Boosting Alk by a chunk

[amnesiak]

Hi everyone,

I started dosing recently after discovering my Alk was severely deficient. It measured at 5 (ELOS) right before I started, and it's up to 6 after a week or so of dosing. The problem is that my calcium is going way up too... I'm using Randy's DIY two-part. I finally figured out the problem, I'm using Tropic Marin Pro-Reef and I should have started out with Tropic Marin for my new tank. (see below)

 

Is there any way to raise my alkalinity up to a more suitable coral range without creating a whole bunch of free sodium ions?

 

Thanks!

-a

 

There are ONLY three differences between Tropic Marin and Tropic Marin Pro Reef (TM PR):

 

1. Alkalinity

2. Calcium

3. Magnesium

 

ALL other components (70 trace elements and major salts) are exactly the same.

 

Tropic Marin at a specific gravity of 1.024 has:

 

* 9-10 dKH

* 380 ppm Ca

* 1100 ppm Mg

 

Tropic Marin Pro Reef at a specific gravity of 1.024 has:

 

* 6.5 – 7.0 dKH

* 420 ppm Ca

* 1350 ppm Mg

 

Tropic Marin Pro Reef was designed for reefs that tend to acquire a high alkalinity after years of using calcium reactors and kalkwasser. Keeping a lower alkalinity has been found to allow corals to better absorb calcium. Depending on the values of alkalinity in your reef , it might be best to use Tropic Marin instead of TM Pro Reef, or vice versa.

[beachpig]

Hi everyone,

I started dosing recently after discovering my Alk was severely deficient. It measured at 5 (ELOS) right before I started, and it's up to 6 after a week or so of dosing. The problem is that my calcium is going way up too... I'm using Randy's DIY two-part. I finally figured out the problem, I'm using Tropic Marin Pro-Reef and I should have started out with Tropic Marin for my new tank. (see below)

 

Is there any way to raise my alkalinity up to a more suitable coral range without creating a whole bunch of free sodium ions?

 

Thanks!

-a

I use baking soda to raise my Alk levels, Just introduce slow. Use the online dosing Calculator to determine how much.

[amnesiak]

Yeah, I was avoiding that just due to introducing all the free sodium ions... Not a problem I'm guessing?

 

Using this calculator I'm getting the advice to add 60ml of my alk portion. I'll give it a shot, and introduce slow like you said.

 

thanks!