Dosing

[cccharliecc]

Ok, So I am gonna add some corals to my tank this weekend...some SPS frags and LPS as well.

My pH is usually around 7.8-7.9 and can get to 7.6 during the day. Should I be bringing that up now with some Kalk?

Also should I start to dose 2 part now? I have everything I need to do it, BRS dosers, containers and the additives from BRS.

These were my last numbers when I tested a few days ago:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Calcium - 491
Alkalinity - 7.56
pH - 7.7 - usually around 7.7 -7.9
Temp always between 78.5 - 78.8

 

[GoVols]

If you dose kalk for your ph you might not need to dose 2 part.

Kalk replenishes cal and alk

Lots of reefers dose kalk thru their ATO water, but if your calcium and alk are not dropping then you don't need to dose for them.

If your able to get the Co2 out of your home or get a Co2 scrubber that attaches to your skimmers air intake it could raise your ph too.

It would be nice if you could bring up your nitrates.

Need to test your phosphates and magnesium too.

 

[cccharliecc]

Haha....my co2 scrubber is me opening the windows!!! It’s nice out today!

I have a Hanna phosphate tester, just ordered reagents and a mg test also from BRS...should be here Friday.

Also ordered mg additives.

 

[cccharliecc]

For now I can just pour the kalk into a high flow power head right?
I want to set it to dose automatically with the apex and dosers.

 

[GoVols]

For now I can just pour the kalk into a high flow power head right?
I want to set it to dose automatically with the apex and dosers.

You need to do your research or ask Randy about dosing Kalk.

Real easy to over do it and your calcium is already at 490ppm.

It will raise ph, but it's going to raise your cal and alk too.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d slowly start to get hardy corals now. As demand rises it becomes easier to boost pH with higher alk additives.

 

[cccharliecc]

It's ok to have the pH at 7.7-7.9 with sps and lps?

 

[cccharliecc]

how do you bring up your nitrates?

 

[GoVols]

how do you bring up your nitrates?

First off I'd use the Salifert nitrate kit.

You could feed your fish more to bring them up.

Did you cycle your reef and watch the ammonia go up and down, then did your nitrites go up and back down?

If you did, you should detect nitrates.

I was on one thread where the reefer never dosed ammonia and his reef was never cycled.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's ok to have the pH at 7.7-7.9 with sps and lps?

Not optimal, no, but can it work? Yes.

 

[cccharliecc]

I did see ammonia go way up then down, then to nitrites and to nitrates.

I just kinda overfed my two fish.

I may bring pH up slightly with some kalk. How long does the kalk last when you dose it?...I mean how long will the pH stay up?

 

[GoVols]

I did see ammonia go way up then down, then to nitrites and to nitrates.

I just kinda overfed my two fish.

I may bring pH up slightly with some kalk. How long does the kalk last when you dose it?...I mean how long will the pH stay up?

Please don't dose kalk. Your cal and alk don't need it.

Randy said your ph was not perfect, but good enough

 

[cccharliecc]

ok.....I will sit tight
once I add the corals this weekend I will test each day and judge based on that and post here.

Thank you for all your help and advice!!! Always appreciated and this is really one of the best forums....everyone here is awesome!

 

[cccharliecc]

So it turns out i was doing my Hanna Ca test incorrectly. I was adding too much water....the whole 1 to .9 ml thing got me.
So my Ca level is 437
Alk is 7.45
Phosphate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

pH still around 7.8 - Can I/Should I add some kalk real slow to bring pH up to around 8.2 - 8.3?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So it turns out i was doing my Hanna Ca test incorrectly. I was adding too much water....the whole 1 to .9 ml thing got me.
So my Ca level is 437
Alk is 7.45
Phosphate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

pH still around 7.8 - Can I/Should I add some kalk real slow to bring pH up to around 8.2 - 8.3?

I wouldn't. Alk will probably rise too much. Just dose limewater/kalkwasser based on the alkalinity needs, and hope it helps with pH.

 

[cccharliecc]

What’s the ideal Alk?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

What Randy said. I think far too many people see calcium hydroxide as a way to raise pH. It is not. It is a way to add calcium and carbonate alkalinity. The pH increase is just a nice bonus.

As far as ideal alkalinity, there is not one. Many tanks have been successful from 7.0 dKh all the way to 11 dKh or higher. In general, higher alkalinity can increase stony coral growth. But, higher alkalinity is not ideal in all situations. If you dose an organic carbon source with the goal of low nutrients, alkalinity closer to natural seawater is better.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What’s the ideal Alk?

i don't know if there is an "ideal", but 7-8 dKH is certainly a fine range. Up to 11 dKH is also usually fine.

 

[cccharliecc]

Thank you.
I will leave things as is. Once I have corals in there and see ca and All drop the I will look at a 2 part dosing routine.
Does that sound like the correct approach?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you.
I will leave things as is. Once I have corals in there and see ca and All drop the I will look at a 2 part dosing routine.
Does that sound like the correct approach?

That sounds like a good plan, yes. [emoji3]