low kh

[rmw4547]

My KH is 6.4 what can I do to raise it?
PO4 is 0
PH is 8
NO3 is 0
MG is 1300
all tests done with salifert test kits

 

[Craig Lambert]

ALK, Calcium and magnesium are all tied together. Your magnesium level is excellent. You should check your calcium level as well. There are a number of options you can use to raise your alkalinity. The easiest would be to adjust it upward in balance with calcium by using a two part solution like b-ionic. Then you should be dosing either the two part solution, or Kalk on a daily basis to maintain your calcium and ALK levels. Here is an article for you, along with a calculator to adjust your parameters:

http://web.archive.org/web/20021127040526/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

 

[rmw4547]

my CA is 430 and I dose kent two part and kent MG I have not been using kalk because untill last week my kh was 9. If I start a kalk drip will this rais my kh?

 

[Craig Lambert]

Kalk is really to maintain levels rather than raise them. The kent two part product is fine, and you don't need kalk in addition to that. To raise you alkalinity you just need to dose the alkalinity portion of the two part solution. If you go to the calculator link and click on the "traditional" calculator. You can enter your systems water capacity and current alkalinity level. Then enter your desired alkalinity level and choose the Kent two part alkalinity product. The calculator will show you how much to dose.
If you want to raie it back to 9dKH don't dose it all at once because it will raise your pH too high. Go up maybe 1-1.3 dKH at each dosing. You could do one now, and one again tonight after the ALK has fallen a bit during the day and your pH comes back down. Then dose a couple of times tomorrow. You might want to measure pH as well as ALK along the way as you do this.

 

[seapug]

You can do what is suggested in the post above, or, if you don't want to go drop $$$ on a 2 part solution you don't need (since the other params are fine), just get a box of plain arm & hammer baking soda. 1 tsp. will raise 25 gallons about 2.5 - 2.8 dkh. Add more or less to match the volume of your tank. Stir it in some topoff water and pour it in the sump. It won't mess with your pH much or do anything crazy to your other params. Wait a couple minutes then test your dkh. Works great for me.

 

[Craig Lambert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11142076#post11142076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug
You can do what is suggested in the post above, or, if you don't want to go drop $$$ on a 2 part solution you don't need (since the other params are fine), just get a box of plain arm & hammer baking soda. 1 tsp. will raise 25 gallons about 2.5 - 2.8 dkh. Add more or less to match the volume of your tank. Stir it in some topoff water and pour it in the sump. It won't mess with your pH much or do anything crazy to your other params. Wait a couple minutes then test your dkh. Works great for me.

This would only solve the problem for the day. Our tanks consume Alkalinity on a daily basis, and it should be replaced on a daily basis. (Mine falls 1DKH in 24 hours). He already owns the two part solution.

 

[seapug]

oh, right...didn't see that he already had the two part. My tank drops about 1 dkh/day as well but I'm curious-- how would dosing the alk part of the 2 part solution be any different? What about it makes it last more than 1 day?

 

[rmw4547]

in the kent two part which part is the alk A or B.

 

[Craig Lambert]

I believe it's part B. Again. Look on the link to the calculator. It specifies the Kent 2 part and will tell you which is which.

 

[rmw4547]

What do you think about this kent product, Coral Builder