Can somebody explain what Alkalinity is?

[mchap]

That summary was very helpful, thank you.

 

[ppp]

All of this info is causing my brain to cramp. If my cal level is very high,
cal 600
alk 7
ph 8.1
salinity .026

will adding baking soda raise my alk and lower my cal. to better level?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

IMO it's not going to lower your calcium level much at all. I'd just contunue supplimenting for alkalinity and let the calcium fall on it's own. Why is it so high ? Salt, or suppliment's ?

 

[scott324]

Very good explanation - Can we go a step further though.

Is it possible to test for the individual compounds that make up total alk? For intstance, do they make bicarbonate or carbonate test kits? Or is there a borate test kit that would allow us to reverse the equation?

Given borate isn't used in calcification, but is it used anywhere else substantially in our tanks (other than a component to maintain alk)?

Very informative!

 

[Mike O'Brien]

Seachem has a kit that test's for carbonate alkalinity, borate alkalinity and total alkalinity. It does magnesium too.

Here is a link to randy's article on borate.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

 

[kimha]

Very good explanation in such a way that a newbie like me can understand. I better book mark this post for future reference . I have been searching for a good product that will take care of this requirement, plus easy and safe to use. I ran into a product called Caribsea Aragamight. From its description, this product will take care of Calcium and Carbonate, and natural trace elements, so no need to mess around with 2 parts mixing. Is this too good to be true. I am planning to order a 50lbs package if it is that good

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Folks measure alkalinity because there are not good kits for bicarbonate. The ratio of bicarbonate to carbonate depend on pH, and so they are not really independent. Corals may use both anyway to some extent.

I would not trust the Seachem borate alkalinity kit, and anything else is a trivial contributor.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

I have used aragamight powder in the past. I used it in my topoff reservoir. Their claim's really are too good to be true. Too bad, I know. Sorry.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is this too good to be true.

Yes, it is not a useful additive. I review it here:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

 

[kimha]

Thank you Randy for the article. I almost bought the 50lbs package for over $200 because it does sound very good and simple to use for a beginner. I better go back to your DIY 2 parts be be safe.

 

[ppp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8664552#post8664552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike O'Brien
IMO it's not going to lower your calcium level much at all. I'd just contunue supplimenting for alkalinity and let the calcium fall on it's own. Why is it so high ? Salt, or suppliment's ?

I think my calcium is so high is from the salt I use, (coralife). I change 10% weekly. I'm going to switch back to reef crystals to see if it makes a diff. I had stopped testing for cal. regularly, becuase it was always between 400/450.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

You can't beat instant ocean. It's easy to bump up the calcium if you choose to do so. But Reef Crystals is a fine choice as well.

 

[ppp]

I used to use I.O. in my f/o tank, but thought I needed something to replace the trace elements in my reef.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

IMO, we should actually be trying to remove the trace element's. But that may be a story for another thread.

 

[cbeitel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8657817#post8657817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike O'Brien
Chip, I'm glad that helped.

What is the problem you're having ?

Mike-

The tank is 2 months old and the coraline stopped growing and so did my Cheato.

A 0
N 0
N 0
ph 8.2
Sal 1.026
Cal 500
alk 3.0 meg/l (Now)
I dosed baking soda with top off the last couple days (2 tbs/day)

I was adding purple up twice a week.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

So you had coralline growing at one point and then it stopped, or the coralline that came on your rock's is starting to die off ?

Low alkalinity can cause any calcifying organism to suffer. My advice is to just maintain alkalinity and calcium. Don't bother with the purple up because it contain's some thing's you may not want to be dosing to your tank.

IMO just keeping calcium alkalinity and magnesium in line is enough for coralline to thrive. Ph help's too, you may want to use the baked baking soda to raise your alk because that will help to keep your ph up wich increases calcification.

As far as chaeto, I've had the same problem. Some tank's it grow's great and some it doesn't. I recently swapped out my chaeto in favor of some grape caulerpa. I have not had much growth of that yet as well, but the ph is already a bit higher than it was with the chaeto. I think it would be worth trying to dose iron first though, and see if anything changes before you try something different.

I hope that help's.

 

[cbeitel]

Not only did the coraline stop growing, it was disappearing from the overflow box. My closed brain was also bleaching a bit in 2 spots.

The good news is the bleaching hasn't spread and I believe I'm seeing the coraline return.

All of the tests I have ran have been good, but I didn't test prior to adding baking soda. (No test ket at the time and I just knew that was my problem.) When I was able to test, it was at 3.0.

I bought an instant ocean kit, but haven't done the pinpoint test yet. I'll do it later if I get time. It is accurate to .25 meg/l

I also dosed iron, so we will see how things do in the fuge as well.

 

[Rwojick]

sounds like you are doseing too m8uch.
Rob

 

[cbeitel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8682151#post8682151 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rwojick
sounds like you are doseing too m8uch.
Rob

Not sure what you mean... What am I dosing too much of?

Here is an update. I tested alk again with the Instant Ocean kit, using the pinpoint method (.25 accuracy) and it was still 3.0 meg/l even though I have been adding 1 tbls baking soda with top off every day. I lose about 1.5g a day... Total Baking soda dose, 6 tbls (2 first day, 2 second day, then 1 and 1 over a total of 4 days)

All tests...
NH3 0
NO2 0
NO3 0
PH 8.4 (Last test was also 8.4, I put 8.2 down)
Alk 3.0 meg/l
Calcium 500
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Actual Total system water volume 135g (140g display, 45g sump)

I haven't dosed Purple Up for over a week. I also cleaned out the fuge with all the dying cheato. Only a small fist full left, so I will have a good starting point.

I will do a 30g water change some time this week. If I get time