The Other Side of Alk

[ClownReef®]

Ok, everybody has trouble lowering their alk. But im having problems raising it!!.. I used a FasTest Alk. Test kit (..I know i know..should be Salifert!!)..and it reads 4.5 dkh..Ive been dosing 80ml. of B-Ionic Alk part and its doing absolutely nothing...and i dont know what else to do..So pleaseeeee..help!?

 

[Sk8r]

Magnesium being too low can make it hard to raise other things, by what I understand. Mine has always been through the ceiling, and my problem has usually been to drive the mg down, but it should be 3x your calcium reading.

 

[ClownReef®]

Yeah, no clue about Mag...So there's nothing to be done?

 

[DrBDC]

What he's saying is that if the magnesium is low you won't be able to get your ca/alk in balance.

But in a 125 gallon tank it will take 332 ml of bionic to raise your dKh up to 10. If you use 2-4 dKh (very reasonable daily useage, especially with sps) per day that is an additional 121-241 ml per day in addition of use. So as you are adding your 80 ml a day to the tank, you may not even be keeping up with daily usage which will slow the growth rate of the corals and then that will lower the daily usage some.

 

[ClownReef®]

Well, Im trying to get it in check so i can start my Ca. reactor.. Is there anything i can do to get my alk up so i can then start my reactor? Thanks!!

 

[reverendmaynard]

Add lots of the b-ionic alk part. Use this calculator to determine the quantity needed. Calculator.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok, everybody has trouble lowering their alk

I don't understand the premise. No one should have trouble lowering alkalinity. Sit back and have a beer, add nothing to the tank for a while, and it will drop.

Alkalinity is also easy to raise, if you add sufficient amounts of an appropriate additive, and have a properly working kit to detect it.

Let's check the kit first. 4 dKH sounds like an error. Before adding more and more alkalinity additive, which may end up being necessary, let try some simple tests.

First, what salt mix are you using? What alkalinity do you get in that mix?

Even if the alkalinity is low, it is fine to start the reactor. But if it is really much higher than you think, you may want to wait.

 

[ClownReef®]

I use Instant Ocean Salt...I dont test the batches of fresh saltwater before i do a waterchange... I have a FasTest Alk testkit and according to it..my alk. is 4.5..I guess i should test with a salifert testkit but i dont have 1..

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7117260#post7117260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by iReef69
I use Instant Ocean Salt...I dont test the batches of fresh saltwater before i do a waterchange... I have a FasTest Alk testkit and according to it..my alk. is 4.5..I guess i should test with a salifert testkit but i dont have 1..

WARNING: FastTest kit measures alkalinity in meq/lt so you really are high! 4.5 meq/lt = 12.6 dKh = 225 ppm

 

[ClownReef®]

Ok, this is what it says in the FasTest High Precision method...Im supposed to divide the numer of drops by 4..that gives me meq/l..and in the conversion table i multiply that by 2.8 in order to get a result in DKH..So, I added 7 drops..divided by 4 and got 1.75, that multiplied by 2.8= 4.9 DKH...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use Instant Ocean Salt...I dont test the batches of fresh saltwater before i do a waterchange...

If you do not have some, perhaps make some so you can double check the kit.

 

[Billybeau1]

Isn't there a table on page two or three that says # of drops equals ? You dont use the table then divide by four. The table is actual meg/l. Reread the instructions real careful.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7117680#post7117680 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Isn't there a table on page two or three that says # of drops equals ? You dont use the table then divide by four. The table is actual meg/l. Reread the instructions real careful.

I think he is reading OK 7 drops in high sensitivity is 1.75 meq/lt (4.9 dKh) the issue is that the reading is so low that even without supplementation and just the water changes shall be higher that is why the doubt about the accuracy of the kit.
Just test some newly prepared water with IO as Randy suggests, if the kit is OK it shall give you 10 to 11 dKh.

 

[klongo]

I recently disposed of my Fastest kit due to really low readings that i found out were false! I couldn't get my alk above 2.5 - even adding 12 oz of Randys Alk every day. What I did get was precipitation everywhere, my pump seized and the sump overflowed because my check valve was precipitated open.

I bought a new Fastest and the alk was 4.5! and I had been supplementing that for a month.

Switched to a Salifert and now I'm consistently at 3.8 and am dosing only 3 oz a day

Moral - try a new test kit!

 

[Billybeau1]

Well I broke out my old Fastest alk kit and ran a test last night. Came up with 9 dkh. Retested with my Salifert and got 12 dkh. I think as these tests get old they loose some of their accuracy.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7125062#post7125062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Well I broke out my old Fastest alk kit and ran a test last night. Came up with 9 dkh. Retested with my Salifert and got 12 dkh. I think as these tests get old they loose some of their accuracy.

Sure, that is why I try to get kits with expiration dates or at least lot numbers that I can check with the manufacturer.