Alkalinity question

[jcmjoe]

Whats the best way to keep a steady alkalinity level. I am currently using the Seachem reef fusion 2 part calcium alkalinity dosing, but if I miss a day it will drop from like 9kh to low 8's or 7 in a day. I have a refugium with cheato and I have my skimmer air plumbed outside so I keep a stable 8.2 -8.3 ph but the alkalinity seems to be all over the place sometimes? My substrate is oolitic aragonite so I would think that would help buffer some and I use RODI water and Fritz RPM salt mix. Thanks for any input!

 

[Oldreeferman]

Pretty normal issue, been there done that and with my tank it was coral growth & coralline growth that put it at the point that had to now be addressed ea. day with additional dosing at a ratio of 2X the ALK verses the part 1 to sit stable. Best way to avoid missing dosing is just set up an auto doser and test at least every 2 weeks until its stable then once a month should be ok to stay ahead of growth needs long as nothing changes like adding or removing large corals. Since its a fish only tank my guess is the coralline sucking down the ALK.

 

[jcmjoe]

This is actually on my reef tank, its all soft corals and some LPS and mushrooms. I guess Ill have to dish out the moey for a doser! Thanks for the input!

 

[Sk8r]

Alk is closely tied to magnesium. Keep mg around 1350 and your cal right around 420, alk at 8.3 dkh, and nothing will budge until your mg (which changes slowly) drops below 1200. Test alk weekly (it;s the easiest test to run) and when it drops, check and correct your mg and if you have stony coral, also keep kalk (calcium) in your topoff water and everything will stay in fixed relationship. I've grown quite a bit of lps all on that system.

 

[jcmjoe]

Thank you Sk8R, currently my Magnesium is right around 1400, My calcium is a bit high I presume at 460. I will do like you recommend and go from there!

Thanks again

 

[jcmjoe]

Just out of curiosity, what kit do you recommend? The salifert KH/ Alkalinity a decent one?

 

[Dan.]

Just out of curiosity, what kit do you recommend? The salifert KH/ Alkalinity a decent one?

The Hanna one is great. Salifert is my 2nd choice.

 

[jcmjoe]

Thanks Dan!

 

[jcmjoe]

Well I bought a Salifert kit and I probably saved my tank. I had been using an API kits and was adding reef fusion part 2 almost daily because it would read 9 one day then 7 the next. after 3 tests just to make sure I wasnt messing up with the Salifert test. My water read 13.0!!!!! I threw the API kit out and so far after 3 days its dropped to 11.5. I just lost a BTA and wondering if I was burning it not realising it. Mu candy cane is also plumping up again after it seemed like it had shrunk the last couple weeks. Is it fine to just monitor and let it settle down to the 8.3 sweet spot?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Yes it is.

 

[jcmjoe]

Thanks!, im wondering if thats what killed the bubble tip, I have a Rock Flower anemone that seemed unaffected but I guess its hard to say. Needless to say I got rid of all the API kits and replacing with the Salifert.