How fast does alk supplements get absorbed into the water, do they even get absorbed?

[Reef Puncher]

Here is the concern. Whenever i do my water changes, my alk becomes unstable. i like to keep my alk around 8.6 or 8.7 but everytime i do my water change, it drops down to like 8.0 or 8.1, because the red sea blue bucket is around 8.0. everytime i try raising it up with 2 part or AFR, it never lands right where i want it, often too high. so my 2 questions are, how soon after i dose alk can i test for it reliably? is it possible that if i pour 2 part alk in there and test immediatley, that i can get off numbers because maybe it hasnt absorbed yet? is that even a thing water absorbing alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Unlike nearly every other alk supplement that is instantly available and detectable when dosed, AFR has a delay while bacteria and related organisms in the tank metabolize the formate in it into detectable and usable bicarbonate.

All two or three part systems are fully and instantly detectable once mixed in.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Could you just add alk to your new saltwater so it's around 8.6?

 

[Reef Puncher]

Could you just add alk to your new saltwater so it's around 8.6?

thats the plan imma start doing that, but randy helped by basically saying use 2 part, not AFR, as 2 part is instant, afr, is not.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Try the black bucket, it mixes at higher alk

 

[Reef Puncher]

Try the black bucket, it mixes at higher alk

yea but thats wayyyyyy to high. its 12. ill just add 2 part to the new salt mix, and keep testing till it reaches 8.6