So I’m starting to see why some people get out of the hobby. This is aggravating, so I’ll start from the beginning.
I’m going over my logs from the beginning of December, and I’m starting to realize my alkalinity issue has existed for a while. I will post my log at the end of this thread.
When January rolled around, I switched to using red seas foundation program, and for a while I was able to achieve alkalinity levels above 8 while maintaining normal calcium levels of around 427. I have always been pushing a little higher alkalinity so that I have that extra breathing room. Towards the middle of January, my alkalinity has been falling, around 5.9 to mid 6, although my calcium remained normal. Ever since then, I have been trying to raise my alkalinity, which lasts normally a day, and my calcium skyrockets to around 476-500.
Having trouble with balancing the Red Sea alkalinity and calcium ratio, I decided I was going to switch back to BRS 2 part. I switched three days ago when my calcium tested at 535, and alk was 5.8.
I did a 30% water change (consisting of some left over reef crystals and Red Sea coral pro). Post water change levels read 6.9/476/1260. At this point I added 2 part to raise my alk and mag, when I tested again at 10pm, alk/cal/mag read 7.3/467/1300.
Next day, my levels measure 6.5/467/1300. AT THIS POINT... I remember why I switched back to 2 part. When I first used it, I never dosed in equal amounts which is why I feel I was unsuccessful. After reading Randy’s article on low alk, high calcium, I figured “I need to dose in equal amounts.” So I dosed 8.6 for both solutions, which is the BRS recommended .2 mL per gallon (and what my dosers were set for). Later that evening, numbers measured out at 6.1/504/1350. Again, I added 2 part to correct the alkalinity to raise it 1.4 dKH (just Alk).
I also raised my doser amounts to 12 mL for both alk/cal, which dose at 12:00am and 2am.
This morning, my numbers read 6.3/600/1400.
I really don’t know what else to do. I have had two moments where I stop testing and evaluate my levels. The first time was early last year, and then I realized it took about 50mL of BRS 2 Part to keep my levels, mainly alk, just above normal range. The second was a few weeks ago, when I first posted about my issue. It was recommended I maintain my alk at 7, with sodium bicarbonate, which took about 120 mL a day to barely keep it above 7.
There has to be something I am missing, this has been an endless battle for months. I have a Red Sea reefer 170, mixed with softies, mainly LPS, and a few SPS frags. I am using Hanna Checkers for calcium and alkalinity, and Red Sea for magnesium testing. I switched to coral pro salt mainly for the high alk, figuring it would help my problem, but I may switch to just the Red Sea salt since it’s a little more balanced.
Help me guys! Much appreciated. Sorry for the unorganized second attachment
I’m going over my logs from the beginning of December, and I’m starting to realize my alkalinity issue has existed for a while. I will post my log at the end of this thread.
When January rolled around, I switched to using red seas foundation program, and for a while I was able to achieve alkalinity levels above 8 while maintaining normal calcium levels of around 427. I have always been pushing a little higher alkalinity so that I have that extra breathing room. Towards the middle of January, my alkalinity has been falling, around 5.9 to mid 6, although my calcium remained normal. Ever since then, I have been trying to raise my alkalinity, which lasts normally a day, and my calcium skyrockets to around 476-500.
Having trouble with balancing the Red Sea alkalinity and calcium ratio, I decided I was going to switch back to BRS 2 part. I switched three days ago when my calcium tested at 535, and alk was 5.8.
I did a 30% water change (consisting of some left over reef crystals and Red Sea coral pro). Post water change levels read 6.9/476/1260. At this point I added 2 part to raise my alk and mag, when I tested again at 10pm, alk/cal/mag read 7.3/467/1300.
Next day, my levels measure 6.5/467/1300. AT THIS POINT... I remember why I switched back to 2 part. When I first used it, I never dosed in equal amounts which is why I feel I was unsuccessful. After reading Randy’s article on low alk, high calcium, I figured “I need to dose in equal amounts.” So I dosed 8.6 for both solutions, which is the BRS recommended .2 mL per gallon (and what my dosers were set for). Later that evening, numbers measured out at 6.1/504/1350. Again, I added 2 part to correct the alkalinity to raise it 1.4 dKH (just Alk).
I also raised my doser amounts to 12 mL for both alk/cal, which dose at 12:00am and 2am.
This morning, my numbers read 6.3/600/1400.
I really don’t know what else to do. I have had two moments where I stop testing and evaluate my levels. The first time was early last year, and then I realized it took about 50mL of BRS 2 Part to keep my levels, mainly alk, just above normal range. The second was a few weeks ago, when I first posted about my issue. It was recommended I maintain my alk at 7, with sodium bicarbonate, which took about 120 mL a day to barely keep it above 7.
There has to be something I am missing, this has been an endless battle for months. I have a Red Sea reefer 170, mixed with softies, mainly LPS, and a few SPS frags. I am using Hanna Checkers for calcium and alkalinity, and Red Sea for magnesium testing. I switched to coral pro salt mainly for the high alk, figuring it would help my problem, but I may switch to just the Red Sea salt since it’s a little more balanced.
Help me guys! Much appreciated. Sorry for the unorganized second attachment
Last edited:
