Water change alkalinity

[gbroadbridge]

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

So you changed 10% water.

The difference of Alk between your tank and the new mix is 0.2dkh, so 10% of that is an increase of 0.02dkh.

 

[FRANK48]

So you changed 10% water.

The difference of Alk between your tank and the new mix is 0.2dkh, so 10% of that is an increase of 0.02dkh.

so should i dose?

 

[Miami Reef]

i want to dose seachem reef complete and reef carbonate. i'm still a bit confused how my alk wont keep going up if i keep dosing

Because your corals will intake the supplements for tissue and skeletal growth.

Think of it as calories, if your food intake exceeds rate of which you burn calories, you will gain weight. And vise versa.

The goal is to find a maintenance spot where your dosage matches coral intake.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[FRANK48]

Because your corals will intake the supplements for tissue and skeletal growth.

Think of it as calories, if your food intake exceeds rate of which you burn calories, you will gain weight. And vise versa.

The goal is to find a maintenance spot where your dosage matches coral intake.

I hope this makes sense.

yes thank you. so keep dosing until i find an amount i dose everyday?

 

[gbroadbridge]

so should i dose?

If you simply wish to raise Alk you can use Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda).

Use this calculator to determine the amount.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

I wouldn't raise by more than about 0.5dkh per day

 

[FRANK48]

If you simply wish to raise Alk you can use Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda).

Use this calculator to determine the amount.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

I wouldn't raise by more than about 0.5dkh per day

my calcium is currently 400 so i'm not sure if dosing would make it too high

 

[Miami Reef]

my calcium is currently 400 so i'm not sure if dosing would make it too high

Calcium can go as high as 500ppm. You are fine.

 

[FRANK48]

Calcium can go as high as 500ppm. You are fine.

i have bought reef complete and reef carbonate by seachem

 

[gbroadbridge]

my calcium is currently 400 so i'm not sure if dosing would make it too high

Dosing Baking Soda does not increase Ca. Your Ca level is fine where it is.

 

[FRANK48]

Dosing Baking Soda does not increase Ca. Your Ca level is fine where it is.

i meant with seachem reef complete

 

[FRANK48]

I personally would. I think 8 dkh is a good goal to keep.

I recommend BRS soda ash and calcium chloride: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/1-gallon-mix-soda-ash-single-use-bulk-reef-supply.html

Pharma Calcium Chloride 1-Gallon Mix (Single Use)

Ultra-pure Calcium Chloride for 2-part dosing in your reef tank! Bulk Reef Supply 2-part additives are the perfect solution to replenish the intake of calcium and alkalinity coral consumes when it grows. Using only pharmaceutical based ingredients allows you to keep a cleaner reef with fewer...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

My salt is 11.5 DKH

 

[Miami Reef]

My salt is 11.5 DKH

Ah. I misunderstood. I thought you were using the Red Sea blue bucket.

I think 11.5dkh is too high to maintain a tank at. You can use that salt mix though. Small water changes won’t have a large effect on tank’s alkalinity.

What salinity are you keeping? I’m pretty surprised a 12% water change if 11.5dkh didn’t raise the 7.8dkh more. @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[FRANK48]

Ah. I misunderstood. I thought you were using the Red Sea blue bucket.

I think 11.5dkh is too high to maintain a tank at. You can use that salt mix though. Small water changes won’t have a large effect on tank’s alkalinity.

What salinity are you keeping? I’m pretty surprised a 12% water change if 11.5dkh didn’t raise the 7.8dkh more. @Randy Holmes-Farley

My salinity is 1.025

 

[Rmckoy]

Can you recommend anything I should dose. Sorry I’m quite new to it

Seeing as you’re already maintaining nsw levels and the corals you have don’t consume much in terms of alkalinity . I would maintain levels with water changes
Jumping into the dosing schedule is a whole new ball game that I personally don’t see the need for at this time .

 

[sfin52]

Start at 1-2mL per day and test weekly. If it’s too low, raise by 1-5mL, if it’s just right: don’t change dose, then test the next week etc.

That’s how I’ve always done it and it leads to an extremely dialed on system. The goal is for the corals to consume more and more alkalinity over time. As they grow, their alk demands will increase. More alk consumed = more coral growth.

Thats the goal. Watch corline algea it will go through alk and calcium

 

[FRANK48]

Seeing as you’re already maintaining nsw levels and the corals you have don’t consume much in terms of alkalinity . I would maintain levels with water changes
Jumping into the dosing schedule is a whole new ball game that I personally don’t see the need for at this time .

I’m confused on why my alk is low though?

 

[Danroo]

I’m confused on why my alk is low though?

Nitrifying bacteria consumes alkalinity.

 

[FRANK48]

Nitrifying bacteria consumes alkalinity.

So what should I do about it?

 

[Danroo]

So what should I do about it?

Just add baking soda to your tank, you have to measure how much you need. For a 20 gallon I mix it in my manual rodi water. Raising .5 ppm every day to get the desired results. Be cautious though baking soda lowers ph for an hour or two.

 

[Rmckoy]

So what should I do about it?

Frequent water changes are the easiest and safest as you shouldn’t have much consumption yet .

to calculate consumption test alk daily at the same time of day for 5 days with a reliable and accurate test kit
If you feel dosing would be easier there are calculators online based on the additive of your choice .
For example I’ll post a link for the one I prefer . Choose the brand , enter the volume , current and desired level and it will calculate the amount required daily to maintain that level

Reef Chemistry Calculator