Alakalinity Spikes

[exnisstech]

My calcium has a slight drop after a few weeks. Around 10ppm so I dose a little calcium to bring it back up. If I raise my AFR dose my alkalinity raises

Not sure 10pm calcium drop is even worth worrying about.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

using a calcium ion vs organic calcium would help keep calcium more stable unless your would prefer organic calcium due to corals

A few comments:

1. There's no reason to think the polygluconate stays on the calcium once added.
2. There's no reason to think a coral would more readily take up organically bound calcium.
3. The problem with organically bound calcium is not lack of calcium stability (it may, in fact, be more stable if chelated strongly enough to retain it in the aquarium), but that if the organic is metabolized, it will add alkalinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My calcium has a slight drop after a few weeks. Around 10ppm so I dose a little calcium to bring it back up. If I raise my AFR dose my alkalinity raises

I expect that is test error if alkalinity is being maintained.

AFR actually adds slightly more calcium than alkalinity, and so will maintain calcium if you are adding enough to maintain alkalinity (and are not adding alk some other way).

 

[jordanrb]

I expect that is test error if alkalinity is being maintained.

AFR actually adds slightly more calcium than alkalinity, and so will maintain calcium if you are adding enough to maintain alkalinity (and are not adding alk some other way).

Ok that is good to know. I am using salifert so being off 10ppm isnt hard to do.

 

[jordanrb]

I expect that is test error if alkalinity is being maintained.

AFR actually adds slightly more calcium than alkalinity, and so will maintain calcium if you are adding enough to maintain alkalinity (and are not adding alk some other way).

I just had the same issue again. I made sure not to dose anything. Did my daily dose of AFR. Kept within 0.2dkh for the two weeks until my water change was due. All of a sudden I went from 8.2dkh to 8.9dkh within 48hrs. I test alkalinity every other day.

Is there something else I could be missing here?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just had the same issue again. I made sure not to dose anything. Did my daily dose of AFR. Kept within 0.2dkh for the two weeks until my water change was due. All of a sudden I went from 8.2dkh to 8.9dkh within 48hrs. I test alkalinity every other day.

Is there something else I could be missing here?

That new salt water had what alk?

Remote possibility is that bacteria processing the formate in AFR might be limited in growth by a trace element that the water change adds, they grow faster, and convert the accumulated formate into measurable alk.

 

[James CNM]

Would yoi also recommend to stay away from their other products? I use their magnesium as well.

Apc pure, avoid the fancy lables and save a whole load of money

 

[jordanrb]

That new salt water had what alk?

Remote possibility is that bacteria processing the formate in AFR might be limited in growth by a trace element that the water change adds, they grow faster, and convert the accumulated formate into measurable alk.

Sorry I should have been more specific. I checked before my water change to make sure my reading were accurate with the AFR

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry I should have been more specific. I checked before my water change to make sure my reading were accurate with the AFR

I was asking about the water change water itself. :)

 

[jordanrb]

I was asking about the water change water itself. :)

It was 8.2dkh. Its where I try to keep my water at.

I should add I dose it to raise alkalinity as the current batch of salt I have is only mixing to 6.8dkh consistently every time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, thx.

 

[jordanrb]

Ok, thx.

Is there maybe any other thing that could cause the spike in alkalinity after staying stable?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nothing aside from the one I mentioned, assuming no changes to additions, etc.

 

[jordanrb]

Nothing aside from the one I mentioned, assuming no changes to additions, etc.

Ok i am just a little confused. Do you mean when I do a water change it is delaying the afr alkalinity until later?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok i am just a little confused. Do you mean when I do a water change it is delaying the afr alkalinity until later?

No, I’m saying the it is a possibility that the bacteria that process formate into measurable alk are being slowed and limited by some trace element, so formate accumulates. Then when doing a water change you bring it in and those bacteria thrive better and convert that accumulated formate into alk.

I don’t know if that is super likely, but the only other option that seems more likely is some sort of dosing/testing/etc issue that is merely a logistical artifact. I’ve never heard of anyone reporting this delay, which makes me think this testing issue is more likely somehow.

 

[NeMoo]

Seachem has a number of products that I do not recommend, but the magnesium is likely OK (if unusually designed due to their way to balance sulfate and chloride in the product by combining magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride while most companies (and my DIY recipe) combine magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride)).

Randy Holmes, you’re thoughts on there two part reef fusion one and two? I’m having really good growth at the moment but setting up a new larger system soon, would you recommend AFR instead or keep using it if it’s working?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy Holmes, you’re thoughts on there two part reef fusion one and two? I’m having really good growth at the moment but setting up a new larger system soon, would you recommend AFR instead or keep using it if it’s working?

I do not know exactly what they put in it (that is, other than calcium and alk), but contrary to their claim, it is not balanced for 1:1 dosing if one assumes their own potency numbers are correct. It makes me suspicious that they have not really designed it properly the way ESV, TM or other companies do.

 

[NeMoo]

Randy Holmes, you’re thoughts on there two part reef fusion one and two? I’m having really good growth at the moment but setting up a new larger system soon, would you recommend AFR instead or keep using it if it’s working?

I do not know exactly what they put in it (that is, other than calcium and alk), but contrary to their claim, it is not balanced for 1:1 dosing if one assumes their own potency numbers are correct. It makes me suspicious that they have not really designed it properly the way ESV, TM or other companies do.

Very good point, have been thinking of switching to AFR anyways as I have a four head doser so I could run multiple aquariums on it! And yes I was aware it’s not 1:1 I don’t wanna say exact amounts and sound dumb but I definitely use a little more of the alk than the calcium