Need Help with raising ALK (All for Reef) Issue

[bennyaug]

Hey guys I currently have a 26 gallon Tank that has been up and running about a year now. I Doe Kalk, All for Reef. My issue is my Alk. I cant seem to get it any higher than 7.3 with dosing the max 25 ML of All for Reef.

Instructions:

Start with a daily dose of 5 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume. Increase the daily dosage – by continuous control of the alkalinity – weekly by 2.5 ml per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume, until a constant carbonate hardness of 7 to 9 °dH is reached.

Do not exceed a maximum daily dose of 25 ml of All-For-Reef per 100 liters (26 US-gal) of aquarium system volume.

I'm at maxed All for reef dosing so how do I safely increase Alkalinity?

Does anyone know why you cant does more than 25 ml per 26 gallons?

Any help would be appreciated. thanks

 

[blaxsun]

Well, there's a recommended limit because you don't also want to raise your calcium and magnesium levels sky high. If you need to raise just your alkalinity I'd get some alkalinity powder or premixed liquid and just dose alkalinity until you reach the desired dKH level.

 

[bennyaug]

Well, there's a recommended limit because you don't also want to raise your calcium and magnesium levels sky high. If you need to raise just your alkalinity I'd get some alkalinity powder or premixed liquid and just dose alkalinity until you reach the desired dKH level.

what type of alk powder would you recommend. I was really trying to avoid another doser.

 

[blaxsun]

what type of alk powder would you recommend. I was really trying to avoid another doser.

You don't need a doser - just dose manually as needed to reach the desired dKH and then just continue with All For Reef. I like and use Nyos powder myself, but really any alkalinity supplement (powder or liquid) will work: Red Sea, Aquaforest, etc.

Whatever supplement you buy will have instructions to calculate how much you need to add to bring your tank to the desired alkalinity level. Just don't exceed the maximum recommended daily dose.

 

[dangles]

How much kalk are you dosing?

 

[bennyaug]

How much kalk are you dosing?

1400 ml a day. I dont use the slurry or stirrer

 

[Reef Psychology]

Does anyone know why you cant does more than 25 ml per 26 gallons?

Any help would be appreciated. thanks

Oxygen levels. Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin says you can go higher as the max dose is heavy on the safe side, particularly if you’re using a skimmer. He says some people regularly use upwards of 32mL daily without issue.

If you’re maintaining then all you need to do is slowly raise alk with a two part to get where you like and maintain AfR.

 

[bennyaug]

Oxygen levels. Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin says you can go higher as the max does is heavy on the safe side, particularly if you’re using a skimmer. He says some people regularly use upwards of 32mL daily without issue.

What do you mean oxygen levels? All for reef removes oxygen? I do have a oversized skimmer i have to use kalk to keep my ph 8.15. 8.28

 

[Reef Psychology]

What do you mean oxygen levels? All for reef removes oxygen? I do have a oversized skimmer i have to use kalk to keep my ph 8.15. 8.28

The process of AfR consumes a little oxygen. Very tiny amounts. Thus them recommending skimmers. Many people don’t use them though.

 

[bennyaug]

Oxygen levels. Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin says you can go higher as the max does is heavy on the safe side, particularly if you’re using a skimmer. He says some people regularly use upwards of 32mL daily without issue.

The process of AfR consumes a little oxygen. Very tiny amounts. Thus them recommending skimmers. Many people don’t use them though.

Thanks so much!

 

[Broady2067]

The ph will also affect your alk. If it is low itvwill not covert properly.

 

[twentyleagues]

1400 ml a day. I dont use the slurry or stirrer

Something is wrong here. You dose 25ml of afr and 1400ml of kalk a day? Is your sand bed solid? This is a 26g tank? Wall to wall sps? Even then don't think you'd need 1400ml of kalk per day.

 

[dangles]

Something is wrong here. You dose 25ml of afr and 1400ml of kalk a day? Is your sand bed solid? This is a 26g tank? Wall to wall sps? Even then don't think you'd need 1400ml of kalk per day.

This is what I was thinking, too.

OP give Tropic Marin a call. They can help you figure out what the issue is.

 

[dangles]

What are your phosphate, calcium, mag and pH?

 

[Troylee]

What do you mean oxygen levels? All for reef removes oxygen? I do have an oversized skimmer i have to use kalk to keep my ph 8.15. 8.28

There’s no way it’s low with kalk and all 4 reef… I think you got a bad test kit.. I dose half of what you’re doing in 400 gallons of water with a ton Sps and my alk runs 10-11

 

[haitian_reefer]

Something is wrong here. You dose 25ml of afr and 1400ml of kalk a day? Is your sand bed solid? This is a 26g tank? Wall to wall sps? Even then don't think you'd need 1400ml of kalk per day.

Chances are he is not dosing fully saturated kalk

 

[twentyleagues]

Chances are he is not dosing fully saturated kalk

Even so its still kalk to some degree and the "max" dose of afr. He said it wasnt a stirrer or slurry for kalk but we dont know. Still seems weird something is way off.

 

[mlivvy]

FWIW I thought I was having a similar problem because my alk was low no matter how much I increased my dosing. Turns out it was bad test kit. Kit was new so I wouldn't believe it until I took a sample to a few LFS. I'm going with bad test kit.