Best alkalinity builder

[oceaninabox]

Seems like I have to add alkalinty to my systems every other day to keep the alk correct. Does anybody have a comment on the best builder to use and also any ways to keep it more consistant?

 

[iani]

Your coral is taking up the Alk, no matter what you add you are going to have to add it all the time. Pretty much all alk liquids are sodium carbonate mixed in water. Go to bulkreefsupply to get some.

 

[nino78]

Are you using a calcium reactor. If so that should keep your alk perfect.

 

[oceaninabox]

No calc reactor!!! Old skool way..Bottoms up!!!!

 

[Reef Pets]

I have found Kent Coral Builder to be pretty good. The best think I have found is that it does not up the Ph like most ALK buffers. I add it everyday with top off. The SPS use it up like crazy!
I have never used a reactor myself. I have considered it but I like dosing.

 

[oceaninabox]

So it's just plain ol sodium carbonate?

Your coral is taking up the Alk, no matter what you add you are going to have to add it all the time. Pretty much all alk liquids are sodium carbonate mixed in water. Go to bulkreefsupply to get some.

 

[iani]

Yeah sodium carbonate not sodium bicarb. Basically sodium bicarb will lower the pH while sodium carb will raise the pH. People for the most part want to raise the pH. You can get sodium bicarb (baking soda) and bake it which turns it into sodium carbonate.

 

[oceaninabox]

I have bought from bulkreefsupply before... Pretty good prices!

 

[AlexStinson]

we've been using a supply of dt's pure we got in at the store... works ok but it is freakin weak! a whole bottle only does a couple hundred gallons

 

[oceaninabox]

All this time the additive I use for the Ph in my jacuzzi is 100% sodium carbonate. Go figure!

 

[bigtex52]

Bake plain old Arm&Hammer in a 350 deg. oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, let it cool and store it in a sealable container and you're good to go. I would be wary of using swimming pool or spa chemicals without reading the fine print in their MSDS because the degree of purity might not be as high in those products as it is in food grade. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[gparr]

Yes, you have to constantly add alk and calcium to maintain levels. Magnesium, also, but to a lesser extent. If you don't add and your levels stay stable, corals aren't growing and something is amiss.

I've used B-Ionic for many years. Not the cheapest, but it has performed consistently for me. I buy the 5-gal units that make up about 4 gal. of each component. I put equal amounts of each component in the tanks every morning and things stay so stable I rarely test any more. Weekly 25% water changes keep the rest of the trace element levels in line. Once a month or so I add Mg in my top-off water. I do test regularly for Mg. It's important to keep all three at proper levels. Magnesium helps keep calcium in solution and is a major component of the coral tissue-skeleton growth interface.

Gary

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

The baking soda is the cheepest way to add alkalinity, if you bake it you will be able to dissolve more into a water mixture (like b-ionic). If you do not bake it it will still increase Alkalinity.

It is more of a concern that you are not needing to add calcium and alkalinity in relation to one another? Have you tested Ca++ ?

Also what test kits are you using?

 

[atlfishes]

I run my topoff through a DIY kalk reactor and it keeps ph, calcium and alk in line. I supplement that if needed with a two part solution. Will have to keep an eye on the mag.