Tm Balling with 2 part help please

[jenniferreichardt]

I’m having a hard time understanding the balling method but use BRS 2 part and was very stable before I started balling . It’s been a week now and my alk has gone from 8.3-6.5. My salinity has gone from 1.025-1.023. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong here.
I added the part a for moderate demand to my alk, park k for moderate demand to my cal, and made up a separate jug of balling c with the 4 scoops as directed.
so…I dose daily double the amount of my alk. Since alks been dropping, I’m adding more alk, therefore more part c daily.
my cal and mag have never been more stable. Alk is constantly dropping, even though I’m adding more daily.
HELP!!!

 

[Timfish]

Many aquarists find the balling method effective at maintianing alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. I'd suggest verifying your test kits are accurate (I use multiple kits myself and occasionally I'll get a standard). The only way I see for salinity to drop is if fresh water is replacing salt water and that will certainly have an effect on alkalinity. So I'd suggest reviewing how your water changes are interacting with your dosing. IMO, what's important is monitoring and maintaining alklinity, calcium, magnesium and pH, use whatever method and test kits you find easiest to do it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Adding the part C should have little apparent effect on alk demand.

However, over or underdosing alk and calcium always shows up first in alk.