon should I bump that up a little?

In that case, you can hold off on the two part for now and up the amount of calcium hydroxide in the limewater to 1 full teaspoon per freshwater gallon and see what that does over several days.

If you need to, you can double that again, but that's the limit of what will dissolve (2 tsp per gallon of fresh water).

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

It mixed in my auto top off reservoir. From my understanding it's best to start off with 1/2tsp per gallon of water for the limewater, I'm curious if I should add more kalkwasser?

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

Ok perfect. I will do that. Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 14, 2014

zemuss said:
So what the 1/2 tsp is mixed in your Salt mix?

I presume (hopefully) he means in his top off water.

tencwhiskey · Oct 14, 2014

Yes my top off water.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 14, 2014

Sounds good.

Let us know how the bumped dose turns out.

tencwhiskey · Oct 15, 2014

I bumped it up, came home today checked the alk had no movement, so I found my Api alk kit and checked it with that, and it's coming back at 9.
My Red Sea is coming back at 6.4. I know the Red Sea is usually better but I'm thinking it may be wrong.