Alk adjustment help

[DrHarryLopez]

I have a 390gal, with an estimated total water volume of 275Gals
Predom SPS, LPS
I'm dosing Randy's 2 part recipe 1
My pH range from 8.03 to 8.20 thru out the days
I'm dosing both part @ 9ml/hr daily

Ca 465
Alk 5.1dkh/1.83meq
Mg 1440

The chemistry calc states that if i use randys 2 part to raise the alk it would raise the pH Substantially Higher!

Any advise?

Thank you in advance
Harry

 

[outy]

you need to add baking soda [not baked baking soda] to get that DKH up to 8dkh [dont bring it to 8dkh to fast]

 

[Dave Dunbar]

What test kit are you using? Can you double check the results with another kit? Seems like with the other (calc & Mag ) being that high the Alk should be higher also???? Which version of Randy's do you use. I've been using the first solution (non baked) and it really does not raise my PH very much at all I'm having low PH if anything on my 270 net gallon system.
Dave

 

[DrHarryLopez]

What test kit are you using? Can you double check the results with another kit? Seems like with the other (calc & Mag ) being that high the Alk should be higher also???? Which version of Randy's do you use. I've been using the first solution (non baked) and it really does not raise my PH very much at all I'm having low PH if anything on my 270 net gallon system.
Dave

I too am NOT baking the baking soda. But ur right im gonna ck my alk test kit. I use the salifert test kits for Ca, alk, n Mg

 

[bertoni]

Baking soda won't raise the pH; it'll lower it a little when first dosed. I don't know why the calculator says that it'll increase pH. I agree that getting a second opinion on an alkalinity kit is generally a good idea.

 

[duramax]

i would get a lfs to double check just to make sure

 

[mscarpena]

There are alk builders that wont impact PH. You should buy one of them and bring it up that way. Also do not bring it up too fast.

 

[reef_doug]

Recipe 1 requires baked baking soda, will raise pH temporarily and is about 2x strong as recipe 2

Recipe 2 requires baking soda (not baked) and will have a slight lowering effect on pH temporarily. Requires almost twice the amount of recipe 1.

I would use either one, perhaps recipe 2 in your case.

 

[rezaktp]

I had issues with recipe #1, could not raise the alk all I got was percipitate, did nothing for about 5 days, switched to recipe #2 and all is well. Sam's club 13 pounds of Arm & Hammer for about $6.00!

 

[DrHarryLopez]

ck'd the alk agsin, got the same results. i dosed 400 of 621 ml of randys recipe2. will ck in the am.

 

[bertoni]

400 ml of the alkalinity part of recipe 2 would raise 275 g of water about 1 dKH, which could easily be consumed overnight. You'll need to test about 10-20 minutes later for the reading to be useful.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Holy crapola, I figured out why my adjustments are not working!

I have two medical dosing pumps. Great machines but it has a minimum dosing of 5 ml/hr. However, my tank requirement was about 2 ml/hr, so i diluted the solutions. duh, so Randys 2 part has only half its potency! I'm dosing 15ml/hr using the diluted solution, i guess now i can prepare the original formula then re-dose.

 

[bertoni]

Okay, that makes a lot of sense.