Help with chronically low dKH after dosing

[Jerfatico]

PH: 8.3-8.5
Ca: 450
Mg: 1290
dKH: 6.7-7

I'm tring to raise my dkh to 9 and even with dosing properly per the BRS calculator it's not buding my levels.

Was using all for reef, then tried just adding more Balling B and most recently have just been adding Reef Code B (120mL over 2 days) and my dKH is still the same.

What am I missing?

System volume is about 120gallons. Lots of small sps frags (30).

 

[smitten with ocean life]

@Randy Holmes-Farley could give you some words of wisdom!

 

[bast]

How are you testing your alkalinity, could the test be expired?

Also, I'm not an expert but magnesium is a little on the low side for your calcium - are you seeing precipitation when dosing alk?

 

[Jerfatico]

How are you testing your alkalinity, could the test be expired?

Also, I'm not an expert but magnesium is a little on the low side for your calcium - are you seeing precipitation when dosing alk?

Its a brand new salifert test kit, not expired. Worth double checking though.

No precipitation seen

 

[Garf]

Reef Code B (120mL over 2 days)

System volume is about 120gallons

How much is this stuff supposed to increase the Alkalinity by? If it's less than 0.5 DKH you may find it difficult to pick that up with a Salifert kit.

Edit - after a bit of poking around it appears the alkalinity supplement should have given you a 2 DKH boost. This looks like an expensive way of adding alkalinity tbh.
Have you got some sodium bicarbonate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

PH: 8.3-8.5
Ca: 450
Mg: 1290
dKH: 6.7-7

I'm tring to raise my dkh to 9 and even with dosing properly per the BRS calculator it's not buding my levels.

Was using all for reef, then tried just adding more Balling B and most recently have just been adding Reef Code B (120mL over 2 days) and my dKH is still the same.

What am I missing?

System volume is about 120gallons. Lots of small sps frags (30).

Maybe you are just offsetting demand? You may just need to add more.

Any sign of precipitation such as sand hardening?

I agree with Garf that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) may have some advantages over the short term as you try to straighten things out.

 

[Jerfatico]

PH: 8.3-8.5
Ca: 450
Mg: 1290
dKH: 6.7-7

I'm tring to raise my dkh to 9 and even with dosing properly per the BRS calculator it's not buding my levels.

Was using all for reef, then tried just adding more Balling B and most recently have just been adding Reef Code B (120mL over 2 days) and my dKH is still the same.

What am I missing?

System volume is about 120gallons. Lots of small sps frags (30).

Maybe you are just offsetting demand? You may just need to add more.

Any sign of precipitation such as sand hardening?

I agree with Garf that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) may have some advantages over the short term as you try to straighten things out.

This is probably the case but the Reef Code B increases my pH quite a bit and I've been cautious about adding more.

I would prefer to maintain tank requirments with All For Reef on a daily basis. Was just trying to use Balling B to increase alkalinity to where I want it to be but it didn't budge it at all, so I switched to Reef Code B to adjust the alk. I guess I can try to add more of the Reef Code B.

 

[Garf]

This is probably the case but the Reef Code B increases my pH quite a bit and I've been cautious about adding more.

I would prefer to maintain tank requirments with All For Reef on a daily basis. Was just trying to use Balling B to increase alkalinity to where I want it to be but it didn't budge it at all, so I switched to Reef Code B to adjust the alk. I guess I can try to add more of the Reef Code B.

Sodium bicarb won't mess with your pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Raising alk with AFR is also a fine plan.