Struggling with Alk and nitrates

[stros]

I am having a problem with low Alkalinity as well as low nitrates. My tank is about 90 gal total with the sump included. It has been running for about 11/2 years. It is bare bottom and started with dry rock . I didn’t have allot of corals after it had cycled and until recently did not have to dose , just 10 gal biweekly water changes. Earlier this summer I added a number of frags and noticed they did not seem to be doing that well. Upon further testing I noticed nitrates were at zero ( Hanna checker). Along with that my alk hovered around 6. I started dosing Aqua Forest 123 at 26 ml per day . In addition, I started to dose potassium nitrate at 5 ml per day. I have now slowly increased the dosing but now have the following test numbers.
alk 6.3 - dosing 30 ml of soda ash
calcium over 500 -Aquaforest comp 1
mag 1500 - Aquaforest comp 3
nitrate 0.0- Hanna meter
phosphate .04 Hanna meter
temp 78
ph 7.8
Salt instant ocean
I know the levels are out of balance. I have stopped dosing the calcium and mg. Dosing a total of 56 ml alk, 30 ml of potassium nitrate. I still am having problems raising the levels ? I know the balling method wants you to dose equal portions but that seems to put some levels really high and small effect on alk. The corals do look a little better in color now but levels are not where I want them. Any hints and directions would be appreciated. I am at a loss with this tank. I have been in the hobby for over 20 years and this tank is sure testing me lol!

 

[blaxsun]

Just corals or are there any fish in the tank?

 

[stros]

6 fish

 

[Kayanarka]

I know it has been a few weeks but I am wondering if you came up with a solution? I am dealing with an alkalinity of 7.0 in a 120gal system. I just tried some Reef Buffer. I could let you know if that helps after my testing round tomorrow night.

 

[mdb_talon]

If you have very high calcium it may be difficult to raise alk because may be precipitating. I would suggest increased dosing of only alk and measure everyday. Should see the calc dropping. When alk gets where you want it measure the daily drop and dose that daily. Keep an eye on calcium and only when it gets to where you want it start dosing the equal amounts(but even then keep an eye on it)

 

[Screwgunner]

I have a 120 total gal. Tank i put .5 teaspoon of reef builder in my top off water every day . Not leval but alittle rounded. You have to play with it alittle to see how much your system is using.

 

[Screwgunner]

As far as nitrates and phosphates . Just started algone on my 2nd week and gha it starting to die off.

 

[Kayanarka]

How

If you have very high calcium it may be difficult to raise alk because may be precipitating. I would suggest increased dosing of only alk and measure everyday. Should see the calc dropping. When alk gets where you want it measure the daily drop and dose that daily. Keep an eye on calcium and only when it gets to where you want it start dosing the equal amounts(but even then keep an eye on it)

How do I figure how much to dose for example if I am going from 8.0 to 7.5 Alk in a 24 hour period, how many ml of the Aqua Forest KH would I add each day.

What causes Alk to drop?

 

[mdb_talon]

How

How do I figure how much to dose for example if I am going from 8.0 to 7.5 Alk in a 24 hour period, how many ml of the Aqua Forest KH would I add each day.

What causes Alk to drop?

Alk is used by lps/sps corals. Some algaes. It can precipitate into a solid in some cases. Some biological processes can use it (or release it).

As to how much to dose that just takes some math. You have to estimate how many gallons/liters of water volume you have. The instructions for your product will say dosing "x" amount into "y" amount of water will raise dkh by "z".