Increasing alk

[Noturaveragereefer]

My alk is testing at 5...what is the best way to increase it to normal limits? I do about 18% or so water change every 1 to 2 weeks. I recently change to reef crystals mix.
Appreciate any input

 

[kdpuffer]

If memory serves I believe using baking soda in your top will raise alk. I'm not entirely certain so do a google search on it.

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

Does it being at 5 pose some harm? If so what? Also does it mean something else is out of whack? I read up on it before but I'm unclear of the risks vs benefits of adding baking soda

 

[Animal-Chin]

baking soda does but i've heard it can mess up your PH or somethign like that. I had alk at 5 too and read ALOT about it. I decided that in order to raise my alk i should use a reef program designed to rais alk but not to mess up your calcium and mag. All 3 are related and if you just start boosting alk it can mess up your levels of the other 2. I started with b-ionic 2 part cal/alk. It didn't give me the results I wanted but I've heard others swear by it. I then purchased the RedSea reef foundation 3 pack. It's calcium/Alk buffer and magnesium. I instantly saw my levels rise and using the 2 part I'm at 420 for calcium, 8-9 for alk and 1350 for magnesium. It just took figuring out the dosage for each to maintain proper levels but now I dose every second day the same amount and my level stay the same. My sps are growing like crazy so I know it's taking the stuff out of the water.

I'm sure other companies make good products too but out of the 3 I've tried (I tried sea chem too) the Red Sea seems to be working the best.

Lots swear by only doing water changes and I do about 20% a week but my sps take so much out of the water I'd have to do daily water changes to keep up with the demand it seems. Maybe I should cut my lights back and slow them down but I can't, I like watchign them grow too much...lol

 

[Animal-Chin]

Does it being at 5 pose some harm? If so what? Also does it mean something else is out of whack? I read up on it before but I'm unclear of the risks vs benefits of adding baking soda

Ya if your alk is low your coral will grow very brittle. I had a frogspawn grow a new branch when my alk was low and when I touched it, it fell apart. Its sorta the glue that holds the calcuim together in simplistic terms. Thats what the Alk and mag do from what I've read...

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

And that's kind of what I heard about adding the baking soda. Everything is doing great..except for a small frag of zoas for some reason they've been more closed than usual for the last week or so.. I'll look into to Red Sea product...didn't seem like I had an issue till I switched mixes. My calcium was fine 420 the last time I checked..but I don't have a mg testing kit...which means that's probably off?

 

[Animal-Chin]

ya it's probably low too, mine was. Again I don't really endorse any products but this one worked for me.

 

[Daniel Fishy]

Go with the two part easier for keeping them balanced. Google advanced aquarist cal/alk good info by Randy Holmes.

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

Thanks! I really appreciate everyone's input. I have this coral accel stuff in the meantime, I'll grab the 2 part supplement this weekend most likely. This coral accel is kind of like a multivitamin for coral.

 

[Ingy]

When you say your Alk is 5, are you measuring dKH or meq/l? Also, are you using API? I was using API and the kit says it is 1 drop per dKH. I was running between 7-8. When I get a better test kit, their measurements are in meq/l at a rate of 2 drops per meq/l. The conversion is 2.8 dKH per meq/l. So if you've been following along, that means 1.4 dKH per drop. It turns out both kits used the exact same number of drops to change colour, at 8, when I did my comparison. So API is saying dKH = 8 and the other is saying meq/l = 4, which is 11.2dKH.
So if your Alk is meq/l of 5, it is high, but ok
If you use API, your 5 may actually be 7, which is on the low normal side.

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

It's 5 dkh while using API.

 

[Liberty]

I use the bulk reef 2 part, it's clean and cheep with the group buy. Comes with magnesium

 

[Ryankei88]

^^+1. That's what I use also and it works wonders and is simple to use

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

Thanks everyone!

 

[kdpuffer]

Not my thread but thanks also. My alk has been slowly declining and I was informed baking soda works. After reading this thread and doing my own research i am not messing around with baking soda now, I'm going with 2 part. Eventually maybe even jump to zeovit, that system looks intense.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, raises alkalinity just fine, but it will temporarily lower ph a bit in saltwater. Sodium carbonate ( soda ash) will also increase alkalinity but doesn't influence ph as much. Both are what you will find in over the shelf buffers. BRS sells both in bulk. I use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) after warming it in a oven to drive off C02 content in it. Then its dissolved and added slowly while monitoring. Almost all the two part solutions use one of these for alkalinity.

 

[kdpuffer]

How do you bake it? What temp and for how long?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I spread it about 1/2" thick on a cookie sheet, then in the oven at 350deg for about an hour. Then place it in a air tight container after it cools a bit. Then dissolve in water to use. I make up a gallon at a time; 500 grams sodium bicarbonate to 1 gallon of RO water. You have to shake it before you use it as it doesn't all stay dissolved, some settles to the bottom.

 

[kdpuffer]

I spread it about 1/2" thick on a cookie sheet, then in the oven at 350deg for about an hour. Then place it in a air tight container after it cools a bit. Then dissolve in water to use. I make up a gallon at a time; 500 grams sodium bicarbonate to 1 gallon of RO water. You have to shake it before you use it as it doesn't all stay dissolved, some settles to the bottom.

So how do you get it into your system? I figure a method like that using it in your ATO would be a good way to add it.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yes, you certainly could add it that way. Just do it over a few weeks until you get back up where you want to be. Watch calcium while you do it.