Low Alk

[Gietz]

So for about 2 months i have had low Alk about 6.7 and would like to bring it up to about 9 or 10. I use RC  and my Calcium is fine(440).  how do i increase it? I do weekly 5 gallon water changes but RC salt does not have enough Alk mixed into it.  Im looking at the product;

Seachem Reef Carbonate

i dont want to drip but directly at the water right to my water change water i add everyone Sunday.  any ideas?

 

[Darryl_V]

For your needs...maybe just arm and hammer.  I don't have time to get to detailed but I'm sure some else can explain.

 

[Duke]

heres a good read.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#5

i use baked baking soda as my PH tends to drop when my alk dips slightly.

heres a good starting point to figure out your dose.

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[Gietz]

heres a good read.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#5

i use baked baking soda as my PH tends to drop when my alk dips slightly.

heres a good starting point to figure out your dose.

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

so do i have to drip this in? or can i mix it with my top up water?

 

[Duke]

i mix mine in with top up water but my top off res is rather small.. i refill every other day about 2 gal

 

[Gietz]

so i did a rough measurement and got 18 ml to dose.  could i just add this right to my water change water? since when i mix my RC my Alk is around 6.7

 

[Gietz]

Bring this back up :$.  Just wondering what you guys think about brightwell Alk? 

 

[Darryl_V]

Im sure its just sodium bi/carbonate like the rest of them.

Once use the reef chem calculator to see how much you need you can just mix the dry product (BRS DIY or arm and hammer) with some RO water and dose it into the sump or tank in a high flow area.

 

[Gietz]

I just wanna make sure it doesn't have any negative outcomes like increasing phosphates or something

 

[spyd]

No adverse effects at all. Just do not increase your ALK too drastically. I would say no more than 1 dkh per day at the most. Best to dose when the lights are out as your Ph will be lower at that point and you won't spike it too high.

 

[Gietz]

Ok good point!  I'll leave my dump light off at night when I add the dose. I'm thinking about using BRS stuff as it seems to not raise ph as much plug bright well might get expensive (tho you pay more for easy)

 

[Darryl_V]

I'm thinking about using BRS stuff as it seems to not raise ph as much plug bright well might get expensive (tho you pay more for easy)

This just depends on what the chemical is....... sodium bi-carbonate (baking soda) will have very little effect on pH.  Sodium carbonate (soda ash) will raise pH slightly.  Most people want to raise pH a bit because generally our aquariums run on the low side pH wise compared to the reefs.

Also you can make sodium carbonate by baking sodium bi-carbonate in the oven.

 

[Gietz]

Ok but I read that if you have to raise Alk Alot you should use  bi-carbonate.  Which would be better to raise my Alk from 5.7 to 9?

 

[Darryl_V]

Well if your going to do it in one shot than that is probably right but I always use sodium carbonate (soda ash).  You wont have a problem using soda ash if you break the dosing up.  When I'm doing bumps I usually do .5dkh per day (adding the whole .5dkh dose at once) till I reach the desired level.  Not a problem this way.

 

[Gietz]

Soda ash it is then!!  I'm assuming BRS has some instructions how how to does properly?

 

[rburns24]

The calculator at BRS doesn't work the last time I was there. Tryhttp://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html instead

 

[Gietz]

So after thinking about it and realizing I don't really have the space or time to have a mixing jug and dosing kit I've decided to get the brightwell stuff.  Just wondering what's the difference in these two products.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/bw-alk0500/Brightwell+Aquatics+Alkalin8.3+Liquid+Aquarium+Buffer+-+500ml.html

And

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/bw-rcb0500/Brightwell+Aquatics+Reef+Code+Part+B+Calcium+Buffer+Additive+-+500ml.html

 

[Duke]

i would guess nothing, just marketing.. pretty much baking soda and water.

 

[Gietz]

So I'm bring this back up from the grave again lol.  I'm using the brightwell product (alkalin8.3-P) and I seem to be having trouble keeping my Alk up.  I can only dose so much as too much of an increase in Alk can kill so I'm adding the max which raises my Alk from 5.4 to 7 dHK.  Here's where the problem is. The next day I test and I'm back down to 5.4 . I'm use salifert test kit that expires in 2016 and my coral in my tank are zoas, Xenia, mushrooms, mini maxi, hammer, sun coral, Duncan's and torch.  I don't think that's a big enough to lower my Alk that much.  What else is lower it or is this normal? I'm pretty confused with this one lol.

 

[Neopimp]

i had low alk for a while until i started doseing 2 part .. then it went a little to high... got it tuned in and the ph in the tank has come up to where it should be too.