Sctn4Elk Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 OK, I have been reading all the posts and searching the web for answers as I have been battling low Alk issues. Is it normal to have to dose Alk daily and not have to dose Ca or Mg? I do weekly 2 gal water changes on a 15 gal system (12 net) and my Ca levels are around 620 and Mg is around 1450, but my Alk goes from 9 to 7 in one day if I don't dose 5 ml of B Ionic part A daily. Link to comment
glennr1978 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 OK, I have been reading all the posts and searching the web for answers as I have been battling low Alk issues. Is it normal to have to dose Alk daily and not have to dose Ca or Mg? I do weekly 2 gal water changes on a 15 gal system (12 net) and my Ca levels are around 620 and Mg is around 1450, but my Alk goes from 9 to 7 in one day if I don't dose 5 ml of B Ionic part A daily. That is quite typical. There are alot of people that have to dose for Alk more than for Ca. Link to comment
d0ughb0y Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 another approach is to add kent turbo dkh powder to bring up the alk, once you get the desired level and use the two part. if the calcium is the one that is low, use kent turbo calcium. this is the exact situation where kent's turbo powder additives can be used. Link to comment
Urchinhead Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Or just use baking soda. Its cheaper than even Kent. And your Ca is pretty high. Is it possible you have something leaching Ca into the tank? Like one of your LR is a coral skeleton or something? Link to comment
United_Poseidon Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Your Ca level is very high. I'm surprised that you are not seeing precipitation of calcium and magnesium carbonates at that level. How high is your PH level. The higher your PH is and calciuim level, the more precipitation you will see and the more your Alk will fluxuate. Link to comment
Sctn4Elk Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 I don't see any precip at all..my PH is 8.3 or 4 depending on the light..I use Oceanic salt which has 520 Ca as measured by the same test kit and hydro I use to measure the tank. I have a refractometer on order that should be here tomorrow. I don't have any coral skeletons but I am using DIY LR which has Florida crushed coral in it. I had heard that DIY LR was notorious for having to dose Alk, but I did not think I would have to dose so much.... Will baking soda raise the PH? Right now, I can safely dose B ionic and not raise the PH..I dose 5 ml Kent pro dkh buffer weekly as well. Link to comment
Sctn4Elk Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Dosed 10 ml for two days, still at 7.7 every morning... Link to comment
hazmat Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I have been fighting low Alk for the past two weeks. I am having to dose every day! My calcium is fine at 440. I was first using Seachem Reef Carbonate and then switched to another brand (cant remember the name) that was recommended by my LFS. Anyway, I have been dosing daily with anywhere from 5-15 ml per day. From my experience it takes quite awhile to raise alkalinity. I'm still only at 8 dKH. Just keep at it and it will come up. But don't expect it to do it in one or two days like I did! As I said, I'm going on two weeks now.... Link to comment
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