Alkalinity advice

[AllieBdot]

Hi! I'm still quite new to this and looking for resources for dosing alkalinity. The catch is that I don't have a sump. Just a protein skimmer, two hanging filters and a power head. The resources I have found are for sumps. My current alkalinity is 4.3 so i have lots to correct. I'm looking for info on:

-Best supplement to use
-How to dose with no sump
-When to dose- daily? With water changes?
-Any other weird quirks to keep in mind?

Thanks in advance for nay help!

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I would first verify that your test results are correct. It is rare to have alkalinity that low in reef aquaria. Calcification and abiotic precipitation will usually self-limit when alkalinity gets low enough. If I remember correctly from reading one of Randy's many articles, that point is around 6 dKh. I would look at your freshly mixed saltwater and see what the alkalinity is. It's possible it's very low for some reason.

If the results are correct, you can simply dose a two-part. What the best supplement is will vary from tank to tank, but two-part is a fine way to start. Bulk Reef Supply has lots of additives and calculators to make the process simple. Alternatively, you can use Arm and Hammer baking soda from the grocery store to supplement alkalinity using one of Randy's DIY two part recipes.

 

[blasterman]

Have't had a sump in years. Nice to have, but not logical on my small tanks.

Best suppliment to use for alk is grocery store baking soda. Fancy reef alk in a bottle is just grocery store baking soda with water added and a 1,000x % price markup for the price of the bottle and water.

Use this reef calculator. It's the one i have used for years. Roughly speaking 1/4 tsp of regular baking soda raises 10gal on water 1 dKH, but double check the calculator.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

Get an empty juice jug or similiar container, fill it half full of tank water, add the required baking soda to the container, shake it a minute, then add it back near a pump, done. Only do 1 dKH jump in 24 hours.

Unless you have a heavy SPS load do not buy into the brain washing about two part solutions and calcium. 99% of the wingnuts here are testing calcium for no reason. Young tanks and those without heavy SPS loads *NEVER* consume calcium at an appreciable rate and alk at a balanced ratio, so it's logical to conclude you can't add it back in a balanced ratio. Get alk fixed first because <5 dKH is a problem.

 

[blasterman]

If the results are correct, you can simply dose a two-part.

OP said nothing about calcium, and more than likely his calcium if fine. Therefore, using a two part is illogical and might make the problem worse. Next thing you know he has calcium at 600 and alk at 7dKH.

I would certainly double check such a low reading, but it's possible. Young tanks will quickly knock dKH into low figures as carbon is devoured for biological bed building while calcium is fine. Please stop selling the myth that calcium and alk are always consumed at specified ratios because they aren't. Only in mature tanks with high calcium consumption does this occur.

Would you tell somebody with low alk to fix it with a calcium reactor? Same logic as using a two part to fix low alk.

Sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate.

 

[AllieBdot]

I would first verify that your test results are correct. It is rare to have alkalinity that low in reef aquaria. Calcification and abiotic precipitation will usually self-limit when alkalinity gets low enough. If I remember correctly from reading one of Randy's many articles, that point is around 6 dKh. I would look at your freshly mixed saltwater and see what the alkalinity is. It's possible it's very low for some reason.

If the results are correct, you can simply dose a two-part. What the best supplement is will vary from tank to tank, but two-part is a fine way to start. Bulk Reef Supply has lots of additives and calculators to make the process simple. Alternatively, you can use Arm and Hammer baking soda from the grocery store to supplement alkalinity using one of Randy's DIY two part recipes.

I just bought a Hanna digital alkalinity meter. Do you know if there's an high margin of error? All other measurements are within normal range.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

If the results are correct, you can simply dose a two-part.

OP said nothing about calcium, and more than likely his calcium if fine. Therefore, using a two part is illogical and might make the problem worse. Next thing you know he has calcium at 600 and alk at 7dKH.

I would certainly double check such a low reading, but it's possible. Young tanks will quickly knock dKH into low figures as carbon is devoured for biological bed building while calcium is fine. Please stop selling the myth that calcium and alk are always consumed at specified ratios because they aren't. Only in mature tanks with high calcium consumption does this occur.

