Alk is a low 6... adjust CA reactor to fix this?

[125mph]

I haven't tested alk in a few weeks. Usually keep it around 7.5-8 but today checked alk and its 6-6.2. Checked a few times with hanna. Corals all seem fine but this is alarming.

I turned up the effluency to dump out like 30ml and it didnt make a dent. Stayed at the same dKH.

Im going to decrease the PH in the calcium reactor and also increase effluency. Will running it over night bring up the PH or do I need to dose 2 part to get it back in line?

Turning down the ph in the reactor should yield immedate results, and dumping more effluency into the sump should work?

 

[Shirak]

Increasing your CO2 and the effluent output will help yes. I think I would bump the Alk back up .5dkh by dosing some baking soda. Then test tomorrow sometime and see where you are. You really want the CaRX to maintain your alk so trying to increase it to bring your DKH back to your target is going to cause it to overshoot and then you are going to be going back and forth. Better to get your CaRx bumped up just enough to keep alk stable then adjust to your target with dosing bicarbonate IMO.

 

[125mph]

Do I just put in baking soda from grocery store like arm & hammer? I read I have to use a stove and cook it..

I would just go to LFS buy its night time. Maybe can wait till tomorrow when I visit store.. But I do have baking soda powder.. can that work?

 

[Shirak]

Do I just put in baking soda from grocery store like arm & hammer? I read I have to use a stove and cook it..

I would just go to LFS buy its night time. Maybe can wait till tomorrow when I visit store.. But I do have baking soda powder.. can that work?

arm and hammer baking SODA not baking powder. Or any other store brand Baking Soda

Make sure it's pure sodium bicarbonate.

Some reefers bake it in the oven to turn it into sodium carbonate which will raise pH when used to increase Alk. You do not need to do this to use it for alkalinity dosing.

Can use online calculator to get dosage for your tank volume to bump the Alk up a little.

Enter tank volume, current Alk, desired Alk and scroll down to dry sodium bicarbonate to get the amount needed.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator/alkalinity-calculator-reef

 

[zheka757]

I used baking soda from my wife's kitchen, for emergency use all the time. Other wise I also use calcium reactor, thinks must be growing good for you, that your cal reactor is not keeping up anymore. Or media is not working any more. Some brands of media dosent melt all the way.

 

[125mph]

Awesome! I just dosed 13grams baking soda. Going to test in a bit ounce there's some water turnover.

 

[125mph]

13g took me from 6.1ish to 6.8 dKH.

I let the CArx run a bit higher overnight and now its 6.9 dKH. Calcium is a bit low at 350 but I do have a CA supplement so just dosed about 20ppm as well.

Going to try to get it back to 7.5ish slowly now.

Thanks all.