Figuring out Kalk dose AND 2pt :911 call

KCombs

They Call me "RifRaf"
Short version: need dosing recommendation/verification
85 gal total H2O, Moderate/low demand tank...

here is my dosing sched:
Dosing 4.4 ml of Randys (old forumla) 2pt every Hour
Mag is as needed (ESV)
makeup water is Kalk (about .75gal daily)

^^^^ if anyone has a decent dosing guestimate to keep my Alk stable at about 164, I be VERY appreciate....
Need 2pt amounts for both of the Randy Formulas given the Kalk makeup water



Current readings are Alk 164
Calcium +500
Mag 1300

Again, appreciate reply in advance...

_____________________long version______________________

I didn't want to piggyback/steal anothers thread but I have almost the same issue...
this semi competent long time reefer is STUMPED! ...STN all over the place and the timing could not be worse (got incoming CORA frags this weekend)

after almost 7mos of solid /stable readings;
Alk is bouncing all over the place: 6-12!!!!! (over 2wk period!!!)
I suspect for a while that bad reagent for my alk test might have lead me astray <maybe>...

I got new regeant but I no longer trust my math, and too much corals & $$$ are at risk...

again: can someone help?

-90Gal RR w/20 gal sump, total H2O vol est @ 85G, 2x TLF 150's (GFO & NPX pellets), RO NWS 150, 4x Koralia 1400's, Apex
- lower/moderate demand tank: 6 smaller SPS sticks, 2 med clams, few brains, et
- poor coraline growth
 
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Hi Ken

hopefully the above article will help
suggested starting doses are listed based on type of aquarium

I know because Randy told me the below that.
Quote
Adding 1.25% of the tank volume each day of saturated limewater will add about 1.4 dKH of alkalinity. But the higher pH may also increase demand, so the math is not perfect and trial and error is usually necessary if determining proper doses of calcium and alkalinity in reef tanks.
Unqoute


so if you are dosing saturated Kalk ( 2 teaspoons per gallon ish)

you can probably do the math from that based on what 0.75 gallon represents as a total for your system

once you know what the Kalk is delivering, you can then use the suggestions from article combined with the calculator to work out how much of the 2 part you need to make up the difference to compensate for demand

Steve
 
Appreciate that Steve ....
either my math is wrong or my reagent was jacked ...
as is; lost a few nice sps starter colonies

so figured I'd swallow my pride and ease in here for verification...
 
96 ml isn't completely unreasonable for that size tank, even with limewater tipoff, but I would start recording the alkalinity test times and measurements for a while now. It's easiest if you measure at the same time each day. I'm not sure what's going on with the wild variance in alkalinity, but it might be testing problems.

That amount of Kalk should be equivalent to about 2 fl oz of the supplement.
 
Hey Ken

I know you probably considered it
but if your dosing using a dosing pump, might want to check your Alk lines
as they tend to get clogged and thus do not deliver what you think they are delivering

if your Alk drops from 12 - 6 which could easily happen in a week
then you address it manually over the next week
then in another weeks time it is back at 6 again

I recently had this issue with my Bubble Magus ( drop was not as bad as yours as the liquid on the top of the doser made me aware that fluid had been escaping due to blockage in the non return valve I had on the line)
 
Hey Ken

I know you probably considered it
but if your dosing using a dosing pump, might want to check your Alk lines
as they tend to get clogged and thus do not deliver what you think they are delivering

if your Alk drops from 12 - 6 which could easily happen in a week
then you address it manually over the next week
then in another weeks time it is back at 6 again

I recently had this issue with my Bubble Magus ( drop was not as bad as yours as the liquid on the top of the doser made me aware that fluid had been escaping due to blockage in the non return valve I had on the line)

Actually thats spot on advice and fortunatley it already happened a few months back...

I have both my 2pt containers visible so if one drops faster than the other I can see it...

BTW, just info for any passer by; 1 in 4 test kits/reagents I got this past year have been bogus

thanks Bertoni Steve
 
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