Dosing just soda ash

Hallowhead · Dec 30, 2019

Howdy,

I have noticed ~ .2 dkh usage per day so I've begun the wheels in dosing on my display tank.

I've purchased soda ash and a single BRS doser to help combat this drop. I've begun reading more and more than I'm hurting my tank by only dosing soda ash to raise alk. Should I also be dosing calc ?

Any insite is helpful

EmdeReef · Dec 30, 2019

The ratio of Ca to alk consumption is ~20ppm Ca for every 2.8dKH.
Eventually your Ca may drop too low but you can probably continue dosing only alk as long as your calcium is in a normal range.

Hallowhead · Dec 30, 2019

So dosing .2 dkh a day until I see my Ca drop really low should be okay ? I plan on dosing Ca soon too but my alk was ~7 dkh the other day..

EmdeReef · Dec 30, 2019

assuming the alk consumption remains at 0.2 a day, in ~14 days you Ca will have dropped ~20ppm. You should check Ca levels and consumption in your tank as it may not always be balanced.

It’s always best to dose the 2 part Together but if for shorter periods you don’t dose Ca I don’t think there will be much damage.

beaslbob · Dec 30, 2019

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Hallowhead · Dec 30, 2019

Now maybe I regret buying the BRS doser... should have gotten a jebao 4 head maybe

Terry Mattson · Dec 30, 2019

I have a three head doser but you have one so buy a second one for calcium and do not look back.

Hallowhead · Dec 30, 2019

Terry Mattson said:
I have a three head doser but you have one so buy a second one for calcium and do not look back.

What about magnesium than? Dose manually ?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 30, 2019

Hallowhead said:
Howdy,

I have noticed ~ .2 dkh usage per day so I've begun the wheels in dosing on my display tank.

I've purchased soda ash and a single BRS doser to help combat this drop. I've begun reading more and more than I'm hurting my tank by only dosing soda ash to raise alk. Should I also be dosing calc ?

Any insite is helpful

Your calcium demand is very small (less than 2 ppm per day) so it may take a while for need to become apparent, and if you salt mix starts high in calcium, it may never need it unless the demand picks up.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 30, 2019

Hallowhead said:
What about magnesium than? Dose manually ?

Your demand for magnesium is less than 0.2 ppm per day. No dosing needed for a long time.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 30, 2019

Hallowhead said:
So dosing .2 dkh a day until I see my Ca drop really low should be okay ? I plan on dosing Ca soon too but my alk was ~7 dkh the other day..

Yes.

Terry Mattson · Dec 30, 2019

Hallowhead said:
What about magnesium than? Dose manually ?

That is what I do. Check it monthly and add when needed. I overdosed a little a few months ago. Still slowly coming down. I run kalkwisser in my doser containers. It keeps calcium and alk balanced. I have brs two part in gallon jugs and adjust as needed. But usually calcium is 450 and steady and only need to add 15 to 30 ml of soda ash a week. Someday will switch to two part. But calcium works for me right now. I have lps, zoas, mushrooms, and a Birdsnest.

Terry Mattson · Dec 30, 2019

Terry Mattson said:
That is what I do. Check it monthly and add when needed. I overdosed a little a few months ago. Still slowly coming down. I run kalkwisser in my doser containers. It keeps calcium and alk balanced. I have brs two part in gallon jugs and adjust as needed. But usually calcium is 450 and steady and only need to add 15 to 30 ml of soda ash a week. Someday will switch to two part. But calcium works for me right now. I have lps, zoas, mushrooms, and a Birdsnest.

Kalkwisser not calcium....

Hallowhead · Dec 30, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Your calcium demand is very small (less than 2 ppm per day) so it may take a while for need to become apparent, and if you salt mix starts high in calcium, it may never need it unless the demand picks up.

I use instant ocean reef salt not crystals. I'll monitor it slowly as time goes. Thank you so much !

Val Shebeko · Dec 30, 2019

Hallowhead said:
Howdy,

I have noticed ~ .2 dkh usage per day so I've begun the wheels in dosing on my display tank.

I've purchased soda ash and a single BRS doser to help combat this drop. I've begun reading more and more than I'm hurting my tank by only dosing soda ash to raise alk. Should I also be dosing calc ?

Any insite is helpful

And btw, get some baking soda, Arm and Hammer, about 600 grams, pour it out on a cookie sheet, bake it at 375 for about an hour mix with a gallon of di water and be careful not to overdose. Cheap and dirty

Hallowhead · Jan 3, 2020

Update:

I recieved my doser and my soda ash. I calibrated my doser and began dosing starting at 1.9 mL as that's what is dosed in 1 minute the minimum my timer currently allows.

My question is:

I've been noticing .2 dkh drop per day but between two days ago and yesterday it remained 7.3 the lowest the tank has ever been.. does alkalinity bottom out ? Or would it continue to drop to zero? Does something else compensate ? Does a reaction occur in which calcium turns to alkalinity or mg?

Terry Mattson · Jan 3, 2020

Use the brs calculator to estimate your dosing needs. I have about 70 gallons and would require about 20 ml of liquid soda ash to maintain. 2 drop daily. The brs calculator is on line. I do use brs 1 gallon pouches and mix in ro di water. You can also use it for the other key elements.

Hallowhead · Jan 3, 2020

Terry Mattson said:
Use the brs calculator to estimate your dosing needs. I have about 70 gallons and would require about 20 ml of liquid soda ash to maintain. 2 drop daily. The brs calculator is on line. I do use brs 1 gallon pouches and mix in ro di water. You can also use it for the other key elements.

Not what I was asking but thank you !

Terry Mattson · Jan 3, 2020

Sorry, 7.3 is very low. But it will continue to drop ad even become acidic. If I had that condition would consider it an emergency and would dose .5 DKH today and .7 dkh tomorrow to get off the bottom then dose daily as needed to keep the tank 8 to 8.5 dkh.

Hallowhead · Jan 3, 2020

Terry Mattson said:
Sorry, 7.3 is very low. But it will continue to drop ad even become acidic. If I had that condition would consider it an emergency and would dose .5 DKH today and .7 dkh tomorrow to get off the bottom then dose daily as needed to keep the tank 8 to 8.5 dkh.

I've read Randy's reccomended levels and 7dkh is actually standard for surface ocean levels and anything higher is deemed acceptable. So I know 7.3 is safe... It's just not going to accelerate coral growth like I'm looking for. I'm asking why my .2 dkh daily drop stopped once it hit 7.3