to just boost alkalinity do I dose both 2 parts?

[Scuba Mike]

Hello,

I have a 75 gallon tank, with Alkalinity of 7.7 and Calcium of 450.

I want to raise the Alkalinity to 9, so do I just dose the alkalinity or do I always dose equal parts of the ESV 2 part kit?

Mike

 

[ludnix]

In this scenario you would dose just the alkalinity. Its when replenishing from consumption that you need to add them in balance.

 

[schuby]

I use Sodium Bisulfate to increase just Alkalinity. It takes too much of the 2-part's alkalinity to raise Alk. Much cheaper and effective to use Sodium Bisulfate. Be sure to use this exact stuff and not bisulfite. I don't know the why but I remember the warning. You can find calculators to help you with dosage. I believe the max recommended alk increase per day is 0.2 dKH. I only increase by 0.1 per day myself.

 

[HuduVudu]

Just remember that you are also usually adding another mineral to your tank if you use a two part. In this case Sodium. This means you need to re-balance your tank after dosing this over time or with a lot of product. People often overlook this important piece of information.

 

[92Miata]

I use Sodium Bisulfate to increase just Alkalinity. It takes too much of the 2-part's alkalinity to raise Alk. Much cheaper and effective to use Sodium Bisulfate. Be sure to use this exact stuff and not bisulfite. I don't know the why but I remember the warning. You can find calculators to help you with dosage. I believe the max recommended alk increase per day is 0.2 dKH. I only increase by 0.1 per day myself.

Sodium bisulfate doesn't raise alkalinity. It drops alkalinity. A lot.

 

[schuby]

Sodium bisulfate doesn't raise alkalinity. It drops alkalinity. A lot.

Thank you for the correction! Never want to give opposite advice for what was asked.

 

[schuby]

Correction: I use Seachem Reef Builder to raise Alk and Sodium Bisulfate to lower it, when it's off by more than 0.5 dKH. This is not very often.

Otherwise, I make small, weekly adjustments to my daily, two-part dosing, after measuring both Alk and Calcium.

 

[Scuba Mike]

Thanks for all the info, all very helpfull!

 

[schuby]

There's one more thing. Since Alk has a natural cycle during each day, it is better to always measure it at the same time-of-day. I usually measure mine around 7pm, just before my daily fish-feeding.