alcalinity ?

doadster · 12/23/2007, 08:50 PM

Calcium 430. Alkalinity is 2.29. Just started running a phosphate reactor to help with red algae. Do I need to be worried about low alkalinity...............Also have chem pure in tank. Never dosed tank, just water changes 5 gal every week on my 90 gal

stevelkaneval · 12/23/2007, 09:04 PM

what is your ph at?

bertoni · 12/23/2007, 09:18 PM

I would dose it up to at least 2.5 meq/L, and keep it there. A 2-part like B-Ionic is a good way to get started, although it'd get expensive for that size tank. If there's no stony corals in the tank, and coralline growth isn't of interest, dosing alkalinity via baking soda can work well, though.

doadster · 12/24/2007, 01:57 AM

Since my calcium is up and i seem to have alot of coraline growth. Would I just dose with the alkalinity and how often is this to be done. Dosing my tank is all new to me. I have several zoos, bubble coral, pacoda, torch, suncoral, flat brain, mushrooms, lta, flower pot and a few fish.

bertoni · 12/24/2007, 04:29 AM

Dosing just alkalinity is fine as long as the calcium level is okay. I'd probably dose every day, but every tank is different. Some baking soda dissolved in RO-DI water will be okay. This calculator will help give an idea of the amount required:

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

doadster · 12/24/2007, 01:01 PM

Thanks for info. My ph is also 7.8. What are your thoughts on using seachems reef buster in the tank to raise ph and alk. How much at a time should I put in tank without overdosing tank.

SuperNerd · 12/24/2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
If there's no stony corals in the tank, and coralline growth isn't of interest, dosing alkalinity via baking soda can work well, though.

Why isn't baking soda as good at growing coralline algae?

virginiadiver69 · 12/24/2007, 02:31 PM

...or stony corals. I was wondering the same thing.

bertoni · 12/24/2007, 04:29 PM

Baking soda is fine, but usually tanks require calcium as well as alkalinity.

virginiadiver69 · 12/24/2007, 05:34 PM

Oh okay...I misunderstood. It sounded like you were saying that using baking soda was not suitable for tanks wanting coralline growth or stony corals.

12/23/2007, 08:50 PM	#1
doadster Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: camarillo, ca Posts: 181	alcalinity ? Calcium 430. Alkalinity is 2.29. Just started running a phosphate reactor to help with red algae. Do I need to be worried about low alkalinity...............Also have chem pure in tank. Never dosed tank, just water changes 5 gal every week on my 90 gal

12/23/2007, 09:04 PM	#2
stevelkaneval Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: oshkosh wisconsin Posts: 633	what is your ph at? __________________ "I live too serve you lord Megatron." "Were is the cube?" "The humans have taken it." "You fail me yet again Star Scream, get them." Current Tank Info: 20 long,korilia 1,and small ph,aquaclear70 moded fuge,coralife pc's,aqualight flouresent,seaclone skimmer,35lbs lr,green mushrooms and red and blue,and dragon eye zoas,assorted hermit crabs,nassarius snails,turbo snail,

12/23/2007, 09:18 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I would dose it up to at least 2.5 meq/L, and keep it there. A 2-part like B-Ionic is a good way to get started, although it'd get expensive for that size tank. If there's no stony corals in the tank, and coralline growth isn't of interest, dosing alkalinity via baking soda can work well, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/24/2007, 04:29 AM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Dosing just alkalinity is fine as long as the calcium level is okay. I'd probably dose every day, but every tank is different. Some baking soda dissolved in RO-DI water will be okay. This calculator will help give an idea of the amount required: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/24/2007, 02:31 PM	#8
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	...or stony corals. I was wondering the same thing. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

12/24/2007, 01:57 AM	#4
doadster Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: camarillo, ca Posts: 181	Since my calcium is up and i seem to have alot of coraline growth. Would I just dose with the alkalinity and how often is this to be done. Dosing my tank is all new to me. I have several zoos, bubble coral, pacoda, torch, suncoral, flat brain, mushrooms, lta, flower pot and a few fish.

12/24/2007, 01:01 PM	#6
doadster Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: camarillo, ca Posts: 181	Thanks for info. My ph is also 7.8. What are your thoughts on using seachems reef buster in the tank to raise ph and alk. How much at a time should I put in tank without overdosing tank.

12/24/2007, 04:29 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Baking soda is fine, but usually tanks require calcium as well as alkalinity. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/24/2007, 05:34 PM	#10
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	Oh okay...I misunderstood. It sounded like you were saying that using baking soda was not suitable for tanks wanting coralline growth or stony corals. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator