Need Advice on raising Alkalinity while using All For Reef and and kalk.

[Robert Ranciato]

Can anyone give me some advice on best way to raise my alkalinity? Im currently using All For Reef and using a kalk reactor. My Alkalinity is about 7.0 to 7.3. I would like to raise it. I don't want to add more AFR or kalk because my calcium is 480 and my magnesium is 1500. I assume the magnesium is from the All For Reef because I don't dose magnesium. I would like to use either Bulkreefsupply soda ash or sodium bicarbonate to keep the price down. Can anyone recommend how i can achieve this? I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks

 

[KrisReef]

I just grab the Arm & Hammer baking soda from the kitchen and add it to slowly increase alkalinity.

 

[air_run]

I have a 220g full SPS system that I dose with A4R. I use to also dose Kalk in a Kalk Reactor as well but I was always having to dose a lot of trace as the combo of the two I was always very low on minor trace elements. But, to your question.

My tank consumes Alk like crazy and it always falls. To keep it around 8 dkh I regularly just dose Aquaforest KH Plus to keep it up without turning up the A4R. Basically, any straight KH supplement will work. I use to use TM's Balling B (liquid) but it wasn't very concentrated and it took a lot to keep Alk up. I've even used Fauna Marin's Elementals Trace KH as well. I like the Aquaforest as they have a really good handy calculator if you are a stickler.

 

[rtparty]

The magnesium result is likely wrong and I wouldn't worry about it especially if you are doing water changes.

Easiest way to raise alkalinity is simply some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

 

[Robert Ranciato]

I just grab the Arm & Hammer baking soda from the kitchen and add it to slowly increase alkalinity.

I want to use it through my dosing pump to supplement alkalinity through out the day . Just to bump it up to 8.0 8.5

 

[Robert Ranciato]

The magnesium result is likely wrong and I wouldn't worry about it especially if you are doing water changes.

Easiest way to raise alkalinity is simply some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

I can't figure it out myself. I have used 2 different Salifert test kits that say the same thing. They were both new.

 

[Robert Ranciato]

I have a 220g full SPS system that I dose with A4R. I use to also dose Kalk in a Kalk Reactor as well but I was always having to dose a lot of trace as the combo of the two I was always very low on minor trace elements. But, to your question.

My tank consumes Alk like crazy and it always falls. To keep it around 8 dkh I regularly just dose Aquaforest KH Plus to keep it up without turning up the A4R. Basically, any straight KH supplement will work. I use to use TM's Balling B (liquid) but it wasn't very concentrated and it took a lot to keep Alk up. I've even used Fauna Marin's Elementals Trace KH as well. I like the Aquaforest as they have a really good handy calculator if you are a stickler.

What was your calcium levels? I find that some of my trace elements are a little to high but a few are low like Fluorine lithium. I don't want to have to do a api test all the time so I just try and do more water changes.

 

[Robert Ranciato]

The magnesium result is likely wrong and I wouldn't worry about it especially if you are doing water changes.

Easiest way to raise alkalinity is simply some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

Is sodium bicarbonate ok to dose every day like say Brightwell Alkalinity? To just bump Alk up?

 

[VintageReefer]

I want to use it through my dosing pump to supplement alkalinity through out the day . Just to bump it up to 8.0 8.5

If your dosing pump is keeping the tank stable at 7.0-7.3, then it is adding enough each day to compensate for the daily consumption.

If you use baking soda to increase the tank to 8.3, then the pumps would need minimal adjustment. As the tank drops .3 they add .3 just like before. Might need small tweak but nothing crazy

You just take a few tsp of baking soda, mix in a cup of rodi, and pour in the sump. You can increase 1.0dkh daily safely

This website will tell you how much baking soda is needed
https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[VintageReefer]

Is sodium bicarbonate ok to dose every day like say Brightwell Alkalinity? To just bump Alk up?

I ran my reef for 2 years on baking soda. No issue. You can fix this in 24 hours with one dose.

If your 7.3 then add enough to bump
To 8.3 and you’re done by next day

If you are 7.0 then bump to 8.0 ok night one and 8.3ish on night two.

 

[rtparty]

Is sodium bicarbonate ok to dose every day like say Brightwell Alkalinity? To just bump Alk up?

Sure is

 

[Robert Ranciato]

If your dosing pump is keeping the tank stable at 7.0-7.3, then it is adding enough each day to compensate for the daily consumption.

If you use baking soda to increase the tank to 8.3, then the pumps would need minimal adjustment. As the tank drops .3 they add .3 just like before. Might need small tweak but nothing crazy

You just take a few tsp of baking soda, mix in a cup of rodi, and pour in the sump. You can increase 1.0dkh daily safely

This website will tell you how much baking soda is needed
https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Thank you