questions on dosing 2 part

[CoryC]

I've been recording my dKh daily using a hannah alkalinity checker. i've got some consistent readings and then some not so consistent readings. i know my alk is a bit, low which is why i'm starting dosing.
Saturday 1:00am
7.5


Sunday 1m 7.. 44


Sunday 1:am 7.39


Monday 12m 7.5

Any ideas? i thought i was getting an idea of how my much daily alk my tank was using but i took that measurement three times this morning and it just seemed all out of wack. Ca has been a steady 420-450. although i didnt measure it as much as i did my dkh. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Downbeach]

I don't see any "real" difference in those readings. That small about can be a little noise in the testing.

 

[CoryC]

i've got those readings when testing multiple times. should i start dosing a set amount to raise alk?

 

[Paul C.]

I'd call it 7.4 and start dosing. Just go slow. Whatever the calculator tells you to add to get to ur desired level, break it up over 3-5 days. Baby steps. Then decide on a amount to dose daily. Monitor. Adjust as needed to maintain ur desired level. If its a large amount that needs to be added, id recommend using a doser. I have to add 20 ml a day. So, i do mine manually. Good luck.

 

[NanaReefer]

Do you have an ATO? I was dosing 2 part for the last 2yrs, it was becoming a big PITA-lol So I decided to take the plunge and began adding Kalkwasser to my ATO. Wow! What a great concept. 3tbs of Kalkwasser added to 5g of RO/DI ATO and my ALK has been a consistent 9.2 for over a month now. My Ca has been a steady 450. I'm loving it! Anyways just wanted to share my experience Something for you to consider?


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[CoryC]

Is it ok to start with something like esv b ionic to dose with for a bit while I get a dosing pump and the bulk powder from brs?

 

[CoryC]

That's true about kalkwasser but I heard eventually it can become less effective? I do have an ato. Tunze

 

[Downbeach]

Is it ok to start with something like esv b ionic to dose with for a bit while I get a dosing pump and the bulk powder from brs?

Once you really need to start dosing, you could use simple A&H baking soda. 1 1/4 cups to one gallon of RO/DI water(I use a hand held blender to mix), fill in your numbers, using this calculator, and Randy's recipe #2 in the Alk drop down.

That's true about kalkwasser but I heard eventually it can become less effective? I do have an ato. Tunze

It's not "less effective", it's just that it may no longer be able to keep up with your demand, since it's limited by how much you can put into solution, saturation is 2 tsp. per gallon of RO/DI water, and your evaporation rate.

 

[CoryC]

Should I bake the baking soda? My ph is around 7.72-7.78

 

[Downbeach]

Not with recipe #2, any small affect on pH will quickly be mitigated, once the CO2 in your system reaches equilibrium with your household atmosphere. So, regardless of which recipe your use, the change to pH will be temporary.

 

[CoryC]

ok. planning on dosing tonight to see what it takes to maintain that 7.5-7.4 dkh. stock solution of 1 1/8 cup unbaked baking soda with enough r/o to make half gallon solvent. having a hard time keeping it in solution though. is the best way just to shake really well before dosing? or heating it somehow?

 

[Downbeach]

it's 1 1/8 cups per gallon. I use one of these to get it into solution, it will become a clear liquid, but it takes some mixing.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a bit harder to get into solution. I respectfully believe you will want to “bake” the baking soda because of your low pH. I actually make it up in a gallon quanity and bake 2 ¼ cups baking soda at 300 degrees for one hour. Don’t have to wait for it to cool to begin dissolving in RO/DI water Once baked it will be sodium carbonate, which will more readily go into solution and help in raising your pH.

 

[CoryC]

im baking 2.25 cups baking soda right now to add to r/o and make a gallon of solution. i am also doing a water change to understand how much that affects my dKh. i will slowly begin raising alk to 9.3 and calc to around 420 and figure out useage from these points and continue dosing accordingly to maintain.

 

[CoryC]

haha measured wrong. could there be any hard in doing a 1 1/8 bicarboante to to 1/2 gallon solution

 

[CoryC]

Ok, tested alkalinity again just now. 7.39? does it change during the day as the light cycle progresses or what? i was getting 7.8-7.9 6-7pm.

 

[Clammania]

I'd call it 7.4 and start dosing. Just go slow. Whatever the calculator tells you to add to get to ur desired level, break it up over 3-5 days. Baby steps. Then decide on a amount to dose daily. Monitor. Adjust as needed to maintain ur desired level. If its a large amount that needs to be added, id recommend using a doser. I have to add 20 ml a day. So, i do mine manually. Good luck.

Plus one on this. Go slow my friend

 

[NanaReefer]

So much easier just using Kalkwasser. No baking required. Sometimes spending a little extra IS worth it.


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[feh]

sodium bicarbonate isn't too hard to mix. just fill your jug about half way. use a funnel pour in a little and shake until well mixed. Add more. Shake. don't let it clump in the bottom. its kinda like mixing new saltwater a little at a time.

 

[CoryC]

i started a couple days ago. the baked baking soda or "soda ash" was much easier to dissolve. it's slightly lowered my ph though. i went from the 7.4 base line monday to 7.6-7.7 tuesday to 8.2 today as I write this. no ill effects, actually improving some of my corals. i had some fruit loops that would never open every polyp but they're all open now!