Best way to raise alk?

[Swfiend]

Ok so new system set up moved Frags over and trying to bring my alk back up to start my afr dosing

My ph was low @ 7.7 but started soda ash and it’s now holding around 8- 8.1 day or night but my alk is dropping it was at 7.7 pre soda ash, 24 hours later 6.3 and 48hrs later it’s at 5.5

 

[FUNGI]

check magnesium levels

 

[Swfiend]

check magnesium levels

Everything is low I will be doing a 15% wc after it finishes aerating/mixing
Using tmp mixed at 1.026

Mag 760

 

[Tavero]

Ok so new system set up moved Frags over and trying to bring my alk back up to start my afr dosing

My ph was low @ 7.7 but started soda ash and it’s now holding around 8- 8.1 day or night but my alk is dropping it was at 7.7 pre soda ash, 24 hours later 6.3 and 48hrs later it’s at 5.5

Dose more sodium carbonate? What's the problem with that? If it increases pH too much you can mix nahco3 to your na2co3 solution.

Edit what's calcium? 760 mag isn't possible if ca is anywhere near normal level.

 

[Swfiend]

Dose more sodium carbonate? What's the problem with that? If it increases pH too much you can mix nahco3 to your na2co3 solution.

Edit what's calcium? 760 mag isn't possible if ca is anywhere near normal level.

300

 

[FUNGI]

Everything is low I will be doing a 15% wc after it finishes aerating/mixing
Using tmp mixed at 1.026

Mag 760

That could be one reason your alk isn't going up......is your tank cloudy?

 

[FUNGI]

entire article here:https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/
But snippet below: Reference/Credit: Randy Holmes-Farley.
Magnesium

Magnesium's primary importance is its interaction with the calcium and alkalinity balance in reef aquaria. Seawater and reef aquarium water are always supersaturated with calcium carbonate. That is, the solution's calcium and carbonate levels exceed the amount that the water can hold at equilibrium. How can that be? Magnesium is a big part of the answer. Whenever calcium carbonate begins to precipitate, magnesium binds to the growing surface of the calcium carbonate crystals. The magnesium effectively clogs the crystals' surface so that they no longer look like calcium carbonate, making them unable to attract more calcium and carbonate, so the precipitation stops. Without the magnesium, the abiotic (nonbiological) precipitation of calcium carbonate would likely increase enough to prohibit the maintenance of calcium and alkalinity at natural levels.

For this reason, I suggest targeting the natural seawater concentration of magnesium: ~1285 ppm. For practical purposes, 1250-1350 ppm is fine, and levels slightly outside that range (1200-1400 ppm) are also likely acceptable. I would not suggest raising magnesium by more than 100 ppm per day, in case the magnesium supplement contains impurities. New Zealand's best supermarket deals in New World mailer. If you need to raise it by several hundred ppm, spreading the addition over several days will allow you to more accurately reach the target concentration, and might possibly allow the aquarium to handle any impurities that the supplement contains.

 

[Tavero]

300

Do you have Ca precipitation? Ca 300 and Mg 760 isnt stable long term.

 

[Swfiend]

That could be one reason your alk isn't going up......is your tank cloudy?

No water is crystal clear

 

[Swfiend]

Do you have Ca precipitation? Ca 300 and Mg 760 isnt stable long term.

I’m attempting to correct this but not being “dosing savvy” I’m standing out here asking for help haha our previous tanks were small enough to just do a wc and could correct issues

 

[FUNGI]

what test kit are you using? As Tavero mentioned, not stable with your numbers.....
yeah,,,,I would do a water change to start.....

 

[Tavero]

I’m attempting to correct this but not being “dosing savvy” I’m standing out here asking for help haha our previous tanks were small enough to just do a wc and could correct issues

I also don't think dosing is the right choice here. There are way too many parameters out of order so a water change would be easier. But 15% WC will only fix 15% of the problem. Also I am still wondering if there is a problem with one of the measurements. Mg usually is never that low unless the water has low salinity (or a bad salt is used). You should check your freshly mixed water also for Ca and Mg after dialing in the salinity.

 

[FUNGI]

I also don't think dosing is the right choice here. There are way too many parameters out of order so a water change would be easier. But 15% WC will only fix 15% of the problem. Also I am still wondering if there is a problem with one of the measurements. Mg usually is never that low unless the water has low salinity (or a bad salt is used). You should check your freshly mixed water also for Ca and Mg after dialing in the salinity.

concurr.....

 

[Swfiend]

I’m curious if this test kit is junk I will have to go buy another one to check it agains

When I get home I will check the water mixing to see if it matches up

 

[Swfiend]

I also don't think dosing is the right choice here. There are way too many parameters out of order so a water change would be easier. But 15% WC will only fix 15% of the problem. Also I am still wondering if there is a problem with one of the measurements. Mg usually is never that low unless the water has low salinity (or a bad salt is used). You should check your freshly mixed water also for Ca and Mg after dialing in the salinity.

New mixing station is not set up yet so I only have a 55g barrel to mix in currently

Testing with Red Sea test as it was recommended

 

[Swfiend]

Just got home checked tank salinity at 1.025 on 2 refractometers

Using the Red Sea test kit I’m going to go test the water in the mixing barrel and get back to you guys

 

[Swfiend]

Ok so got vary similar to same results on the fresh mix but here is the biggest thing I found out….

I misread the instructions on the test kit (only took me testing 10x and reading them every time to figure out)

I was going off the amount remaining in the syringe not amount used ‍

Accurate readings In the tank would be

8.6kh
400ca
1240 mag

Currently and fresh mix is
7.6kh
400ca
1520 mag

I’ve been stressed out all day for nothing but my own stupidity it seems

Thanks all

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The tank magnesium cannot be that different than the new salt water. I'd stop measuring magnesium and just focus on alk, and secondarily, calcium.

I'd use baking soda to get alk to your target, then start the AFR.

 

[Tavero]

Ok so got vary similar to same results on the fresh mix but here is the biggest thing I found out….

I misread the instructions on the test kit (only took me testing 10x and reading them every time to figure out)

I was going off the amount remaining in the syringe not amount used ‍

Accurate readings In the tank would be

8.6kh
400ca
1240 mag

Currently and fresh mix is
7.6kh
400ca
1520 mag

I’ve been stressed out all day for nothing but my own stupidity it seems

Thanks all

Good job figuring it out. I was certain either mg or salinity had to be incorrect.

 

[Swfiend]

Good job figuring it out. I was certain either mg or salinity had to be incorrect.

I was worried I was going to get home to a dead tank since I took those #s right before I left for work

The tank magnesium cannot be that different than the new salt water. I'd stop measuring magnesium and just focus on alk, and secondarily, calcium.

I'd use baking soda to get alk to your target, then start the AFR.

just regular old baking soda?