Dosing Question

[reeferdon]

I'm dosing the AquaForest Alk, Calc, and Mag at 25mls 4 times a day, and my Alk is averaging between 8.0 and 8.5, Calc is averaging 450<.
I want to start dosing Kalkwasser at night to help stabilize my PH from dropping below 8.0 and raise my Alk to 9.0>.
Should I stop dosing AF at night or dose the Kalk until it reaches the desired level?
I know I'll have to test more frequently.
I'm not sure how much ATO my tank evaluation is yet, my plan is to start with .025 gallons (946.34mls) per night and increase the dosages until I reach the 9.0 Alk level and the PH will be what it is.

 

[dwest]

0.025 gallons is 94.6ml, so not sure how much kalk you are planning.

But, in my system, 1 ml of 2 part is roughly equivalent in alkalinity to 50 ml of saturated kalk. I use a DIY 2 part that is equal in strength to BRS recipe . I’m not sure how aquaforest brand compares.

So if I were going to dose 1L of kalk at night, I would dose 25ml less of 2 part. When you dose 2 part depends on whether you are trying to stabilize pH or alkalinity. I personally dose both kalk and 2 part 24/7.

 

[reeferdon]

I'll explain it, I'll start kalk dosing at half of a half gallon of kalk and increase it until I reach the ATO evaporation amount point.
should I continue dosing the 2 part at the same rate i'm currently dosing along with the Kalk dosing?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'll explain it, I'll start kalk dosing at half of a half gallon of kalk and increase it until I reach the ATO evaporation amount point.
should I continue dosing the 2 part at the same rate i'm currently dosing along with the Kalk dosing?

Do you know how many dKH per day you are dosing now?

 

[reeferdon]

Do you know how many dKH per day you are dosing now?

100ml broken into 4 25mls 4 times a day, that's Alk and Calc equally. that's what my 120 gallon mix reef is consuming. I mix the dry aqua forest 3 part.
Alk: 80 grams per 1000L
Calcium: 50 grams per 1000L mixed with 10 grams on mag
per the Aquaforest installation.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

100ml broken into 4 25mls 4 times a day, that's Alk and Calc equally. that's what my 120 gallon mix reef is consuming. I mix the dry aqua forest 3 part.
Alk: 80 grams per 1000L
Calcium: 50 grams per 1000L mixed with 10 grams on mag
per the Aquaforest installation.

OK, I was hoping for dKH per day, but I can convert it:

"Component 2+ contains: NaHCO3, F, I. (25 ml dissolved in 100 l/27 US gal raises KH by 0,65 dKH (Alk: 0,23 meq/l))."

You are dosing about 100 mL per 120 gallons --> 0.8 ml per gallon

The above quote from Aquaforest says that 25 mL/27 gallons (0.93 ml per gallon) adds 0.65 dKH.

Thus, you are adding 0.56 dKH per day.

That amount is present in 0.58 gallons (2.2 L) of saturated limewater.

If you use saturated limewater, adding a quarter gallon might raise alk and I'd back off on the two part right away.

 

[reeferdon]

OK, I was hoping for dKH per day, but I can convert it:

"Component 2+ contains: NaHCO3, F, I. (25 ml dissolved in 100 l/27 US gal raises KH by 0,65 dKH (Alk: 0,23 meq/l))."

You are dosing about 100 mL per 120 gallons --> 0.8 ml per gallon

The above quote from Aquaforest says that 25 mL/27 gallons (0.93 ml per gallon) adds 0.65 dKH.

Thus, you are adding 0.56 dKH per day.

That amount is present in 0.58 gallons (2.2 L) of saturated limewater.

If you use saturated limewater, adding a quarter gallon might raise alk and I'd back off on the two part right away.

If you use saturated limewater, adding a quarter gallon might raise alk and I'd back off on the two part right away.
that is what I needed to know, Thank you Randy.
I will be using {Reef Blueprint Isol8:Ca(OH)2 1000g - Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide)

 

[Potatohead]

I did a similar thing recently and I cut my two part in half, and started with 1000ml of saturated kalk per day. My alk rose about 1 dkh over a week or so and settled out there. I have since had to turn both kalk and two part dose up about 30-40% again to maintain, I assume because of faster growth.

From what I understand the hydroxide will also release bound carbonate from the tank (Randy would be able to clarify) so it is not unusual to get a pretty big alk hit when you first start using it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

From what I understand the hydroxide will also release bound carbonate from the tank (Randy would be able to clarify) so it is not unusual to get a pretty big alk hit when you first start using it.

I’ve seen that claimed, but I think it is a misunderstanding of what hydroxide does when dosed.

The kalkwasser contains a certain amount of alk as hydroxide. When mixed into seawater that dosed hydroxide converts carbonic acid to bicarbonate and bicarbonate to carbonate, but the total alk effect is identical to the alk present in the kalkwasser as hydroxide.

 

[reeferdon]

Thanks for all your help.
I should dial back my 2 part dosing from 100mls per day to 80mls and adjust accordingly. I'll start dosing Kalk at a quarter gallon nightly and adjust accordingly?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for all your help.
I should dial back my 2 part dosing from 100mls per day to 80mls and adjust accordingly. I'll start dosing Kalk at a quarter gallon nightly and adjust accordingly?

Sounds good, You may need to back off ont he two part even more.