Alkalinity and Calcium Not Rising

[revhtree]

Where's your alk holding at?

I think you figured out your PH by getting the Co2 out of your basement.

It's holding aroun 9.5 right now dosing 400ml.

 

[luke33]

Rev, how do you not own a hanna alk checker? They are worth their weight in gold if you ask me. I don't say that about much in this hobby : )

 

[revhtree]

Oh and I just thought of something. Lol!

I started this thread when I was using the test kit that still shows my ALK around 7. But two other brands are showing around the same new readings I got.

So maybe the whole time my ALK was high enough. Oh and my Cal finally stabilized and I've been dosing a little extra everyday to get it up. It's being going up about 10 to 15ppm per day where it wasn't moving at all.

 

[GoVols]

Oh and I just thought of something. Lol!

I started this thread when I was using the test kit that still shows my ALK around 7. But two other brands are showing around the same new readings I got.

So maybe the whole time my ALK was high enough. Oh and my Cal finally stabilized and I've been dosing a little extra everyday to get it up. It's being going up about 10 to 15ppm per day where it wasn't moving at all.

 

[gcarroll]

Rev, lets go Calcium reactor shopping for you at RAP Orlando!

 

[revhtree]

Rev, lets go Calcium reactor shopping for you at RAP Orlando!

Honestly I think I need to go that route in the future so maybe start looking now!

 

[gcarroll]

IMO, you needed to start looking once the size of your tank reached a 3rd digit! Make sure you get one from a R2R sponsor!

 

[GoVols]

It was hardened for I'm guessing 2 months but I don't siphon my sand so not completely sure. It has been looser for maybe 3 months now and when I do break up areas, I have done so slowly(it was indeed like a rock).
Ok, so this is my first day. Let me tell you about my tank first. 200 gallon 8ft shallow reef. NYOS Quantum skimmer, 2 My Reef Creations media reactors(one with BRS GFO and the other with BRS Premium ROX 0.8 Carbon.), 2 MP40's, 5 Radions overhead my open tank. ATO system and 3 BRS dosing pumps. Apex Jr. controller, and Water blaster 7000. Very little coral because I kept losing them. A couple of acros hanging on, a few struggling acans, struggling jedi mind trick, frogspawn and a thriving purple sea fan. I just changed my salt mix over to Red Sea Coral Pro.

Today: dKh: 118 or 6.6 with Hannah Checker
Ca: not sure what happened because results are in the 1000+ range. I used the control solution and it measured about the same so I am going to throw that kit away and purchase a new one, hopefully tomorrow. (SeaChem Reef Status) This has NEVER happened before, so not sure what the deal is.
Mg: .96 or 1200ppm (SeaChem Reef Status)
Sp. Gr: 1.025 (ATC hydrometer)
Phosphates: 0.00 (Hanna Checker- HI 713 Low Range)
pH: 8.3

I just purchased Sodium Bicarbonate as BRS recommended for larger doses, it is mixed up and settling now. According to it's directions, I am to add 360ml of this suspension to get up to a dKh of 8. (calculating based on estimated 180 gallons of actual water in my tank).
I will not be adding any Calcium until I know what I am dealing with, unless you suggest otherwise.
I will be adding a total of 2200mL of Magnesium Mix(chloride & sulfate) over a 2 day period to reach my goal of 1350ppm Mg.

Up until today, I was adding 100ml daily of BRS 2 part system(soda ash solution and calcium chloride solution through my dosing pumps). I am now stopping this to see what my daily consumption is.

Please point out anything you see wrong with what I plan to do, any suggestions you may have, if I should change my test kit over to Salifert? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

We need somebody to help out @aashley to stabilize her parameters too.

@Randy Holmes-Farley
Can you please give her a starting point?

 

[GoVols]

Honestly I think I need to go that route in the future so maybe start looking now!

Get that new dual GEO with the digital doser unit.

Then you'd have to drip kalk to hold your ph up in the basement.

 

[revhtree]

Get that new dual GEO with the digital doser unit.

Then you'd have to drip kalk to hold your ph up in the basement.

My plan is to add an exhaust fan to the tank room and that should help right?

 

[Maacc]

My plan is to add an exhaust fan to the tank room and that should help right?

As long as it is drawing from a fresh air source yes, but if it draws from upstairs in a closed up house it wouldn't be effective.

 

[revhtree]

As long as it is drawing from a fresh air source yes, but if it draws from upstairs in a closed up house it wouldn't be effective.

Yes it will be drawing from the outside tank room wall which is outside.

 

[gcarroll]

If you watched that Chaeto test video from BRSTV, they showed that if you light a refugium properly, you can drastically increase your PH with a fuge. They reported ph of 8.8 on one of their fuge lit by the Kessil H380.

 

[GoVols]

My plan is to add an exhaust fan to the tank room and that should help right?

It should help, but cal reactor's lower the ph.

A dual stage helps. The second stage is meant to help bring the ph back up.

I'd put in your exhaust fan and see how it does first.

 

[GoVols]

As long as it is drawing from a fresh air source yes, but if it draws from upstairs in a closed up house it wouldn't be effective.

+1

 

[Maacc]

Yes it will be drawing from the outside tank room wall which is outside.

Rev, do you have your skimmer airline outside? If not you should consider it, but add a small phosban reactor with rox carbon in it inline to catch any fumes or chemicals you or a close neighbor accidentally sprays.

 

[aashley]

Day 2:

dKh: 127 (7.1). BRS calculator states I need 231mL of sodium bicarb to elevate to 8dKh.

Questions: 1. At what point do I use soda ash instead of sodium bicarb. It says bicarb for larger increases needed but no real parameters.
2. I am shooting for dKh of 8 but should I shoot for higher since the range is from 8-12?

Calcium: 370ppm today. I was not able to get a new test kit today however for some reason, it registered fine. I even checked it twice to make sure it was accurate. BRS states to add 921 mL of calcium 2-part to reach 420ppm.

Question: It says you can safely increase calcium by 50ppm daily so would you recommend doing this all at once with the 921mL or break it up and if so, what schedule would you use?

To answer your question from yesterday, nitrates are 0. I did not test magnesium again today, will test tomorrow when I finish the 2 day dosing schedule.

 

[GoVols]

@aashley

I don't know the BRS two part.
But if you can stay within the recommended daily amount to hit your 8 dkh then do one dose and check if it hit 8dkh. I never shoot more than I want.

If it's takes too much then break it up into two days.

If your go over the recommended daily amounts your #'s will drop instead of going up.

Same goes for your cal.

Spread the alk dose and cal dose far apart so they don't precipitate out.

 

[GoVols]

@aashley
You have a 200 gallon but do you know how much your water volume really is after taking in account things like live rock?

My tank is rated at 110 gallons including overflow and sump but I'm really holding 80 gallons. So, If I feel the need to dose up a parameter I dose it to my 80 gallons not the 110 gallons.

If I dosed to the 110 gallons then I have overshot the parameter that I wanted.

 

[aashley]

I just re-tested and my dKh is 8.06. I am using 180 gallons instead of 200 so it looks like I'm pretty close. I will take your advice on adding each pretty far apart so they don't precipitate out. How far apart would you recommend?