Low Alk help, how much baking soda to dose?

[Greg P]

Just tested used .46 of the Tritant which put it at a dKh of 6.4

We are looking for a test result of your mix

We are trying to see if your test kit is reading correctly

 

[RedG]

We are looking for a test result of your mix

We are trying to see if your test kit is reading correctly

That is the result from testing the display tank about an hour after adding the mix.

This attached pic is from testing the gallon mix, I used the full 1 ml and it didn’t get to green.

 

[Greg P]

Deleted

 

[IslandLifeReef]

That is the result from testing the display tank about an hour after adding the mix.

This attached pic is from testing the gallon mix, I used the full 1 ml and it didn’t get to green.

Looking at your picture, you never finished the test. The sample should turn green when it is at the end, and if you add more, it turns yellow. Blue is just the beginning of the test. What salt mix are you using?

Edit: I see that this is from the Alk mix. You could keep adding and then calculate your Alk concentration.

As was stated earlier, you haven’t mentioned anything that would be consuming Alk, so I wonder how it got so low.

 

[Greg P]

My fault for not being clear. We are looking to see if you are using the test kit correctly, and if it is itself reading correctly.

Given a mix of 'X' solution to 'X' water volume will give you 'X' test result

We are trying to see if your test kit is reading correctly

 

[RedG]

Ok so on testing the gallon mix of baking soda if I used the full 1 ml of Tritant and it didn’t get pass the blue as pictured, should I refill with another 1 ml or more until it turns green?

I’m using Tropic Marin Syn-Biotic Sea Salt

 

[FishyFishFish]

I would think that the Alk of the mix is so high that you won’t be able to test it (without using all of the reagent in the test kit!).

What was being asked, was for you to mix up some fresh saltwater and test that, so people can confirm that you are using the test kit correctly.

 

[Greg P]

What was being asked, was for you to mix up some fresh saltwater and test that, so people can confirm that you are using the test kit correctly.

This ^^^

 

[RedG]

I would think that the Alk of the mix is so high that you won’t be able to test it (without using all of the reagent in the test kit!).

What was being asked, was for you to mix up some fresh saltwater and test that, so people can confirm that you are using the test kit correctly.

Oops got it thanks for the clarification and all the help everyone. I’ll test a fresh sample of the salt mix in the morning and post the results

 

[Greg P]

Give us a test result from your newly mixed salt

OK, just missed your post

 

[Greg P]

Oops got it thanks for the clarification and all the help everyone. I’ll test a fresh sample of the salt mix in the morning and post the results

Only asked you a couple times for this;
Posts 9, 12, 18, 21, 25

Looking forward to the results to try to help you out

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

i think alk takes longer than that to become testable, accurately

Alkalinity from baking soda is properly detectable within however long it takes to disperse in the water, which may be only minutes in a sumpless system, longer in a system with extended sumps and refugia.

 

[RedG]

Only asked you a couple times for this;
Posts 9, 12, 18, 21, 25

Looking forward to the results to try to help you out

;Drowning Sorry bud I misunderstood like a few times, got so stressed yesterday after seeing all those results, and got so alarmed.

Ok so I just tested the DT and I’m showing 7 dKh after the baking soda mix I dumped last night which was another 1.5 ounces for a day total of 7.5 ounces yesterday (also last night I did a water top off on the tank about 2.5 gallons of fresh RODI water we’re added to the sump)

The results for a salt mix is 7.3 dKh

I also just dosed another 3.5 ounces of the baking soda mix to the DT

 

[IslandLifeReef]

;Drowning Sorry bud I misunderstood like a few times, got so stressed yesterday after seeing all those results, and got so alarmed.

Ok so I just tested the DT and I’m showing 7 dKh after the baking soda mix I dumped last night which was another 1.5 ounces for a day total of 7.5 ounces yesterday (also last night I did a water top off on the tank about 2.5 gallons of fresh RODI water we’re added to the sump)

The results for a salt mix is 7.3 dKh

I also just dosed another 3.5 ounces of the baking soda mix to the DT

If your salt mix is producing water at 7.3 dKh, I would try to keep my DT at that dKh as well. It will make water changes much easier when you start adding corals that are sensitive to dKh swings.

I‘ll add again, I wonder why your ALK dropped so much if you don’t have corals that use a lot. Water changes alone should keep it stable in your tank for now.

 

[RedG]

If your salt mix is producing water at 7.3 dKh, I would try to keep my DT at that dKh as well. It will make water changes much easier when you start adding corals that are sensitive to dKh swings.

I‘ll add again, I wonder why your ALK dropped so much if you don’t have corals that use a lot. Water changes alone should keep it stable in your tank for now.

Yeah I wonder that as well. I think someone mentioned the dry rock maybe; but I don’t know.

I’m reading 7.3 dKH on the DT now after dosing earlier today of 3.5 ounces of the baking soda mix

 

[ApoIsland]

Just for the record - most corals can survive and grow for long periods of time in low alk so it's rarely an urgent issue that needs to be addressed or stressed about. Especially not in the early stages of your reef. Take your time figuring out the correct dosing etc and don't rush it.

For 10 years I have been running a 120 gallon sps/lps/sofies/zoas mixed reef that spends much more time each month with alk in the 4 to 5dkh range than it does at the 7 or 8 dkh range.

 

[RedG]

Just for the record - most corals can survive and grow for long periods of time in low alk so it's rarely an urgent issue that needs to be addressed or stressed about. Especially not in the early stages of your reef. Take your time figuring out the correct dosing etc and don't rush it.

For 10 years I have been running a 120 gallon sps/lps/sofies/zoas mixed reef that spends much more time each month with alk in the 4 to 5dkh range than it does at the 7 or 8 dkh range.

Thanks for input and that makes me feel better knowing that. It is a learning g lesson for sure, and very great full for all the great support here.

Right now I’m at 7.8 dKh

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Right now I’m at 7.8 dKh

Alk is fine in the 6.5 to 11 dKH range.

going below 7 dKH is not necessarily a problem (the ocean is below 7 dKH), but given testing uncertainty, it may be lower than you measure, so pushing the low end is not typically desirable.

 

[RedG]

Alk is fine in the 6.5 to 11 dKH range.

going below 7 dKH is not necessarily a problem (the ocean is below 7 dKH), but given testing uncertainty, it may be lower than you measure, so pushing the low end is not typically desirable.

Understood thank you, definitely gonna pick up a checker and try to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible