Water change alkalinity

[Rmckoy]

Which one did you click? @FRANK48

If I enter 50 gal to the size .
desired 8.5 and current 7.5 I’m getting 2.8grams

 

[Miami Reef]

If I enter 50 gal to the size .
desired 8.5 and current 7.5 I’m getting 2.8grams

Can you put starting alk at 7.25 and see if you get 4 grams?

 

[FRANK48]

I did some playing with numbers.

Can you please test your alk one more time? I don’t believe that alk of 9.5dkh is real. I think you tested too soon.

I’ll do a test of calcium and alkalinity in the morning.

 

[Rmckoy]

Sorry I entered the values incorrect

if this is what you dosed .
it shouldn’t be testing 9.5

 

[Rmckoy]

Can you put starting alk at 7.25 and see if you get 4 grams?

4.2 grams

 

[Miami Reef]

4.2 grams

Perfect.

If @FRANK48 Has a 50 gallon tank and wanted to go from 7.25dkh to 9.5, he would have to dose 12 grams.

He said he dosed 4 grams. That’s not possible and I’m inclined to believe the testing threw a wrong number.

I have that same test kit (Red Sea alkalinity pro) and even though it’s very accurate (more than Hannah’s test) it sometimes throws higher numbers occasionally.


Here’s another fun thought. In order for 4 grams to make alkalinity go from 7.25dkh to 9.5dkh, the tank would have to be 16 gallons.


Here’s my conclusions: either the scale was inaccurate and read 4 grams when there was really 12 grams on the scale

Or testing error/testing too soon.

 

[Rmckoy]

Perfect.

If @FRANK48 Has a 50 gallon tank and wanted to go from 7.25dkh to 9.5, he would have to dose 12 grams.

He said he dosed 4 grams. That’s not possible and I’m inclined to believe the testing threw a wrong number.

I have that same test kit (Red Sea alkalinity pro) and even though it’s very accurate (more than Hannah’s test) it sometimes throws higher numbers occasionally.


Here’s another fun thought. In order for 4 grams to make alkalinity go from 7.25dkh to 9.5dkh, the tank would have to be 16 gallons.


Here’s my conclusions: either the scale was inaccurate and read 4 grams when there was really 12 grams on the scale

Or testing error/testing too soon.

I doubt a scale can be that far off
but I can’t comment on that particular test kit .
I haven’t used Red Sea in about 10 years

and seams my Hanna is messed up in some way . Reading extremely higher with no reason to be higher

there is no way it can be 145ppm if I have never went above 134 ( 7.5dkh) and haven’t dosed anything in months .
I have been trusting salifert which is giving numbers that make sense

 

[FRANK48]

Perfect.

If @FRANK48 Has a 50 gallon tank and wanted to go from 7.25dkh to 9.5, he would have to dose 12 grams.

He said he dosed 4 grams. That’s not possible and I’m inclined to believe the testing threw a wrong number.

I have that same test kit (Red Sea alkalinity pro) and even though it’s very accurate (more than Hannah’s test) it sometimes throws higher numbers occasionally.


Here’s another fun thought. In order for 4 grams to make alkalinity go from 7.25dkh to 9.5dkh, the tank would have to be 16 gallons.


Here’s my conclusions: either the scale was inaccurate and read 4 grams when there was really 12 grams on the scale

Or testing error/testing too soon.

I’ll test tomorrow to see if what my alk is. I’m sure that I didn’t put more than 4 grams in

 

[131696]

7.5 to 9alk need to go Alittle slower next time ok ,or maybe test Was wrong and tank was ok after water change ,sometimes I test twice just to make sure test is cheap get 25 for 10 dollars better that then a coral that's expensive coral. yes I do 10% everyweek with rea sea coral pro to keep parameters up that works for me might not work for you just have fun and Learn how your tank works. Best part of reefing is Learning. Put a smile on my face everyday to know my water in tank is perfect. All you got to do is keep water stable That's the fun part.

 

[Miami Reef]

I’m thinking some undissolved baking soda got into the vial from the tank’s water sample that caused the alk in the test kit to be higher than what it actually is.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m thinking some undissolved baking soda got into the vial from the tank’s water sample that caused the alk in the test kit to be higher than what it actually is.