Would you tell somebody with low alk to fix it with a calcium reactor? Same logic as using a two part to fix low alk.

Sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate.

I should have been more clear in my post, but I never said to dose both parts of the two-part equally, especially if there's no need for the calcium. The OP should dose as testing reveals is appropriate. If the calcium is within the range we typically keep reef tanks, then they should not supplement it. Alkalinity appears to be low, so OP should supplement it.

I also never said that carbonate alkalinity and calcium are always consumed in equal amounts, although they usually are.

 

[Nathan Milender]

I agree you need to double check your testing. Seems odd that the rock etc would allow alk that low. Regardless, figure out your target. I run mine at 9, but to be honest I see a lot of nice tanks target in the 7s. This number was picked arbitrarily when I started the tank and I just don't want to change it. I would lower it to the label on my salt if I were to do it over. Pick a salt that puts out a consistent product and use that as your target.

How to correct it will depend on your consumption. Once you are confident about your testing see how much you lose over a time interval and then consider what would be the most convenient. For instance, if you only lose 0.1 dKh a week, I would probably just manually dose once a week. If you lose .3 dkh a day I would consider a pump and a timer with 2-part setup and just run it 1-part with bicarb saving the hassle until your calcium consumption makes it necessary. If you don't lose much between water changes, you can just let your water change correct it.

Really start with your testing and looking at your trends. You will probably need to test every day for a week or two to get an idea of what is going on.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I just bought a Hanna digital alkalinity meter. Do you know if there's an high margin of error? All other measurements are within normal range.

The Hanna checkers are usually pretty accurate. You may want to double check your new saltwater to make sure there's nothing wrong with the alkalinity of your salt mix. Otherwise, you can dose as needed with any two part. I would advise raising the alkalinity slowly over several days.

 

[Nathan Milender]

Make sure it is the SW version. If you bought it used get new reagent, it goes bad and gives false readings over time. Make sure the vials are clean. It should tell you if the battery is low, if it is, replace it.

 

[AllieBdot]

If the results are correct, you can simply dose a two-part.

OP said nothing about calcium, and more than likely his calcium if fine. Therefore, using a two part is illogical and might make the problem worse. Next thing you know he has calcium at 600 and alk at 7dKH.

I would certainly double check such a low reading, but it's possible. Young tanks will quickly knock dKH into low figures as carbon is devoured for biological bed building while calcium is fine. Please stop selling the myth that calcium and alk are always consumed at specified ratios because they aren't. Only in mature tanks with high calcium consumption does this occur.

Would you tell somebody with low alk to fix it with a calcium reactor? Same logic as using a two part to fix low alk.

Sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate.

Correct. Calcium is 440 but we've been using tap water and we have hard water so it's like a dose in each water change. kH ss 143.3 which to my understanding is also normal. pH is between 8.2 and 8.4 on API test. Your we have several mixed reef frags but I wouldn't consider it sps heavy. No larger colonies.your opinion is baking soda?

 

[AllieBdot]

Make sure it is the SW version. If you bought it used get new reagent, it goes bad and gives false readings over time. Make sure the vials are clean. It should tell you if the battery is low, if it is, replace it.

Just double checked. It is marine. It was brand new used for the first time and brand new battery

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi! I'm still quite new to this and looking for resources for dosing alkalinity. The catch is that I don't have a sump. Just a protein skimmer, two hanging filters and a power head. The resources I have found are for sumps. My current alkalinity is 4.3 so i have lots to correct. I'm looking for info on:

-Best supplement to use
-How to dose with no sump
-When to dose- daily? With water changes?
-Any other weird quirks to keep in mind?

Thanks in advance for nay help!

This might help you decide what sort of method to use:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION

There is no aspect of reef aquarium chemistry more important than calcium and alkalinity. Many of my previous articles have described various aspects of these systems in detail. In reading those articles, aquarists will note one pervasive theme: that maintaining appropriate levels of each are...

www.reefedition.com