Setting top off water parameters

[kevin318]

What do you use to set your top off water parameters?

I am using RODI water, Alkalinity = zero and I add about a half a gallon a day to 40 gallons of water so over 5 days it lowers my Alkalinity and PH.

 

[IanK]

A lot of folks add kalk to their topoff water. I do not but it's very common

 

[Copingwithpods]

Your top off water won't actually lower those parameters. Do you have corals?

 

[kevin318]

Your top off water won't actually lower those parameters. Do you have corals?

Not yet, I just changed tanks to a Max E170 and I'm trying to get use to the parameter changes. I do notice my Alkalinity going down when adding straight RODI. I don't dose anything yet because i just have two fish, mature rock from my old tank, some zoanthids and a couple of mushrooms.

 

[kevin318]

A lot of folks add kalk to their topoff water. I do not but it's very common

I was considering that but was wondering if there was a better way or a trick to the trade.

 

[Copingwithpods]

A tank with no corals even softies will pull alk out of the water. If your noticing alk drop its probably from dilution and not because of the rodi water. The ions in the tank that make up your Alkalinity remain in the water and so aren't really effected by evaporation or top offs. How much dkh are you loosing daily?

Some people balance alk drop with kalk or by dosing 2 part, each has their own pros and cons.

 

[kevin318]

A tank with no corals even softies will pull alk out of the water. If your noticing alk drop its probably from dilution and not because of the rodi water. The ions in the tank that make up your Alkalinity remain in the water and so aren't really effected by evaporation or top offs. How much dkh are you loosing daily?

Some people balance alk drop with kalk or by dosing 2 part, each has their own pros and cons.

It can drop .2 a day with me adding a half a gallon of RODI water daily. It's not a lot but I would like to try and stabilize it. I only have about 40 gallons of water. My salinity is spot on and I'm having no other issues with my water. I thought there might be something i could do to replace the evaporated water with water that has a similar alkalinity.
I am faithful with my water changes, about 20% each week, maybe I'm worried about something that I shouldn't.

 

[Copingwithpods]

That seams about right for a few softies. 0.2 isn't much but if you want to chase numbers kalk in your top off will give your alk a boost. Also 2 part is super easy to do with or without dosing pumps.

 

[kevin318]

That seams about right for a few softies. 0.2 isn't much but if you want to chase numbers kalk in your top off will give your alk a boost. Also 2 part is super easy to do with or without dosing pumps.

I don't want to chase numbers, I thought that i had to. I will look into the two part, i would like to start adding corals but wanted to understand the tank and the water before i did. Thank you very much.

 

[Copingwithpods]

I don't want to chase numbers, I thought that i had to. I will look into the two part, i would like to start adding corals but wanted to understand the tank and the water before i did. Thank you very much.

No prob, it's good to be in tune with your tank. 2 part is fantastic and super easy to use, when you get more corals the alk drop is going to increase and learning to use it now is going to save you alot of headaches later. Sounds like you are already on top of water changes and testing so you're half way there.

 

[Albertan22]

That’s a normal drop in dkh, does your weekly or biweekly water change restore the alk to your desired value? You shouldn’t have to supplement a tank with so few corals, your levels will drop but should be easily corrected with water changes. There’s nothing wrong with dosing if you want to learn it, but with such a small water volume and small consumption the trick may be measuring such small volumes of 2 part. It’s also an extra cost that shouldn’t be necessary yet.

 

[kevin318]

Your top off water won't actually lower those parameters. Do you have corals?

I do have corals, the tank is about 10 months old. In total I have about 25 frags in different places now.

Before adding all of my coral, I still had to add 80 oz a of top off water a day. If I didn't add soda ash, it sent my dKH spiraling downward. I found that 3ml of soda ash balanced everything out. Now that I added all of the coral, I have to add 5.5ml to my top off and my tanks is a steady 9.0dKH.

I guess everyone does it differently. I am getting ready to get a dosing system now that I add 6ml soda ash and 10ml calcium a day. Never had one before, anxious to give it a go.

 

[Hincapiej4]

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