I’m only guessing but was it 100% dissolved prior to dosing ?

 

[FRANK48]

I’m only guessing but was it 100% dissolved prior to dosing ?

So I’ve just done a test of my alk and it’s come up as 8.4 so yesterday I must have done something wrong.

 

[FRANK48]

So I’ve just done a test of my alk and it’s come up as 8.4 so yesterday I must have done something wrong.

And I tested calcium which is now 390

 

[FRANK48]

7.5 to 9alk need to go Alittle slower next time ok ,or maybe test Was wrong and tank was ok after water change ,sometimes I test twice just to make sure test is cheap get 25 for 10 dollars better that then a coral that's expensive coral. yes I do 10% everyweek with rea sea coral pro to keep parameters up that works for me might not work for you just have fun and Learn how your tank works. Best part of reefing is Learning. Put a smile on my face everyday to know my water in tank is perfect. All you got to do is keep water stable That's the fun part.

Could my alk have just been lower because I didn’t do a water change in time?

 

[Dburr1014]

I did 6 gallons I have a 50 gallon tank

my alk is 7.8

I have a mushroom, toadstool, cabbage, hammer head, trumpet, zoanthids, alveopora, GSP, finger leather, frogspawn

Why do you want to raise your alk?
How often do you do water changes?
Is this your preferred salt?

IMO, if you do regular water changes weekly or bi-weekly, I wouldn't dose. Your water is good.

 

[FRANK48]

Why do you want to raise your alk?
How often do you do water changes?
Is this your preferred salt?

IMO, if you do regular water changes weekly or bi-weekly, I wouldn't dose. Your water is good.

i use red sea coral pro salt
ive been doing water changes every two weeks
i wanted to raise my alk because it feels a bit safer when its higher in case it lowers

 

[Dburr1014]

i use red sea coral pro salt
ive been doing water changes every two weeks
i wanted to raise my alk because it feels a bit safer when its higher in case it lowers

Have you tested magnesium at all?
Have you thought of adding Kalk?
Kalk raises alk and cal in equal portions.
Magnesium keeps alk and cal stable.
Chasing numbers is a bad idea. Shooting for a goal and getting close enough is much better.
I can tell you that I personally have had alk jump 2.5 dkh in 2 days. Ideal, no. Did it kill my tank, no.
6.5 to 9 because I had an issue with my carx.
Best way, imo, to dose alk after you use the calculator, is to break it up. Mix up what you need to raise it to your goal. Dose maybe a 1/3 in the morning, 1/3 in the afternoon and the last 1/3 before bed. Test the next day.

 

[FRANK48]

Have you tested magnesium at all?
Have you thought of adding Kalk?
Kalk raises alk and cal in equal portions.
Magnesium keeps alk and cal stable.
Chasing numbers is a bad idea. Shooting for a goal and getting close enough is much better.
I can tell you that I personally have had alk jump 2.5 dkh in 2 days. Ideal, no. Did it kill my tank, no.
6.5 to 9 because I had an issue with my carx.
Best way, imo, to dose alk after you use the calculator, is to break it up. Mix up what you need to raise it to your goal. Dose maybe a 1/3 in the morning, 1/3 in the afternoon and the last 1/3 before bed. Test the next day.

i have dosed sodium bicarbonate and it now raised to 8.4. i havent tested magnesium yet so i will.

 

[Doctorgori]

soapbox please…lol
I’m just lurking watching the contributors walk you through calculating and adjusting your params..refreshing…
….maybe in the future your tank looks like a candidate for “All for Reef” …might be cheap enough under the circumstances… sans any clams ..whatever works, whatever is easiest or cheapest…
…All salts work although those elevated brands could be more a consumer demand than a actual biological need

 

[Tankkeepers]

i did the same thing doing water changes to bring alkalinity up, didn’t work. My calcium doesn’t drop every two weeks but my alkalinity drops .5 every other day. So I added baking soda in my top off water ( two tablespoons in a 5 gallon bucket ) manually add 1 cup every other day to keep the levels around 8.6

Can't belive someone didn't bring this up earlier great way to control ph

Used to use this method