Randy’s alk recipe not dissolving

[Dan7575]

Hi all, I started dosing Randy’s 2 part alk and calc but have started noticing that the alk doesn’t seem to be dissolving and forms hard white formations where it comes out the tube. I try to put it close to the return pump but doesn’t seem to work. Anyone else have this?

 

[Biglew11]

how close to the water surface are the out put of the tubes. I had a problem where micro bubbles popping near my tubes would create that crust on the tubes, precipitation. rase the output of the tubes as you can.

Hi all, I started dosing Randy’s 2 part alk and calc but have started noticing that the alk doesn’t seem to be dissolving

are you getting precipitation on the bottom of the sump? try smaller doses spread out over time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Which recipe are you using?

The white material on the tip is likely just deposited there by evaporation, unless salt water is splashing on it.

Is the material not going into the bulk solution initially? How much not going in? 1% of the solids? 50%?

 

[Dan7575]

I used the receipt from this site

Reef Chemistry Calculator

The white stuff is like a hardish crust that develops over time but will dissolve into the water if agitated.

maybe the flow though my sump isn’t enough?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, you need to add the alk part to a high flow area. Diluting the product more and adding more slowly helps. Switching to the unbaked baking Soda recipe can also reduce this issue.