Help with low alk

[zdrc]

I've finally accepted that I need to start dosing my tank. I have a 12 gallon aquapod with some SPS, LPS, and softies. I do weekly water changes of 4 gallons (33% change, but more like 40-50% when factoring the displacement from rock/sand/equipment. I was hoping these large changes would keep the alk up without dosing but that's not the case. Today's test measurements were,

pH: 8.3
kH: 5.2 (ouch)
Ca: 390 ppm
Mg: 1470 ppm
NO3: 0 ppm
PO4: 0 ppm

These large water changes combine with some prolific bubble algae and sea lettuce have tanked my nutrients. In addition, they've clearly failed to keep my alk up. I tested freshly mixed water today to make sure my test kit was working and got a KH of ~8.7.

I've been dosing NO3 and PO4, but I recently slacked on that when the algae in the tank started to go wild. I've also tried dosing Coral Up from time to time, but I haven't been consistent.

Surprisingly, all the corals look pretty good with the exception of a Duncan that's been pouting for like 6 months.

In any case, I think I either need a real doser or I need to be much more aggressive about dosing the Coral Up. I feel like the instructions on the bottle just isn't enough. In any case, what should I dose? What is the simplest possible dosing set up that still yields good results? Could I use my ATO?

I think I'm going to do a 80-100% water change pronto to get my alk back to normal.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I have been using the liquid sodium bicarbonate from BRS and will soon be switching to baking soda. Purchased a Kamoer x1 doser in December. I have a 40 Breeder.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

@zdrc -What kind of salt are you using? And what salinity are you mixing it to?

Many people find that adding kalkwasser to their ATO reservoir works well, but this does have the limiting factor of the amount of evaporation... If your ATO isn't dumping enough kalk into your system then you may need to supplement with a doser or by hand.

One caution - don't raise alk too quickly; this can cause more damage than the low level itself.

 

[zdrc]

@zdrc -What kind of salt are you using? And what salinity are you mixing it to?

Many people find that adding kalkwasser to their ATO reservoir works well, but this does have the limiting factor of the amount of evaporation... If your ATO isn't dumping enough kalk into your system then you may need to supplement with a doser or by hand.

One caution - don't raise alk too quickly; this can cause more damage than the low level itself.

Good point about raising it. I have a water change queued up right now that I'm going to do and then I'm going to monitor the alk throughout the week to see how quickly it's being consumed.

My ATO works pretty hard, I'm in a dry climate.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

There are some good resources here as well...

Randy's Reef Chemistry Articles

While there are many good articles out there on reef chemistry topics, here's a list of my articles. Some of them need updating, and we'll be posting revisions at R2R, but there are not many things which I think are incorrect. Handy Calculators (I don't claim to have written these, but they...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Good point about raising it. I have a water change queued up right now that I'm going to do and then I'm going to monitor the alk throughout the week to see how quickly it's being consumed.

My ATO works pretty hard, I'm in a dry climate.

You might just need to change your salt mix... What are you using now?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Good point about raising it. I have a water change queued up right now that I'm going to do and then I'm going to monitor the alk throughout the week to see how quickly it's being consumed.

My ATO works pretty hard, I'm in a dry climate.

You might just need to change your salt mix... What are you using now?

Also, your calcium is very low so you might want to think about dosing 2 part.

 

[zdrc]

You might just need to change your salt mix... What are you using now?

Also, your calcium is very low so you might want to think about dosing 2 part.

Yes, I thought Kalkwasser also dosed calcium in addition to carbonate? I was thinking of something that dosed calcium and alk.

I'm using Frits RPM Blue Box. I'm happy with the parameters it mixes too, but maybe I need something that mixes a little stronger? I've just about made it through my first box so now would be a good time to switch if I'm going to switch.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yes, I thought Kalkwasser also dosed calcium in addition to carbonate? I was thinking of something that dosed calcium and alk.

I'm using Frits RPM Blue Box. I'm happy with the parameters it mixes too, but maybe I need something that mixes a little stronger? I've just about made it through my first box so now would be a good time to switch if I'm going to switch.

