Help Alk

[Matt F]

So about 10 days ago I tested the elements in my tank my alk was 7.1 dkh Hanna checker, Red Sea No3 .75 low range, Hanna checker phosphate .02 ppm, calcium 480, magnesium 1500. It’s a 57 gallon tank with about a 10-15 gallon sump. I dose 7 mls of Alk daily. I also dose Acro power once a week on fridays 15 mls. I want my Alk at 8-8.5 so I dosed 20 mls of Alk right after waited a couple of days than tested again 2-3 days later and it was only 7.6 so I added another 20 mls and than l saw yesterday a couple of my acros are RTNing really fast a need some expert help. I did a 20% water change 2 days ago and Alk was at 8 so I just stopped dosing Alk for the last 2 days and has brought it down to 7.3 doing that for one more day then starting to dose Alk again. To hopefully keep it stable for days to come. Here are some pictures of corals also my water clarity is not so good since one of my acro colony has been RTNing. I run GFO and carbon but stopped carbon 2 weeks ago will put carbon back in tomorrow morning.

Any help will be great!!

 

[SantaMonica]

Not knowing how established it is (looks new), be sure all this dosing is done slowly, and is mixed completey so no powder(s) are reaching the corals.

 

[Matt F]

Not knowing how established it is (looks new), be sure all this dosing is done slowly, and is mixed completey so no powder(s) are reaching the corals.

It’s been running since August of last year so about a year and half and I dose b ionic alkalinity

 

[reef lover]

Just alk no calcium??
Always test for alk dose for both...

 

[stanleo]

My Alk can go from 9 to 8.4 in one day so I have no problem believing that yours was under 8 two days after dosing. I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure alk gets used up faster than the others. I test alk on a daily basis and dose for it based on the test, usually a half recommended dose daily. If the daily test says over 9.5, I don't dose, if its under 9, I do a full dose. If its 9 to 9.5 I do a half dose. I haven't needed to dose calcium yet, my water changes take care of that. I want it to stay 9 dKH. I put the dosing agent in the return chamber of the sump.

 

[Matt F]

Just alk no calcium??
Always test for alk dose for both...

I have a auto water change that does one gallon a day so that keeps my calcium up I have calcium ready if I need to dose but never need to

 

[reef lover]

Calcium takes so much to increase or lower that you wont see it out of balance until its damage is done. As randy holmes farley says...test for alk and dose equal amounts of both 2 part.

 

[SantaMonica]

Fast growing algae, as in a scrubber, can bring the alk down faster too.

 

[beaslbob]

if you haven't already read the improved diy 2 part. here:

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

not so much to implement that actual procedure but for the ideas behind the system.

Santa: macro algae (and anaerobic bacteria) reducing nitrates actually returns alk to the system. But that can be obviously over ruled by calcium/alk takeup by corals and hard algaes.

But both of those are just my .02