Unable to raise my Alk

[VJV]

Hi, I am dosing Aquaforest 3 part and have doubled my Alk and Cal dosing but it is always falling back to 6,0dKH every week. Calcium is in the 410, and Mag in the 1380 range.

System is 200g and my SPSare all growing well. I have a seriatopora Caliendrum that is 20inch in diameter and grows in every direction at an alarming rate. My Montis also need constant pruning. acros also grow fast including tenuis, miipora all growing well.

So although everyone is showing vivid colors, nice polip extension and fast growth, I am a bit concerned about such low Alk levels (I prefer to be in the 7.0-7.5 dKH region).

I have a powerful 150w UV sterilizer plugged in line with the return so I am wondering wether this could be precipitating the carbonates and Calcium as they pass through the 1m long UV...??????

 

[VJV]

Also forgot to mention that I spread my dosage in 24x per day for each macro element.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi, I am dosing Aquaforest 3 part and have doubled my Alk and Cal dosing but it is always falling back to 6,0dKH every week. Calcium is in the 410, and Mag in the 1380 range.

System is 200g and my SPSare all growing well. I have a seriatopora Caliendrum that is 20inch in diameter and grows in every direction at an alarming rate. My Montis also need constant pruning. acros also grow fast including tenuis, miipora all growing well.

So although everyone is showing vivid colors, nice polip extension and fast growth, I am a bit concerned about such low Alk levels (I prefer to be in the 7.0-7.5 dKH region).

I have a powerful 150w UV sterilizer plugged in line with the return so I am wondering wether this could be precipitating the carbonates and Calcium as they pass through the 1m long UV...??????

How often do you dose? How much?

A uv isn't causing great extra demand.

 

[VJV]

Dosing 24 times 14ml per day with a GHL Doser 2.1.

 

[VJV]

Thank you very much for taking the time to go over my post [emoji4]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You are dosing 336 mL per day, which is only 1.2 dKH per day. That’s not high and I’d just raise the doses if you want higher alk. [emoji3]

 

[VJV]

You are absolutely right... do not know why but I thought the conversion was different... [emoji848].

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s a very dilute product compared to other two parts.

 

[VJV]

Indeed. I dosed about 1/3 the amount when I dosed the Fauna Marin Balling salts. However I must say since moving to Aquaforest all my corals have responded very positively especially in terms of growth. I also like the fact that it is easy to dissolve vs the more concentrated ones that require very lengthy mixing procedures (and even heating the water up).

But the downside obviously is that I mix much more often... [emoji849]

 

[Fishfinder]

Are you only dosing 4 days a week?

 

[VJV]

Are you only dosing 4 days a week?

No, dosing every day, 24x a day. The screenshot does not cover the entire menu page [emoji4]

 

[Fishfinder]

Ok just checking. Im using the aquaforest product also. Have you thought about mixing your components stronger? like 1.5 the concentration? You wouldn't use any less, just save on container refilling

 

[VJV]

Ok just checking. Im using the aquaforest product also. Have you thought about mixing your components stronger? like 1.5 the concentration? You wouldn't use any less, just save on container refilling

Not really... I believe I read in their thread here AF saying that is not possible but I may be wrong.

 

[Fishfinder]

I had never heard that it wasn't possible. I don't mix my components any stronger but I do mix stock solution of mag, cal, and kh that is way stronger than the component mix. I haven't reached the consumption in my tank to mix it stronger.

On a side note my dkh is low also and my corals love it with the aquaforest

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

They likely use sodium bicarbonate in the alk part, and that needs to be more dilute than two parts using sodium carbonate. Their potency is similar to my bicarbonate diy recipe.

 

[Fishfinder]

@VJV just curious does your calcium part seem to seperate with its component strong on the bottom? Mine has a darker layer at the bottom of my container like the heavy metals part settled out

 

[VJV]

I had never heard that it wasn't possible. I don't mix my components any stronger but I do mix stock solution of mag, cal, and kh that is way stronger than the component mix. I haven't reached the consumption in my tank to mix it stronger.

On a side note my dkh is low also and my corals love it with the aquaforest

I am also mixing the powders, not using the pre mixed stuff.

 

[VJV]

@VJV just curious does your calcium part seem to seperate with its component strong on the bottom? Mine has a darker layer at the bottom of my container like the heavy metals part settled out

Indeed. The guys from AF told me that it is not a problem though. I do plan to add the ghl magnetic stirrer to the Doser at some point, so it pre mixes the containers automatically ahead of each dosing.