Really up to you, but I like Instant Ocean. Inexpensive and meets the needs of my tank pretty well.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I've finally accepted that I need to start dosing my tank. I have a 12 gallon aquapod with some SPS, LPS, and softies. I do weekly water changes of 4 gallons (33% change, but more like 40-50% when factoring the displacement from rock/sand/equipment. I was hoping these large changes would keep the alk up without dosing but that's not the case. Today's test measurements were,

pH: 8.3
kH: 5.2 (ouch)
Ca: 390 ppm
Mg: 1470 ppm
NO3: 0 ppm
PO4: 0 ppm

These large water changes combine with some prolific bubble algae and sea lettuce have tanked my nutrients. In addition, they've clearly failed to keep my alk up. I tested freshly mixed water today to make sure my test kit was working and got a KH of ~8.7.

I've been dosing NO3 and PO4, but I recently slacked on that when the algae in the tank started to go wild. I've also tried dosing Coral Up from time to time, but I haven't been consistent.

Surprisingly, all the corals look pretty good with the exception of a Duncan that's been pouting for like 6 months.

In any case, I think I either need a real doser or I need to be much more aggressive about dosing the Coral Up. I feel like the instructions on the bottle just isn't enough. In any case, what should I dose? What is the simplest possible dosing set up that still yields good results? Could I use my ATO?

I think I'm going to do a 80-100% water change pronto to get my alk back to normal.

Go to your pantry and grab some baking soda. Use the reef chemistry calculator to determine how much to add to the tank. Alk fixed.

For long term in a nano I find All for reef to be great. Only a single dosing pump required.
Or you could just dose by hand a couple of times a week

 

[zdrc]

Really up to you, but I like Instant Ocean. Inexpensive and meets the needs of my tank pretty well.

Maybe it's mumbo-jumbo, but I'm a little afraid of switching salts on an established tank. My corals are fairly happy (good polyp extension), I just think they're just growing a little slow. I don't really want to mess that up.

Also, I thought 390 ppm calcium wasn't too bad. I was under the impression the 420 ppm was ideal and 390 isn't that far off. Am I wrong about this?

Go to your pantry and grab some baking soda. Use the reef chemistry calculator to determine how much to add to the tank. Alk fixed.

For long term in a nano I find All for reef to be great. Only a single dosing pump required.
Or you could just dose by hand a couple of times a week

This problem has been going on for a while and I've been ignoring it. Now that I've decided to do something about it, I'm going to be doing a lot more testing and dosing. I think I'll try dosing the Coral Up first to see how it affects Ca and alk. Then I'll try using some baking soda.

Maybe I'll pick up some all for reef soon. I think I'll just get a pump because the hand dosing hasn't worked for me. Would this be a good pump? --> https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/x1-bluetooth-micropump-kamoer.html

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Maybe it's mumbo-jumbo, but I'm a little afraid of switching salts on an established tank. My corals are fairly happy (good polyp extension), I just think they're just growing a little slow. I don't really want to mess that up.

Also, I thought 390 ppm calcium wasn't too bad. I was under the impression the 420 ppm was ideal and 390 isn't that far off. Am I wrong about this?



This problem has been going on for a while and I've been ignoring it. Now that I've decided to do something about it, I'm going to be doing a lot more testing and dosing. I think I'll try dosing the Coral Up first to see how it affects Ca and alk. Then I'll try using some baking soda.

Maybe I'll pick up some all for reef soon. I think I'll just get a pump because the hand dosing hasn't worked for me. Would this be a good pump? --> https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/x1-bluetooth-micropump-kamoer.html

I bought two Kamoer pumps and have been happy with them. One thing to know is that if the power goes out, the clock time is off. It will still dose but you have to reconnect to your phone to correct the clock time. The alternatives are to spend a heck of a lot more money.

 

[zdrc]

I bought two Kamoer pumps and have been happy with them. One thing to know is that if the power goes out, the clock time is off. It will still dose but you have to reconnect to your phone to correct the clock time. The alternatives are to spend a heck of a lot more money.

I like not spending money. Honestly if the power goes out, the doser time is the least of my concerns.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Maybe I'll pick up some all for reef soon. I think I'll just get a pump because the hand dosing hasn't worked for me. Would this be a good pump? --> https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/x1-bluetooth-micropump-kamoer.html

It only needs to dose once or twice a day. For that price I'd go for it.