Can anyone give me a help tip. Mixing alk and Ca.

VelocityTech · Mar 28, 2017

I am wondering, if my mix is bad. Or if this is completely normal.

I made up 2 parts of Alkalinity soda ash, and Calcium. 1 gallon each.

I dump it slowly into my sump area spaced out. And 1 hour apart.

My concern is. When I dump it, it turns into a snow type floating particle. Seems as ifnit doesn't mix good IMO.

I ATTACHED A PHOTO*

My tank size is 180 gallon with 50 gallon sump.
Salinity 1025
PH 7.78 (having low problems) and I run cdx reaction skimmer intake.
Temp 80F via apex.

If You zoom in on the photo you will see the alk particles. It seems as If It does not mix properly. The fish try to eat it if it makes it passed the sump pump into display.

Hopefully it's over reacting and normal.

Thanks!

VelocityTech · Mar 28, 2017

Here is a better photo! That is not dirty glass. It is the flakes.

Sabellafella · Mar 28, 2017

Jordan Walthour said:
Here is a better photo! That is not dirty glass. It is the flakes.

The high ph from the solution going in, it can potentially precipitate. This is common for an alk additive, try dosing into a very high flow area. That should solve your problem!

VelocityTech · Mar 28, 2017

Calcium does the same though?

I could dose into the overflow. That helps a little. Still seems to flake through a bit though. I even mixed up new solution. Using BRS 2 PART. PRE PACKAGED.

Sabellafella · Mar 28, 2017

Jordan Walthour said:
Calcium does the same though?

I could dose into the overflow. That helps a little. Still seems to flake through a bit though. I even mixed up new solution. Using BRS 2 PART. PRE PACKAGED.

For calcium, theres many factors why it could precipitate, such as both high alk and cal, low magnesium, very high ph, even heat. But its unlikely, alk supplements tend to have a very very high ph, so when dosed- an area that is stagnant or in your case "lower flow" can drive precipitation due too localized high concentration of both alk and ph. Its a issue that mostly everyone would deal with dosing 2 part including me. I have my dosers dump into the turbid outlet of my skimmer works ok. For my kalk, i have a small powerhead pointed toward my dosing tubing, to get it mixed before it gets pumped up into my dt. Otherwise, id have cloudy stuff just like you do! Hopefully i was of help!