Alk imbalance how to safely increase in a SPS dominated tank.

SpriggyReefer

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Hello Randy, I've been reading some of your articles here and there, more specifically about the relation of calcium to alk. I just wanted to ask since I'm having a hard time increasing my alk, but everything else is stable: I'm currently using salt with a brand known in my country unfortunately not known internationally, similarly the 3 part dosing is also not international but I think its your recipe(Randy) that theyre using. And so far my corals are growing and encrusting. It's just that one of my sps got necrosis (just 1) which could be caused by the low alk (pls do correct me if im wrong) but assuming that, that is the problem, what do i need to do for alk to increase to 8.5dkh from a 6.7? I've been trying to increase alk 1ml every so often (slowly) but i didnt increase calcium and magnesium together with it, Should i increase calcium and magnesium together with it everytime i increase my alk dosage by 1ml?

My parameters are currently:
6.7 alk (last week its at 6.4 alk)
450 cal
1350 mag
5 N03
0 P04

I am dosing 20ml through out the day of the 3 part dose

My Tank is a mixed reef sps dominated, and I'm planning to change my salt to a known brand, Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Specifically because there is a higher alk concentration with the Red Sea Pro Salt (including cal and mag). Do you think it might shock my corals if i make the switch? I was planning to do a water change with the new salt (Red Sea Coral Pro Salt) this coming Saturday (Nov 3) also assuming it would increase my alk to the level i was aiming at 8.5dkh. My tank has a 70gallon net volume and i do 5gallons of water change once a week.
 

Reefing_addiction

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Hello Randy, I've been reading some of your articles here and there, more specifically about the relation of calcium to alk. I just wanted to ask since I'm having a hard time increasing my alk, but everything else is stable: I'm currently using salt with a brand known in my country unfortunately not known internationally, similarly the 3 part dosing is also not international but I think its your recipe(Randy) that theyre using. And so far my corals are growing and encrusting. It's just that one of my sps got necrosis (just 1) which could be caused by the low alk (pls do correct me if im wrong) but assuming that, that is the problem, what do i need to do for alk to increase to 8.5dkh from a 6.7? I've been trying to increase alk 1ml every so often (slowly) but i didnt increase calcium and magnesium together with it, Should i increase calcium and magnesium together with it everytime i increase my alk dosage by 1ml?

My parameters are currently:
6.7 alk (last week its at 6.4 alk)
450 cal
1350 mag
5 N03
0 P04

I am dosing 20ml through out the day of the 3 part dose

My Tank is a mixed reef sps dominated, and I'm planning to change my salt to a known brand, Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Specifically because there is a higher alk concentration with the Red Sea Pro Salt (including cal and mag). Do you think it might shock my corals if i make the switch? I was planning to do a water change with the new salt (Red Sea Coral Pro Salt) this coming Saturday (Nov 3) also assuming it would increase my alk to the level i was aiming at 8.5dkh. My tank has a 70gallon net volume and i do 5gallons of water change once a week.


Here’s a calculator to determine how much your alk dosage needs to be to increase your alk from where it is to where you want it.

 

gbroadbridge

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Hello Randy, I've been reading some of your articles here and there, more specifically about the relation of calcium to alk. I just wanted to ask since I'm having a hard time increasing my alk, but everything else is stable: I'm currently using salt with a brand known in my country unfortunately not known internationally, similarly the 3 part dosing is also not international but I think its your recipe(Randy) that theyre using. And so far my corals are growing and encrusting. It's just that one of my sps got necrosis (just 1) which could be caused by the low alk (pls do correct me if im wrong) but assuming that, that is the problem, what do i need to do for alk to increase to 8.5dkh from a 6.7? I've been trying to increase alk 1ml every so often (slowly) but i didnt increase calcium and magnesium together with it, Should i increase calcium and magnesium together with it everytime i increase my alk dosage by 1ml?

My parameters are currently:
6.7 alk (last week its at 6.4 alk)
450 cal
1350 mag
5 N03
0 P04

I am dosing 20ml through out the day of the 3 part dose

My Tank is a mixed reef sps dominated, and I'm planning to change my salt to a known brand, Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Specifically because there is a higher alk concentration with the Red Sea Pro Salt (including cal and mag). Do you think it might shock my corals if i make the switch? I was planning to do a water change with the new salt (Red Sea Coral Pro Salt) this coming Saturday (Nov 3) also assuming it would increase my alk to the level i was aiming at 8.5dkh. My tank has a 70gallon net volume and i do 5gallons of water change once a week.
You simply need to adjust the Alkalinity on its own to the level you wish, and then continue with your existing 3 part dosing.

You can use Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) for the adjustment.

For 70 gallon net volume you would dissolve 5 grams of Baking Soda into RODI water.
Dose that solution once a day for 3 days to raise from Alk 6.7 to 8.5.
(Total 15 grams of Baking Soda over 3 days)

Dose in a high flow area such as the sump.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I’d say that if you use both parts to raise alk by 1 dKH, calcium will only rise by 7 ppm to 457 ppm. Thus, while adding just the alk part is fine, it’s not really necessary. :)
 

Dburr1014

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Hello Randy, I've been reading some of your articles here and there, more specifically about the relation of calcium to alk. I just wanted to ask since I'm having a hard time increasing my alk, but everything else is stable: I'm currently using salt with a brand known in my country unfortunately not known internationally, similarly the 3 part dosing is also not international but I think its your recipe(Randy) that theyre using. And so far my corals are growing and encrusting. It's just that one of my sps got necrosis (just 1) which could be caused by the low alk (pls do correct me if im wrong) but assuming that, that is the problem, what do i need to do for alk to increase to 8.5dkh from a 6.7? I've been trying to increase alk 1ml every so often (slowly) but i didnt increase calcium and magnesium together with it, Should i increase calcium and magnesium together with it everytime i increase my alk dosage by 1ml?
I would bump it up by 0.5 daily to reach your goal.
My parameters are currently:
6.7 alk (last week its at 6.4 alk)
450 cal
1350 mag
5 N03
0 P04
Hmmm, nobody has addressed the zero PO4. This is important to get off zero. It could be test error but still to close to zero.
I recommend 0.1 +/- 0.02

This could be the cause of the decline and not the alk. My system has dipped many times to 6dkh without any problems, Just slight color changes. But if PO4 goes to zero, not so good.
I am dosing 20ml through out the day of the 3 part dose

My Tank is a mixed reef sps dominated, and I'm planning to change my salt to a known brand, Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Specifically because there is a higher alk concentration with the Red Sea Pro Salt (including cal and mag). Do you think it might shock my corals if i make the switch?
Switching though water changes is fine. I have switched a few times to different brands.
I was planning to do a water change with the new salt (Red Sea Coral Pro Salt) this coming Saturday (Nov 3) also assuming it would increase my alk to the level i was aiming at 8.5dkh. My tank has a 70gallon net volume and i do 5gallons of water change once a week.
Happy Reefing.
 

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