low KH

rkseaslug · Jul 16, 2011

I have been dosing to raise my MAG from 900 to 1300. After two weeks, I am almost there, but my KH keeps dropin from 10 to 7. I bought some Sodium Bi-carb. and sodium carb. Anyone have a recipe?

revhtree · Jul 24, 2011

Bump for someone who may be able to help!

Troylee · Jul 24, 2011

Top off with kalk can't stress this enough!!!! Even with my 2 part on a dosing pump something about topping off with kalk makes it just so perfect!!!!

Just Jared · Jul 24, 2011

what salt do you use! your params are way off if your mag is that low. if you find some salt that closer to the params of your liking do a few large water changes. what size tank do you have? what your total water volume? what kind of corals are you stocking? with tanks that are not heavily stocked with stoney corals water change will help alot with delpetion of cal alk and mag. how often do you do water changes?

Just Jared · Jul 24, 2011

oh yeah, what test kits are you using.

PR_Reefers · Jul 24, 2011

I was a bit skeptical about using this at first... but have been dosing the alkalinity solution for a week now and it works great!!
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Anyways whats your Ca level? If it's too low you might have trouble raising Mg or vice-versa

caudill187 · Jul 24, 2011

+1 kalk if your trying to keep your alk high without a calcium reactor. Cheap, fun, simple, and works..... Also, depending on what corals you are trying to keep, you may be better off leaving at 7-8 that having it swing to 10, in my experience.

islander84 · Jul 26, 2011

if your tank is fairly new...coraline absorbs alot of mag.....i had low alk while back and used a baked baking soda mix and it helped

GR808 · Jul 26, 2011

probably one of the least expensive ways to raise your alk...
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-forum/53118-homemade-alkalinity-additive.html

smpolyp · Jul 28, 2011

Another possibility is to see if the calcium is high. Also make sure you are not dosing high amounts of calcium. With a Mag level of 900ppm you probably found you could only keep the cal up to 350 ppm. Now that the mag is up make sure you dose calcium at a moderate rate.

beaslbob · Jul 28, 2011

To me just do the diy 2 part system.

Which can be used with a little kalk in the top off water as well.

More specifically for kh just a little baking soda can bring it up.

my .02