Help! Alkalinity!

Beausoleiljacob · Feb 3, 2016

My tank is relatively new a little more than a month old since start up I have done 1.5 water changes (The half is having to constantly re-add water when I acclimate). Anyways, I use Coral Pro Red Sea Salt which is suppose to have an Alkalinity of 12.2. However, I tested my alkalinity today and it was around 7.7 Dkh. What would you recommend doing? Should I use my BRS 2 part alkalinity solution? I am a total noob and have no idea what to do. I would assume it would be stressful on fish to do a water change so it would be best to get it back to the needed level. Please help!
Thanks!

Lenny_S · Feb 3, 2016

Not sure what that salt is supposed to have for alkalinity, but if you're getting 7.7 dKH that is just about perfect.

Triggreef · Feb 3, 2016

I like red sea regular, coral pro seems to have a lot of people having issues. Alk right around 8 is perfect. If you try to maintain your numbers where the tank likes them to be, it's easier than chasing specific numbers.

armyguy · Feb 3, 2016

I stopped using Red Sea because I was having different measurements from different buckets, I use Oceanic now for a year and requires very little supplements

favites · Feb 3, 2016

ALK 7-10 for most systems is the 'norm'...do you have coral or fish yet? Biggest mistake most of us make is trying to correct any variable but especially ALK too quickly... I have some concern about the salt mix with ALK that high (12) on average and your experience level,,,large water changes could lead to instability quickly...

It was smart to check the ALK of the new water before changes and make sure not significantly different than your system. Goal of not having your ALK swing by more than 1 DKH... best of luck

Mark

Beausoleiljacob · Feb 3, 2016

I do. I just added my first corals recently. I have 2 firefish 2 clowns and a shrimp. I tested freshly mixed salt and it had the perfect alk of 12.2. I don't know what I should do.

favites · Feb 3, 2016

I would just use the red sea 'regular' mix if you prefer that brand which mixes at 8 or so. Prob rec ANY salt other than the red sea pro which mixes the highest ALK of commercially available salts. You do not need to worry about dosing right now.. check your ALK once or twice a week to understand how it changes over time. you should be able to maintain levels with 10% water changes weekly or biweekly. You are FINE!!!

mrtian97 · Feb 4, 2016

agree, just do 10% WC weekly

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 4, 2016

If the alkalinity continues to decline, I'd use the two part in equal parts dosing to maintain about 8 dKH as a reasonable target, though I generally recommend 7-11 dKH as OK for most tanks (except ULNS SPS tanks, which this is not).

Use one of the online calculators to determine how much that dose it.

Calcium will follow along OK with equal parts dosing.

Justiful · Feb 4, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
If the alkalinity continues to decline, I'd use the two part in equal parts dosing to maintain about 8 dKH as a reasonable target, though I generally recommend 7-11 dKH as OK for most tanks (except ULNS SPS tanks, which this is not).

Use one of the online calculators to determine how much that dose it.

Calcium will follow along OK with equal parts dosing.

Here is the calculator. He usually links it. He must be sleepy. http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html