Can’t raise alkalinity

[Fishingandreefing]

My tank was cycled 73g since around April of this year and it’s currently hosting handful of lps and two fishes one goby.

My alk is low at around 6 and cal at around 420 despite that I dose kalk via ato (10 tsp per 5g bucket rodi).

in addition, I was dosing 20ml soda ash daily for 5 days and it was still at around 6.

it should be noted that before dosing soda ash, there was a lot precipitation from the kalk. I cleaned the sump and pump up with the except of the return hose.

now it’s on the 8th day, I was dosing 25ml and still at around 6, what’s going? I haven’t test cal recently, should it be low or high if you would have to guess?

let me know if yiu know any ideas

 

[MarshallB]

Test your magnesium. It should be around 1300+. It acts as a buffer to prevent precipitation. What test are you using for alk?

 

[HuduVudu]

Check the area where your ATO dumps water in. You need a lot of water movement in that area to ensure that the kalk gets diluted quickly. It could be you are precipitating the kalk before you are getting it into the tank.

 

[MCWL]

If you were using Kalk to keep the ph and Dkh stable, you would have had a much higher dkh. But now using soda ash, you wold need more than 20 mil a day. I have a 90, and dose 80 per day to keep mine at 9.5. I would increase and test daily, until you get to were you want to be.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

H

Test your magnesium. It should be around 1300+. It acts as a buffer to prevent precipitation. What test are you using for alk?

Hanna for alk. Maybe I check mag by Red Sea

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Check the area where your ATO dumps water in. You need a lot of water movement in that area to ensure that the kalk gets diluted quickly. It could be you are precipitating the kalk before you are getting it into the tank.

It was a lot precipitation’s but since I added a tiny pump, it’s barely ok but I still see some. I am running a 40gph tiny pump maybe I need a bigger pump to smash it.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

If you were using Kalk to keep the ph and Dkh stable, you would have had a much higher dkh. But now using soda ash, you wold need more than 20 mil a day. I have a 90, and dose 80 per day to keep mine at 9.5. I would increase and test daily, until you get to were you want to be.

Oh wow 80? What’s your ph? You have success keeping 9.5? I try to keep it at 8-8.5

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Little update. I finally got some sodium bicarbonate so that it won’t raise my ph. My ph was 8.5 when I was dosing soda ash.

anyway, I tested alk this morning and it was 4.9! So on the safe side, I calculated by the BRS calculator, it requires 115ml daily? ( I put down goal value as 6 dkh since I don’t want to shock the system)

am I right? Also, since I was dosing soda ash but I was still unable to raise alk.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

What’s going on? I place a small pump where the ATO water goes in and now it reduces a lot of precipitation from the kalk but the sump glass are all white after about 3 days!

also, if I clean the return pipe, will it be full of precipitation again? If so I am not going to bother.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Precipitation from kalk

 

[Flux Capacitor]

Did you ever check your Mg?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Did you ever check your Mg?

Yeah mg was low but not too low, 1240 and cal was 397.

I just watched the BRS video about it. I think I will give it a good cleaning including the return pipe and see.

 

[StlSalt]

Little update. I finally got some sodium bicarbonate so that it won’t raise my ph. My ph was 8.5 when I was dosing soda ash.

anyway, I tested alk this morning and it was 4.9! So on the safe side, I calculated by the BRS calculator, it requires 115ml daily? ( I put down goal value as 6 dkh since I don’t want to shock the system)

am I right? Also, since I was dosing soda ash but I was still unable to raise alk.

I don't think alkalinty can actually get down to 4.9 in our tanks if I remember correctly. That says to me something is wrong with the test.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I don't think alkalinty can actually get down to 4.9 in our tanks if I remember correctly. That says to me something is wrong with the test.

I am pretty sure the test was pretty accurate. Here why. When I test alk, I always test my 120 and this 73. Same checker but random cuvette to be used but all washed by rodi water. The 120 was 8.9 (a bit high but it’s been consistent)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Little update. I finally got some sodium bicarbonate so that it won’t raise my ph. My ph was 8.5 when I was dosing soda ash.

anyway, I tested alk this morning and it was 4.9! So on the safe side, I calculated by the BRS calculator, it requires 115ml daily? ( I put down goal value as 6 dkh since I don’t want to shock the system)

am I right? Also, since I was dosing soda ash but I was still unable to raise alk.

mL of what solution?

Use this calculator to know how much dry sodium bicarbonate is needed:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Fishingandreefing]

mL of what solution?

Use this calculator to know how much dry sodium bicarbonate is needed:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

I am using powder form but mixed into liquid solution.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

So today I finally took the return hose off and it was caked with precipitation. I also did a pretty good wash on the return pump wirh vinegar. All the plumbing’s are calcified but not going to take them apart till last resort.

hopefully this will stop soon

Will test tomorrow and see

 

[Fishingandreefing]

It was a mess so I didn’t take picture of the return pump but it was all white inside. I think I got about 80-% off to include the sump glass.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When abiotic abiotic precipitation is an issue, the ways to stop it are:

1. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline (in this case, I'd wait just a day).
2. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
3. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
4. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

Add alk additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast. Do not try to boost the alk above 7 dKH.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

When abiotic abiotic precipitation is an issue, the ways to stop it are:

1. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline (in this case, I'd wait just a day).
2. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
3. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
4. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

Add alk additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast. Do not try to boost the alk above 7 dKH.

Will do. Thanks!