Can’t keep Alk up

Travis Stewart

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Have been having issues lately with keeping all up. Calcium is 450 and mag is 1500. After getting all back around 8.0, it will drop to the 6.7 range after a few days. Increased dosing amount and result unchanged. Currently dosing about 48mL of alk daily. Using 2 per esv b ionic.
 

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The only thing I can see from what you said is elevated magnesium causing a combination of the excess to precipitate. Are you dosing for Mg and maybe let it fall between 1200-1400.

There could be other factors just a thought.
 
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Travis Stewart

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The only thing I can see from what you said is elevated magnesium causing a combination of the excess to precipitate. Are you dosing for Mg and maybe let it fall between 1200-1400.

There could be other factors just a thought.
Thanks for the reply. I haven’t dosed mag in a long time. Do water changes weekly at 10%.
 
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Travis Stewart

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The only thing I can see from what you said is elevated magnesium causing a combination of the excess to precipitate. Are you dosing for Mg and maybe let it fall between 1200-1400.

There could be other factors just a thought.
The only thing I can see from what you said is elevated magnesium causing a combination of the excess to precipitate. Are you dosing for Mg and maybe let it fall between 1200-1400.

There could be other factors just a thought
Idk why it won’t go down either..
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Have been having issues lately with keeping all up. Calcium is 450 and mag is 1500. After getting all back around 8.0, it will drop to the 6.7 range after a few days. Increased dosing amount and result unchanged. Currently dosing about 48mL of alk daily. Using 2 per esv b ionic.

And what if you dose more?

What size tank are we talking about?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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3.5 year old 75 gallon about 100 total water volume. Feel like that’s a lot of alk for tank size..

48 mL of ESV B-ionic in 100 gallons boosts alk by 1 dKH. That is not particularly high, even for a mixed tank.

Unless you see substantial signs of precipitation (like hardening sand), I'd just dose more.
 
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Travis Stewart

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48 mL of ESV B-ionic in 100 gallons boosts alk by 1 dKH. That is not particularly high, even for a mixed tank.

Unless you see substantial signs of precipitation (like hardening sand), I'd just dose more.
Okay I feel like I’m going through it like crazy!
 
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Travis Stewart

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48 mL of ESV B-ionic in 100 gallons boosts alk by 1 dKH. That is not particularly high, even for a mixed tank.

Unless you see substantial signs of precipitation (like hardening sand), I'd just dose more.
At what point do you say I’m dosing too much and it makes sense to switch to a calrx
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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At what point do you say I’m dosing too much and it makes sense to switch to a calrx

There are many methods to supplement calcium and alk, not just these two.

I'd only use a CaCO3/CO2 reactor for a very large aquarium.

 
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Travis Stewart

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There are many methods to supplement calcium and alk, not just these two.

I'd only use a CaCO3/CO2 reactor for a very large aquarium.

Thanks for the read. Seems like I’m using the most viable option for my current setup, but has become very expensive recently. Can’t keep to hold alk up once I over dose to get it where I want it.
 
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Travis Stewart

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There are many methods to supplement calcium and alk, not just these two.

I'd only use a CaCO3/CO2 reactor for a very large aquarium.

Is there a way to test the potency of the esv alk buffer part?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Is there a way to test the potency of the esv alk buffer part?

Sure, why do you ask?

Are you suspecting it is not fully potent, or is knowing the manufacturers spec adequate?
 
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Travis Stewart

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Sure, why do you ask?

Are you suspecting it is not fully potent, or is knowing the manufacturers spec adequate?
Uhh more like I bought a 3 gallon mixture off the guy and I’m second guessing that it was legit as little bits were used. Maybe why I can’t get my alk up lol
 
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Travis Stewart

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I can tell when adding that it looks to be turning slightly solid if that make sense. Usually just a cloudy buffer but when adding currently looks like small precipitates in the water.

I read a different thread you were on and maybe I need to stop dosing for 3 days to see if that helps
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I can tell when adding that it looks to be turning slightly solid if that make sense. Usually just a cloudy buffer but when adding currently looks like small precipitates in the water.

I read a different thread you were on and maybe I need to stop dosing for 3 days to see if that helps

Add it slowly to a higher flow area. Dilute if need be. It's normal to see cloudiness:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Figure 3. The transient cloud of magnesium hydroxide that forms when high pH additives are added. In this case, the alkalinity portion of B-ionic was added to a fairly still portion of one of my reef aquaria.

1643313602898.png
 
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Travis Stewart

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Add it slowly to a higher flow area. Dilute if need be. It's normal to see cloudiness:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Figure 3. The transient cloud of magnesium hydroxide that forms when high pH additives are added. In this case, the alkalinity portion of B-ionic was added to a fairly still portion of one of my reef aquaria.

1643313602898.png
Looks normal to me. I think it’s precipitating out. Any way to see that visually?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Looks normal to me. I think it’s precipitating out. Any way to see that visually?

If it collects on the bottom and stays there, its a problem.

If it seems to disappear as it disperses in the tank, its normal.

Cloudy water throughout the tank is also a problem.
 
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