Do i need to start dosing alk weekly?

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

I am having a hard time keeping alk up. I am shooting for 150ppm. I started from 90ppm. Took me 1.5 weeks to slowly get it up. To be honest prior to 2 weeks ago I can't remember the last time I check alk. I hit 150 2 days ago, I just tested it now and it was 130. Oddly enough my corals were fine under 90ppm. I actually lost a bunch of zoas 4 days ago. I do not think it was due to alk, I let po4 drop to 0 by accident. My levels as of tonight are:
Mag 1320
Cal 390
Alk 130ppm ( I have hanna and also 2nd checked it by redsea)
PH 8.2-8.4

I have not had to dose calcium or mag ever.
System is about 34 gallons heavily stocked lps, softies and nems. System is 11 months old.

If I have to dose on the regular how do I figure out how often and how much to maintain?

Bob O · Mar 20, 2016

Bulk Reef Supply has an online calculator for dosing and several decent videos on YouTube.

Bob O · Mar 20, 2016

In addition Randy Holmes-Farley has several good articles on the alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium relationships.

AlexStinson · Mar 20, 2016

calcium is just a bit low, Your LPS are using a decent amount of calc/alk building their skeletons. Might be time to dose weekly, or just add some kalk to your topoff. Kalk is probably the easiest solution, especially if you are using an ATO. My 40b just recently passed the threshold where water changes weren't keeping up with demand and I have been having great luck for the past month or so running limewater topoff.

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

AlexStinson said:
calcium is just a bit low, Your LPS are using a decent amount of calc/alk building their skeletons. Might be time to dose weekly, or just add some kalk to your topoff. Kalk is probably the easiest solution, especially if you are using an ATO. My 40b just recently passed the threshold where water changes weren't keeping up with demand and I have been having great luck for the past month or so running limewater topoff.

I do use an ato... it probably runs every 3 days. Since I dropped 20ppm in 2 days wouldn't that be to inconsistent for every 3 days?

AlexStinson · Mar 20, 2016

That is a very strange cycle for an ATO, mine runs hourly. You might wanna set up your switches to have a much lower swing zone.

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

AlexStinson said:
That is a very strange cycle for an ATO, mine runs hourly. You might wanna set up your switches to have a much lower swing zone.

It's a Hydor ato... when it does run it refills just under a gallon.

Sabellafella · Mar 20, 2016

Yea you might have to start dosing. First you need to figure out what 2 part your going to use, ive used brs 2 part and currently bionic. I would test for alk lets say tomorro, then test everyday for like 4 days and note your consumption. Now by the 2 part instructions, dose your recommended amount. Note- dose equal parts, i say test for alk everyday as it would be quick and easyer for you, your calc and mag will reflect off your saltmix. As long as your in the range of your consumption, after a while youll be able to fine tune. Once its fine tuned it should match your salt mix(if your doing water changes, i dose less alk as my saltmix runs higher and i do WC everyweek)

AlexStinson · Mar 20, 2016

Bmwm235i said:
It's a Hydor ato... when it does run it refills just under a gallon.

That's the same one I use

. I run through just under a gallon per day.

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

Sabellafella said:
Yea you might have to start dosing. First you need to figure out what 2 part your going to use, ive used brs 2 part and currently bionic. I would test for alk lets say tomorro, then test everyday for like 4 days and note your consumption. Now by the 2 part instructions, dose your recommended amount. Note- dose equal parts, i say test for alk everyday as it would be quick and easyer for you, your calc and mag will reflect off your saltmix. As long as your in the range of your consumption, after a while youll be able to fine tune. Once its fine tuned it should match your salt mix(if your doing water changes, i dose less alk as my saltmix runs higher and i do WC everyweek)

I have the bionic alk. I do weekly 10% w/c and I belive my lfs using reef crystals.

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

AlexStinson said:
That's the same one I use . I run through just under a gallon per day.

So how to I change my switches? I didn't think there was an option for that. I'd prefer for it to always stay at the max levels. When it drops to min level I start to get some splashing from my wave makers.

Sabellafella · Mar 20, 2016

Are you currently dosing? If not start with 5ml both parts and test everyday to see if it drops

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

Sabellafella said:
Are you currently dosing? If not start with 5ml both parts and test everyday to see if it drops

I just started to dose alk 2 weeks ago to get it up. But I haven't had to dose the cal.

AlexStinson · Mar 20, 2016

Bmwm235i said:
So how to I change my switches? I didn't think there was an option for that. I'd prefer for it to always stay at the max levels. When it drops to min level I start to get some splashing from my wave makers.

Since it is optical you can't. I'm assuming you don't have a sump, and are running it in your display, that's the only reason I could think that the .5" or so it has to drop would equal a gallon.

Sabellafella · Mar 20, 2016

Bmwm235i said:
I just started to dose alk 2 weeks ago to get it up. But I haven't had to dose the cal.

Yea im pretty positive you have to dose equal parts as everything contained in bionic somewhat trys to bring back ionic balance. You have to dose equal part and if you see calcium start to rise lower the dosage. I start dosing right away as soon as my tanks cycled and usually start around the 1ml per 10gallon mark. So i would try dosing both part, alk in the morning and calc during the day. After about 3-5 days see were your at, and ajust from there 0.5-1ml at a time

RMS18 · Mar 20, 2016

Sabellafella said:
Yea im pretty positive you have to dose equal parts as everything contained in bionic somewhat trys to bring back ionic balance. You have to dose equal part and if you see calcium start to rise lower the dosage. I start dosing right away as soon as my tanks cycled and usually start around the 1ml per 10gallon mark. So i would try dosing both part, alk in the morning and calc during the day. After about 3-5 days see were your at, and ajust from there

Hmm well I haven't been dosing both. My lfs said to dose each separately to gain proper levels. Maybe I misunderstood them.

Sabellafella · Mar 20, 2016

To be honest i really dont kno from experience because ive always dosed 2 part and anytime either alk or calc dropped i uped my dosage for both witch does the trick. Certain tanks have certain requirements and considering you dont have a packed sps tank, you could just get away with using kalk on a dosing pump

Sabellafella · Mar 20, 2016

Online-Theres litterally every right and wrong way you can think of with dosing 2 part, w.e works for you bud lol. You might not have to dose calc because you do alot of waterchanges (like i do lol) and that keeps up with your demand, but alk will always seem to drop dramatically

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 22, 2016

Bmwm235i said:
Hmm well I haven't been dosing both. My lfs said to dose each separately to gain proper levels. Maybe I misunderstood them.

I would dose independently (or with something else) to get to normal levels if they start significantly out of whack, but then use the B-ionic or other two part to keep them there using equal or close to equal doses.

The only time B-ionic won't fairly well maintian levels with equal parts dosing is if you ware doing water changes with a slat mix that is well off of your tank levels.