Instant Ocean Alkalinity Variance

[homer1475]

Muriatic acid, or any mineral acid will lower ALK.

The calculation is:

DKH drop x water volume x .123 = ML of acid to add.

For instance in 40G of water, I need to drop it to 7 from 9:

2 x 40x .123 = 9.84ML of acid, I would just add 10 and call it good( I like round numbers).

I do this for every batch of IO I mix up. It mixes so consistently I add 15ml of acid to my mixing barrel, then test it a few days later, and it's always pretty close to 7.5.

 

[fixel2002]

I use regular instant ocean, but always reduce the Alk to 7.5. Here is what my batches have mixed up to at 1.0264 before I reduced the Alk:

06/18 - 10.584
07/25 - 9.8
08/21 - 8.904
09/11 - 8.232
10/09 - 9.688

What are you using to reduce alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are you using to reduce alk?

I don’t know what he uses, but either sodium bisulfate or muriatic acid work well.

Sodium Bisulfate to Reduce Alkalinity in New Salt Water or in Display Tanks

I just want to record these calculations in their own thread to refer back to in other threads. When alkalinity is too high in new salt water or in a display tank, acid can be used to lower the alkalinity. You can easily use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or sodium bifulfate (e.g...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[DivingTheWorld]

What are you using to reduce alk?

Randy already confirmed but yes, muriatic acid. It doesn’t take much. Just be safe with PPE using it.