Should I start dosing ?

Robg139

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Hi I have a 13.5 g mixed reef tank. It is my first saltwater reef tank and it’s 6 months old. I have softies, lps, and very few sps. My alk has been dropping very fast lately it is at 6.7 as of now, while my calc is very high about 480 to 500. I know when calc gets that high it can drop alk. My problem is I’m still pretty new, what is the best way to fix this problem. I’ve did a water change last week and these are my parameters as of now.
Alk-6.7 , Calc- 480/500 , salinity - 1.025 , mag- 1350 , temp 79 No3- .5 , Po4- .1
How do I raise alk without raising calc, or lower calc and replenish alk ? What is the best way. I don’t have a ATO but if that would be he best way then dose in there I will do it. Would love help and feedback thanks.

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COreef8

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The easiest way to raise your alkalinity while lowering your calcium levels, especially on a 13 gallon tank, is to increase your water change frequency or volume. If the salt you're using matches the parameters you're shooting for, everything will drift towards your target over time (the time frame again, depends on how often you do a water change and how much water you change out).

If your tank is using alkalinity faster than water changes can raise it but your calcium is still too high, you can dose soda ash or sodium bicarbonate to raise the alkalinity, and allow the calcium to slowly come down naturally. You don't need an automatic doser, you can dose by hand. If you want to raise the pH, use soda ash. If your pH is already high, or you plan to do a larger alkalinity adjustment, use sodium bicarbonate since it will not affect the pH.

Either way, I'd take it slow since it looks like you've got a decent amount of coral. An ATO is highly recommended, especially if your tank evaporates a lot of water. It will keep all your parameters more stable, but it won't really help close the gap between the calcium and alkalinity.
 
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Robg139

Robg139

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Thankyou very good response made clear a couple of things for me. I was going to dose kalk and buy an ato once the demand got high enough and seems like it is. But by your comment rethinking it, so you think I should just dose sodium bicarbonate for now slowly to raise levels for now ? Would that be better then dosing kalk ? And if so can you dose in an ATO because I feel I should get one either way it’s much more effective.
 

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