Setup doser and OD'd alk

[Treefer32]

I setup my buggle magus doser to dose b-ionic 2 part (alk) initially since Ca isn't being used much. I've been going through about 2-3 dkh a week right now on a 300 gallon system.

My alk dropped from 11.5 (red sea coral pro salt) to under 9 dkh in 7 days.

So I set up my bubble magus doser to dose alk and it raised the alk from just under 9 to 16 in 7 days... Oops.... .. I lost a pink birdsnest, otherwise the rest of the corals seem o.k. (So far) it's going on a week since I stopped the doser.

I'll test in a couple days to see where things are. But, Would you reccomend letting it come down on its own or doing water changes? Is 16dkh toxic or preventing coral growth?

 

[-Logzor]

16 Dkh is high but not unheard of, my reef has been that high without dire consequences. At this point the best option is to let it drop on its own.

 

[bct15]

The spike is going to be bad...from 9 to 16 in a week is pretty bad. The effects from major alk swings like that don't usually start to show till a month down the road or sometimes longer. I personally would do a water change a day to help get it down to where it was.

 

[Eienna]

From what I understand, bringing it down too fast is as bad as it rising too fast. Be gentle bringing it down.

 

[Treefer32]

I agree with Eienna in terms of speed... Not to mention... with red sea coral pro salt at 11 dkh... SO only a difference of 5dkh....

If I changed 150 gallons of water (50%) I would achieve a new dkh (average) of 13-13.5 dkh. 50 % between 11 and 16. 150 gallons of water and almost an entire 5 gallon bucket of salt wasted to deplete 2dkh.. Seems rather wasteful.

If the corals can bring it down on their own from 16 to 14 in a single week. within 2 weeks they will have accomplished what it would take for over 150 gallons in water changes to accomplish...

 

[mcoxe77]

Treefer....are you Travis..? How did you OD the tank.? I can get you a replacement for your PBN. Im in GF.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Muriatic Acid will take down Alk with no problems, and with no ill effect to your Reef.

 

[mcarroll]

I agree with post #2.

As the saying goes: "Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank."

Unless there are apparent signs of distress in the tank, I would let things be and get back to your normal rhythm - only more testing this time to keep track of that doser!

Daily water changes or some of the other suggestions would be more called for IMO if you were seeing continuing symptoms.

Good luck!

-Matt

 

[Treefer32]

Seems to be under control, It actually dropped within 4-5 days of no dosing. Just lost a birds nest frag.. It was sudden bleaching (like over night) So, I have to assume it was because of the OD. I was just surprised to see alk low within 4-5 days, was down to 8 dkh.

I had my bubble magus set to 2 cycles of dosing per day at 0009ml a day. So, I assume that means 9 ml every 12 hours. I set it down to 7 ml and 1 cycle a day. And that seems to be keeping it between 8 and 10dkh. For now. I just added a bunch of corals so, I'll need to start testing more than once a week. That dang time thing... Anyone found a way to replicate time yet?

 

[DeepSeaReef]

I hope when I set up my doser that I am able to get everything dialed in, just dont know whether to go with the bubble magus doser or a different cheaper route.

 

[Gauge]

Treefer, that is not how your doser works. You set how many mls a day and then you set how many doses you want that divided between. 9mls and then 2 cycles means 4.5mls dosed every 12 hours. Be sure to check alk daily. I just set up my bubble magus with bionic about 1 1/2 week ago. 1-2mls can make a big difference. Currently dosing 27mls a day into my 90 gallon.

 

[Treefer32]

Thanks Gauge, that makes sense!! I'll up the cycles then back to two and test tonight. 1-2 Mls does make a huge difference, however, I was dosing a lot more on my old tank, a 125g. This is a 230 however, with a 10th the corals and corals a 10th the size. So, a lot Less usage! Harder to get used to!!! I do like the bubble magus dosing method, Just hard to keep alk dialed in.. Unfortunately with the holiday season, testing it every day is not an option.. I'll need to test tonight though as it's been a few days since I upped it a little bit. However, I added more corals on Sunday, and I'm going to guess it will take a couple weeks for them to get settled in and start consuming alk.


I'm curious how much do you dose of calcium, do you do the same cycles / ml of Calcium as alk?

 

[Gauge]

I agree it is hard to keep the alk dialed in. I have tweaked mine every day and am just now starting to see consistent results after about 10 days or so of use (mind you I did OD alk a little the 2nd or 3rd day of dosing).

I dose the same amount of calcium, I honestly haven't checked my calcium since starting to dose. From what I have read they usually should be in equal doses and it isn't a big deal to even try to dial calcium in until you get your alkalinity set. I dose 27mls of both on 12 cycles of each. I alternate the hours for them (every even hour I dose alk and every odd hour calcium). I dose vinegar every 6 hours as well. I don't have a controller or anything to monitor my ph so I am unsure of the effect on it. I have a 90 gallon mainly SPS, with about 12 small frags an 4-5 mini colonies.

 

[mike007]

You need to figure out how much alk. and ca. are being consumed each day so you can adjust dosage to compensate for the daily usage. Try not dosing for three days and test before and after to see what the loss is and then go to the reef calculter and it will tell you the amount you need to dose to keep levels where you want them.

 

[Treefer32]

Mike I've done that.. The problem is on a new tank and new growth / new corals, the usage jumps, quite fast. I was using around .5 dkh a day based on no dosing for 7 days and testing the day I started and testing 7 days later. Well, Now, I'm probably getting much closer to .75 or more a day.

 

[Gauge]

You have to be careful using the calculator and what not as well. I started off using kalk to maintain my alk at about 8.2-8.3 and it did well. Got the doser and started at 23 mls and stopped the kalk and the next day my alk was 7.3. If I didn't dose at all any day my tank would crash. Also I think the calculators are off because I put in my alk was like 7.3 and wanted to get it to 8.3 and it told me to dose 40mls of the bionic. Add that to my 23mls I was already dosing and I put in 60mls on the doser. Next day my alk was 9. Dosing calculator must be off or something.

 

[Treefer32]

Depends also on the concentration rate you mix it. If you mix half cup bionic to 1 liter of RODI or 1 cup of Bionic to 1 liter of RODI will have an impact of how much to dose as well... I have a very low concentrated solution mixed (1/4 cup or so of bionic and then 1.5 liters of RODI) to minimize the potential for an OD...

That would throw any calculator off.. Especially if it's mixed in a higher concentration.

 

[Gauge]

Ya. I'm using the gallon jugs with dilution marks. Not sure what dilution the calculator uses

 

[cdness]

I would suggest mixing to a standard mix so it is easily reproduced. Then set your doser low and see what happens after a few days. Adjust the alk manually and adjust the doser as needed to maintain, not make up the difference...

I can say my calcium and alkalinity are NOT equal usage and require different dosing amounts.