Advice Needed! Sudden Low Alk Issue!

[Mr.Firemouth]

P.S. How or why would I "bake the baking soda/"

Spread 2 cups in a oven safe dish and bake one hour at 500*F
This dries the moisture from the baking soda and gets rid of CO2.
This makes the mixture much more effective than not drying it.

I mix the water and powder hot. So be careful.

Also, dose Alkalinity products slowly as recommended. Raising it too fast can cause a precipitation event from boosting the Alk while at a high pH. As long as you go slow you will be fine.

If you have not done a water change in a while I would also do that. This will help balance any trace element deficiencies.

I battle Alk swings daily cuz I use Kalk for top off(slurry method, which is stronger) and GFO. Both of these tend to deplete Alk down to 7 DKH and I add about 1 cup of DIY supplement every 2-3 days, depending on test results. I use a KH test kit for testing Alk quickly. I always wait 12 hours between dosing Kalk and alk. I NEVER dose the at the SAME time.

I hardly ever need to dose Ca due to the Kalk.

 

[pjr]

jelly roll pan in the oven. Thats the cookie sheet with the 1" tall sides.

Do you know what temp to bake it at, And how do I know when it's "done" and ready to use?

 

[JuniorMC8704]

there is a temp and set time to cook it for, but i dont recall.

beakerbob should know.

 

[pjr]

Spread 2 cups in a oven safe dish and bake one hour at 500*F
This dries the moisture from the baking soda and gets rid of CO2.
This makes the mixture much more effective than not drying it.

I mix the water and powder hot. So be careful.

Also, dose Alkalinity products slowly as recommended. Raising it too fast can cause a precipitation event from boosting the Alk while at a high pH. As long as you go slow you will be fine.

If you have not done a water change in a while I would also do that. This will help balance any trace element deficiencies.

I battle Alk swings daily cuz I use Kalk for top off(slurry method, which is stronger) and GFO. Both of these tend to deplete Alk down to 7 DKH and I add about 1 cup of DIY supplement every 2-3 days, depending on test results......

Thanks! So, when you add a cup every two or three days, do you mean you slowly put in a cup at one time, or do you stretch that one cup does over a three day time span?

P.S. I do a 10% weekly water change every Sunday.

 

[pjr]

make sure you update your firmware to the most recent one. The PH calibration is very very easy to have wrong until the most recent update.

It automatically adjusts all those options that really can change the reading of the PH probe...mine reads 8.4 all day and night, its off by .22

I really would suggest you check it out, mathias over at GHL gave me the heads up on this.

Junior, is yours off by .22 all day and night, or just at certain times of the day?

 

[JuniorMC8704]

all the time.

I havent gotten around to fixing it yet.

Im going to get it worked out this weekend.

Ill let you know how it goes.

Junior

Junior, is yours off by .22 all day and night, or just at certain times of the day?

 

[pjr]

Thanks all... I am baking right now. :)

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

Start dosing at 1/2 cup of alk solution and add slowly. Let it dissolve and then add a little more until the 1/2 cup is dosed. May take a few minutes of slowly adding the 1/2 cup. Then wait 2 hours and test. If it is still low, add another 1/2 cup in the morning. No need to dose quickly.

You should be fine with with 1/2 cup doses. Just make sure to add it slowly and test 2 hours later.(gives time for things to balance out) My system is very demanding and 300+g in volume.

If you test at 8 DKH, dose. If you are higher than 8 DKH, then just chill till tomorrow and test again. Only dose when you are at 8 or lower. 9 and above is fine. If you go above 14, then do a water change.

 

[pjr]

Well, I learned not to put the baked soda into a bottle to mix until it cools. "Gee, what's is that smell? It's like.... MELTING PLASTIC!!" Another idiot move.

Alk is now back up to 7.5.... whew! I think we've left the danger zone. I will get back to 8 and start adjusting my daily testing once again in order to determine the right daily dosing levels to maintain the requirements of all the new inhabitants. Thanks folks for all the help!!!

 

[reefermadness]

I dose mine in my top off as well.....I only need to add every other week and it seems to stay pretty stable. I tried every week and it alk burned the crap out of one of my SPS. Its finally stopped and growing back. Another lesson learned.

 

[pjr]

The "alk in the top-off method" has worked well... at least before I added all this new livestock.

What I've done to rectify matters is doubled the dose of Sodium Carbonate in my top-off, and have been slowly supplementing the system with sodium Bi-carbonate with an oz or two every few hours.

 

[pjr]

Well... matters are kinda stable. I have not supplemented any calcium since this began. The level has remained at 460 until recently... now in the 430 range. That's a good thing.... getting some usage.

I have kept alk at between 8.0 and 6.5. Every time I think I am stable at 8.0, it drops. Kinda frustrating. I have increased doses with the hope that I get it regulated once and for all.