Rapidly increasing Alk consumption / Am I dosing incorrectly???

[Furze]

Hi all,
I have a waterbox 130.4, which I would say is light -> moderately stocked.
It has been running since July last year.

Nutrients are 5-10 NO3 (AF test kit) 0.09 P04 (Hanna test kit)

Corals: 2 frogspawns, 4 small hammers, 5 torches, 4 gonis, 5 1inch acro frags, maxima clam, and 2med size bits of monti. 2 bubble corals, 6 rico mushrooms
Fish: powderblue, 2 gobys, 1 blenny, 1 cardinal, fireshrimp

In the last month I have switched over from dosing only buffers, to dosing AF components pro.
My consumption in the last week has skyrocketed, according to both the trident and hanna checker.

I am currently testing with the trident 8 times a day (8 alk, 4 ca + mg)
I dose 1 hour before the test times

at 10:50am I tested with hanna - 8 dkh
at 11am I had dosed 18.1 mls of each component 123 pro to bring it up to 8.2dkh
At 11:05 I tested Hanna 8.2, Trident 7.86
Midday I tested again- Hanna 7.9 Trident 7.67

Then with the 0.3 dkh drop I would be increasing that dosing at 11am to be 44.9ml's to try have the tank be at 8.2dkh at midday.

I have been monitoring and adjusting dosing, and in the last 4 days it has gone from 100ml's a day to 250mls a day.
I have attached a screenshot of what I am dosing (after updating the 11am

Talking to friends (who use the Apex Dos which I am not yet)
They have largely stocked tanks with lots of sps, and are only using 150ml's of components 123pro a day.

Is this amount of consumption expected?
Am I doing something massively wrong?

 

[HuduVudu]

You're using 2 part?

 

[Furze]

You're using 2 part?

Using AF 3 part -- https://aquaforest.eu/en/product/components-pro/

 

[HuduVudu]

Using AF 3 part -- https://aquaforest.eu/en/product/components-pro/

Dosage: All the fluids should be dosed equally based on Ca, KH and Mg consumption.

This part is what confuses people. You need to dose all of the compents equally because you are not just dosing kH you are most likely dosing sodium bicarbonate (carbonate). You will creat imbalance in your sodium and chloride balance if you don't dose equally. This can cause you grief.

My suggestion is to start dosing equally and then do a series of water changes to realign you parameters.

 

[Furze]

Sorry that I was unclear.
I am dosing equal proportions of each comment 1,2,3 pro

 

[Furze]

I have checked calibration on the doser.
I have checked it is dosing at the right times and is dosing all 3. I have checked that when it does dose, the alkalinity does increase to the expected point

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can you either give the total water volume or calculate the alk per day in dKH? That’s the only way we can judge if the demand is excessive.

 

[Furze]

Can you either give the total water volume or calculate the alk per day in dKH? That’s the only way we can judge if the demand is excessive.

Thanks for the reply.

Total system volume is 460L

 

[Furze]

Thanks for the reply.

Total system volume is 460L

My rough calculation of dkh consumption is 2.88dkh a day

19.23mls raises 100L by 1dkh so

258ml / (460L/100L) = 55.39 per 100L
55.39/19.23 = 2.88

 

[gbroadbridge]

Sorry that I was unclear.
I am dosing equal proportions of each comment 1,2,3 pro

How long is the delay between dosing each of the components. It should be at least 15 mins.

 

[marios82]

I have the same tank and I also dose the same 3 part to keep my alk at 7.5dkh. I only dose 90ml of each component per day in an sps dominant tank, mostly frags and small colonies.

Hope that helps you

 

[Furze]

How long is the delay between dosing each of the components. It should be at least 15 mins.

Thanks - they were all at the same time, I have now made Component 1 on the hour, Component 2 15 past, and Component 3 half past.

I have the same tank and I also dose the same 3 part to keep my alk at 7.5dkh. I only dose 90ml of each component per day in an sps dominant tank, mostly frags and small colonies.

Hope that helps you

Thanks, this is also what I am hearing from other friends too.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

2.9 dKH a day is near the high end of normal, but even a soft coral tank with coralline can use 2 dKH a day.

Unless you see evidence of precipitation such as seized up pumps, excessively coated heaters or hardened sand, I'd just stick to the current dosing.

If you do see significant precipitation, this is my standard recommendation:


1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Thanks - they were all at the same time, I have now made Component 1 on the hour, Component 2 15 past, and Component 3 half past.

I think that may be the issue.

Dosing the Alk and Ca simultaneously will likely result in precipitation depending on the water flow at the point they are being administered.

If that is the case watch your Alk closely, because at your current dose it could rise sharply.

 

[Furze]

Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley & @gbroadbridge

I will keep a close eye on it, and follow the steps if I do see any precipitation build up