I've never tested for alkalinity

[GARRIGA]

Alkalinity is the buffer your system requires and is depleted by nitrification. Unless you are also performing denitrification than it will go down.

Tropic Marin has a simple KH test kit. Not the pro. Works on the same principle as API. Add one drop until it changes color. Each drop represents 1 dkh. Super simple. Quick. Can be adjusted to provide 0.5 dkh but I don’t bother with that precession. I aim for 9 knowing it can be off 2 dkh in either direction and all is fine.

 

[Danroo]

EDIT <<<deleted what I just posted>>>-- think I misread your post and was thinking you meant massive tank alk jump,,, but now I think the 7.7 to 8.6 instant jump was just in the bucket,,, that you later do small doses from ... so never mind

Oh no I meant the tank. It does lower ph for an hour but goes back up after the duration. I haven’t encountered any problems right now with this method of dosing but I don’t like doing it once my calcium goes below 400 I’ll do a water change and see if my alkalinity stay above 8.0 for a week at least till the next water change.

 

[EricR]

Oh no I meant the tank. It does lower ph for an hour but goes back up after the duration. I haven’t encountered any problems right now with this method of dosing but I don’t like doing it once my calcium goes below 400 I’ll do a water change and see if my alkalinity stay above 8.0 for a week at least till the next water change.

I've read cautions about increasing alkalinity that fast so wouldn't do it.

Don't quote me on this but I think most suggestions I've seen are to increase by no more than 1 dKH per day (maybe 1.5 dKH) and to do that in even smaller increases spread out over multiple steps (maybe 2-3 or more) throughout the day.

 

[Danroo]

I've read cautions about increasing alkalinity that fast so wouldn't do it.

Don't quote me on this but I think most suggestions I've seen are to increase by no more than 1 dKH per day (maybe 1.5 dKH) and to do that in even smaller increases spread out over multiple steps (maybe 2-3 or more) throughout the day.

I agree this is why I’m going to rely on my high alkalinity salt this is temporary and the alkalinity is raised by 0.5 people raise their alkalinity with baking soda directly in a high flow area. I just added mine in a rodi water.