Help me get a plan here

[Kingsley_Reef]

Just looking for some confidence and reassurance to get a safe plan of attack to raise these to acceptable parameters
Got trident hooked up early this week going to use the recalibration fluid this morning and also compare it’s results to a Hanna checker for alk/cal to be sure

Have not dosed anything to this tank yet only 10% weekly water changes with instant ocean so obviously I got some work to do

I have BRS soda ash,calcium chloride,magnesium mixed up from my previous tanks but I don’t think i should use the soda ash since it will raise the ph

I have baking soda and am thinking of making a gallon of Randy’s recipe 2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Salinity of 26.9 ppt? If that is even close to accurate, it is seriously low. That will throw everything off.

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

lol it’s 1.025 checked with Hanna I bought the probe and module used off here it’s never been right even after calibration

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The soda ash will be fine. Just not added all at once.

The magneisum is fine, but adding a little is also fine.

Calcium via calcium chloride is certainly desirable (if accurate).

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

I have roughly 105g volume So you think I can safely add a split daily dose 50.25ml of soda ash to raise it to atleast 6.5 today then continue that dosing until I’m closer to 8?

 

[VintageReefer]

I have roughly 105g volume So you think I can safely add a split daily dose 50.25ml of soda ash to raise it to atleast 6.5 today then continue that dosing until I’m closer to 8?

You can safely raise by 1.4dkh Per day according to brs, but I would aim to raise 1dkh per day until close

For 105g of water, 2.5 teaspoons of baking soda should raise 1dkh. Just dissolve in rodi, and slowly pour it in over the course of a few hours

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

You can safely raise by 1.4dkh Per day according to brs, but I would aim to raise 1dkh per day until close

For 105g of water, 2.5 teaspoons of baking soda should raise 1dkh. Just dissolve in rodi, and slowly pour it in over the course of a few hours

2.5 teaspoons in a gallon of rodi

Apologize I’m not a chemist but at home builder lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have roughly 105g volume So you think I can safely add a split daily dose 50.25ml of soda ash to raise it to atleast 6.5 today then continue that dosing until I’m closer to 8?

Adding 0.5 dKH all at once is perfectly fine with sodium carbonate (soda ash) in a high flow area. Doing that again later that day is also OK. But rushing to a higher alk is likely more stressful than is the low alk to begin with.

 

[VintageReefer]

2.5 teaspoons in a gallon of rodi

Apologize I’m not a chemist but at home builder lol

It doesn’t matter how much rodi you dissolve it in, the end result is you are adding 2.5 teaspoons baking soda to the system. It’s just going to get mixed in 105 GALLON anyway, so whether it’s a few cups of water or a gallon, it doesn’t matter. You just need enough rodi for the baking soda to fully dissolve

 

[cilyjr]

Wait, have you confirmed the Trident readings yet?

I rely on the Trident so much so that I have a 2nd one in a box just in case, that said, I confirm my readings every week or 2 and do a tank water recalibration every month or so based on salifert kit readings.

I found recalibration via the recalibration solution to drift faster than a tank water recalibration. Additionally, you have to spend more money to have the recalibration solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I found recalibration via the recalibration solution to drift faster than a tank water recalibration. Additionally, you have to spend more money to have the recalibration solution.

Why would the nature of the recalibration fluid cause a difference in the drift rate?

 

[cilyjr]

Why would the nature of the recalibration fluid cause a difference in the drift rate?

Great question. You tell me why...

Let's be honest, the Trident is a finicky piece of equipment. Some people have a lot of issues with it. I've been lucky and the two that I own seem to do quite well.
What I do know is when I've recalibrated with the solution it will a be pretty far off from my salifert results either right out of the gate or Will drift faster within a few weeks, rather within a month or two.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Great question. You tell me why...

Let's be honest, the Trident is a finicky piece of equipment. Some people have a lot of issues with it. I've been lucky and the two that I own seem to do quite well.
What I do know is when I've recalibrated with the solution it will a be pretty far off from my salifert results either right out of the gate or Will drift faster within a few weeks, rather within a month or two.

Don't know. The standard being further from the tank value might be a possibility.

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

It doesn’t matter how much rodi you dissolve it in, the end result is you are adding 2.5 teaspoons baking soda to the system. It’s just going to get mixed in 105 GALLON anyway, so whether it’s a few cups of water or a gallon, it doesn’t matter. You just need enough rodi for the baking soda to fully dissolve

Interesting learn something new everyday

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

Wait, have you confirmed the Trident readings yet?

I rely on the Trident so much so that I have a 2nd one in a box just in case, that said, I confirm my readings every week or 2 and do a tank water recalibration every month or so based on salifert kit readings.

I found recalibration via the recalibration solution to drift faster than a tank water recalibration. Additionally, you have to spend more money to have the recalibration solution.

I have not

 

[BryanM]

I have not

I would definitely confirm, as you stated you've been doing water changes, that alk number seems awfully low. I'd want to know the trident was working properly before addressing "issues"

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

I would definitely confirm, as you stated you've been doing water changes, that alk number seems awfully low. I'd want to know the trident was working properly before addressing "issues"

okay Ile test all parameters tomorrow morning with my Hanna checkers before making adjustments

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

You can safely raise by 1.4dkh Per day according to brs, but I would aim to raise 1dkh per day until close

For 105g of water, 2.5 teaspoons of baking soda should raise 1dkh. Just dissolve in rodi, and slowly pour it in over the course of a few hours

Just out of curiosity what is the formula to figure this amount or is there a calculator available for this

 

[VintageReefer]

Just out of curiosity what is the formula to figure this amount or is there a calculator available for this

https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
Enter water gallons at the top then use the middle section for alkalinity

Note - you are 5.8 and want to be around 8. Don’t put start 5.8 and end 8. You want to step up 1 dkh each day. So start value is 5.8 and end value is 6.8

Then test same time next day and repeat, calculate what’s needed for 1 dkh.

And once you get close to 8 then fine tune the amount an calculate smaller dosage.

If you can figure out your daily consumption you can use this to figure out how to compensate also

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

Cross referenced with Hanna alk is good calcium shows a big difference dont have any reagent for mag

Im going to retest calcium again