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03/15/2010, 07:13 AM | #1 |
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Raising Alk (dKH) with Baking soda... How much?
Guys my dKH is at 5.... it was at 4.. im trying desperately to get it to where it belongs. My calcuim is around 420... Ive been using baking soda to bring it up... 2 teaspoons a day (total water volume 110 gallons) it took over a week to get it from 4 to 5 using this method... Im wonder if i need to bring it up faster and if so... whats the best way... if it is to continue using baking soda... should i use more each day.... Hoping Randy or anyone else can chime in and help me out.
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03/15/2010, 07:28 AM | #2 |
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According to the Reef Chemistry Calculator, 2.6 teaspoons of baking soda should raise your 110 g. water volume by 1 dKH. Your tank occupants will use alk each day if you have coral....etc. With your calcium level around 420, I would question your alk kit. How old is the alk kit and what type is it. You may want to get a second opinion from a LFS.
You can use the Calculator to determine how much baking soda to use for your given volume of actual water. I would not raise your alk by more than 2 dKH per day. Reef chemicals calculator http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 07:34 AM | #3 |
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I have two kits... a seachem kit and a salifert kit.. tried both... they are also both new. they get pretty much the same readings... i also tried an alk test kit... and it shows very low two... can remember the numerical value off the top of my head
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03/15/2010, 07:37 AM | #4 |
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Have you been adding any calcium supplement to your tank?
Which salt mix are you using? What is your salinity and how are you measuring it?
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 07:40 AM | #5 |
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My salinity is 1.0245... I use a digital salinity meter along with a a refractometer that i calibrate everytime i use it. with pinpoint calibration fluid. i was using c balance to raise alk... assume thats partly the reason why my calcium is high.. that and the fact that i use oceanic salt which is very high in calc.
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03/15/2010, 07:50 AM | #6 |
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When you mix Oceanic to a salinity of 1.0264 you should get an alk level around 8.5 dKH. You are mixing it lower and the alk will be lower. I would mix it to 1.0264 to help increase your alk level. Your calcium level will increase too.
If you feel certain with your alk kit, I would increase your alk level using the Calculator. I have increased my alk level by 3 dKH without problems using baking soda. Some sps coral seem to be more sensitive to alk increases over 2 dKH per day.
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 07:55 AM | #7 |
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hmmm good call... Isnt that a little on the high side for salinity. i usually try to never go higher than 025.... thoughts? so you think it would be okay to raise it by 2 dkh per day? would u do it all at once... or in the morning and then in the afternoon... i didnt used to have alk problems... but ive had a huge coraline algae bloom... and i have a fair amount of large sps piece.... large red cap, softball or bigger piece of pink birdsnest... baseball size yellow birdsnest... lps also, a very large hammer and frog spawn, clams etc. any additional thoughts?
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03/15/2010, 08:01 AM | #8 |
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The ocean salinity where most coral are taken from is around 1.0264 (which is where I keep mine).
It seems that ULN tanks seem to suffer the most from alk increases. Many drip their alk for that reason. I have not seen any scientific evidence regarding this. Dosing twice per day would be safer if you elect not to drip it.
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 08:27 AM | #10 |
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ULN = ultra low nutrient system, which means very low nitrate, phosphate and possibly organic carbon levels. One theory regarding increasing the alk in these ULN systems is that research has demonstrated that increasing alk levels causes increased skeleton growth. If there is not enough food available to keep up with the increased skeletal growth of coral then this may lead to tip burn in some sps coral.
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 08:31 AM | #12 |
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Sounds good.
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 08:33 AM | #14 |
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Your welcome.
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Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/15/2010, 09:11 AM | #15 |
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Sounds like the tests are correct you're just not adding enough. According to this calculator:
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html you need 8 tsp to go from 4 to 7 dkh. Then take it from there to maintain. |
03/15/2010, 09:39 AM | #17 |
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This will help you select a routine method:
How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
03/15/2010, 10:45 AM | #19 |
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That's a perfectly fine way to go. I came up with the recipe they use.
FWIW, I use limewater for my system.
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
03/15/2010, 11:16 AM | #20 |
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Ah, thats good to know... question... Maybe i missed it in the article and if i did i apologize... you use limewater ro keepy your alk in check, which has some pluses lowering phosphates, plus cost... but you still have to dose something for calcium correct?
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03/15/2010, 11:27 AM | #21 |
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No, limewater is a balanced calcium and alkalinity additive.
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
03/15/2010, 11:33 AM | #23 |
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Good luck.
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Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef |
03/15/2010, 12:16 PM | #24 |
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hey Randy- that link is broke, gotta another one?
thanks!
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No Tanks... I'm out! still lurking, though... |
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