On dosing alkalinity...

JSully_94 · Oct 9, 2020

Hello!

What is the recommended MAXIMUM change when dosing alkalinity, preferably in dKH?

In other words, what is the highest increase in dKH you can get away with in a 24 hour period without any negative consequences in your reef tank?

Backstory: I’ve added several SPS corals to my 20 gallon AIO and now my alkalinity levels are dropping quite rapidly every day. Roughly 0.5 dKH in a 24 hour period. I’m going to start dosing every day I believe, but I would like to know the recommend maximum increase in dKH you can get away with within a 24 hour period.

Thanks,

Jon

Doctorgori · Oct 9, 2020

I dunno,say maybe going from 8.1 to 8.4 over a week hasn’t stressed anything IME, of course I’ve always had a mixed reef, not sps dom

JSully_94 · Oct 9, 2020

Doctorgori said:
I dunno,say maybe going from 8.1 to 8.4 over a week hasn’t stressed anything IME, of course I’ve always had a mixed reef, not sps dom

Do you have a specific product that you would recommend dosing? I’m currently using Seachem reef builder and on occasion Fluval Sea’s liquid alkalinity. Finding online calculators that list Fluval’s product is difficult. I’d prefer a liquid product so I don’t have to mix it with RODI water before adding it.

Jake_the_reefer · Oct 9, 2020

Not that I recomend this but I've taken my alk from 5 to 7.5 in 4 days. I try and keep under 1dkh per day. However this tank uses .8 dkh per day and my doser stopped working

chipmunkofdoom2 · Oct 9, 2020

I don't like to go more than 0.25 dKh/day, but that's me. Lots of people say 0.5 is a good, conservative number.

0.5 dKh daily is on the lower side of normal consumption. You should get a doser now if you plan to continue adding corals. Consumption isn't going to anywhere but up from here.

JSully_94 · Oct 9, 2020

chipmunkofdoom2 said:
I don't like to go more than 0.25 dKh/day, but that's me. Lots of people say 0.5 is a good, conservative number.

0.5 dKh daily is on the lower side of normal consumption. You should get a doser now if you plan to continue adding corals. Consumption isn't going to anywhere but up from here.

I would love to invest in Neptune’s Apex, Trident, and DŌS systems, but I’m a little intimidated and I also only have a 20 gallon tank. Maybe I’m mistaken, but I always have just assumed that equipment was more for larger systems. What would a solid introductory dosing system be? Or should I just jump into the Neptune world?

spiraling · Oct 9, 2020

BRS recommends:
"{product} will increase pH. Although this is temporary it is important to monitor pH during your initial dose and avoid raising the PH more than 0.20 per dose. Do not increase alkalinity levels more than 0.5meq/L or 1.4 dKH per day. If necessary spread the suggested dose out and test between doses {to prevent spikes in PH}. "

Doctorgori · Oct 9, 2020

JSully_94 said:
Do you have a specific product that you would recommend dosing? I’m currently using Seachem reef builder and on occasion Fluval Sea’s liquid alkalinity. Finding online calculators that list Fluval’s product is difficult. I’d prefer a liquid product so I don’t have to mix it with RODI water before adding it.

Yeah Randys #2 which is what BRS is based on, oh BTW he's got a new formula, if you head over to the chemistry dept they are discussing it now