Low alkalinity
- Thread starter boxerzz
- Start date
frank2926
Active member
it is because your calcium is to high. You need a balance. What is your magnesium at??? Magnesium is the basis that helps keep calcium and ALk stable. Are you dosing 2 part? if so stop dosing the calcium and just use the ALK till they balance out. If not I would look at your mag levels and the salt you are using.
kfisc
Well-known member
You may just not be adding enough to meet the demand.
How much limewater are you dosing to the tank?
How do you make it?
What's in the tank?
How much limewater are you dosing to the tank?
How do you make it?
What's in the tank?
stingythingy45
New member
^^^
Topping off with kalk is probably just meeting the tank demand.
You seriously need to dose some Alk suppliment or you're going to have some serious problems.I does kalk also,but it's more to maintain what's already there as far as Alk parameters.
You need to get that Alk up either with some baking soda mixture(Randy's part 2) or a purchased product.And dont do it all at one either,you'll have to SLOWLY raise that Alk up.
Topping off with kalk is probably just meeting the tank demand.
You seriously need to dose some Alk suppliment or you're going to have some serious problems.I does kalk also,but it's more to maintain what's already there as far as Alk parameters.
You need to get that Alk up either with some baking soda mixture(Randy's part 2) or a purchased product.And dont do it all at one either,you'll have to SLOWLY raise that Alk up.
Maybe use the limewater to replace all evaporation every day (I do). Adjust the lime in the limewater to meet the demand (up to about 2 level teaspoons per gallon of top off) and add it very slowly (dripping).
limewater only increases alkalinity but not calcium ?
No, that is not the point. It boosts both proportionally. If you added nothing at all, alkalinity would drop and calcium wouldn't appreciably drop. That is because there is a huge reservoir of calcium in seawater.
Start at NSW levels of 420 ppm calcium and 2.5 meq/L (7 dKH) of alkalinity. Let corals use calcium and alkalinity down to 1.8 meq/L (5 dKH; they can rarely drop it lower before they no longer can take it up). The calcium drop is only to 406 ppm.
So when alkalinity is low and calcium is OK, that is what you find when you underdose BOTH calcium and alkalinity.
Likewise, if you use limewater to boost the alkalinity from 5 to 7 dKH, calcium will only rise by 14 ppm.
Also are there any limewater products ?
Not sure what you mean. Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime is a commercial brand in the US. I'm not sure what you may have locally. There are hobby brands as well.
No, that is not the point. It boosts both proportionally. If you added nothing at all, alkalinity would drop and calcium wouldn't appreciably drop. That is because there is a huge reservoir of calcium in seawater.
Start at NSW levels of 420 ppm calcium and 2.5 meq/L (7 dKH) of alkalinity. Let corals use calcium and alkalinity down to 1.8 meq/L (5 dKH; they can rarely drop it lower before they no longer can take it up). The calcium drop is only to 406 ppm.
So when alkalinity is low and calcium is OK, that is what you find when you underdose BOTH calcium and alkalinity.
Likewise, if you use limewater to boost the alkalinity from 5 to 7 dKH, calcium will only rise by 14 ppm.
Also are there any limewater products ?
Not sure what you mean. Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime is a commercial brand in the US. I'm not sure what you may have locally. There are hobby brands as well.
