All dropping dramatically everyday

[Shadows Reef]

Hello everyone so I follow the Red Sea mixed reef recipe alk 11.5, cal 450 and mag 1350

Today I had to raise my alk 3 times to 11.5 from 8.9, then 4 hours later from 9.6 to 11.5 and now from 8.6

I know my corals are growing and consuming some of the alk but dropping this much I feel like something else is going on.
My calcium was at 400 this morning and I raised it to 450 then at the end of the day is was at 420 and I raised it again to 450.
My mag is at 1440

Any ideas on why my alk is dropping so rapidly?
Am I adding too much at once?

 

[Shadows Reef]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What additive are you using?
At that high of alk, calcium carbonate precipitation is a likely significant component.

To reduce it, use a lower pH alk additive, let it drop without dosing for a few days, and possibly phosphate and organics to rise.

 

[Shadows Reef]

I’m using the brs two part
I’ll use sodium bicarbonate instead of soda ash to see if that solves my problem
But I definitely believe it’s precipitating out too

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Are you intentionally targeting that high alk to drive hard coral growth? It will take a lot less to maintain 7 dKH.

 

[blasterman]

It's precipitating.

Alk at 11.5 and calcium at 450 is going to be very hard to keep stable with a two part doser because as soon as either hits the tank you have a localized area that's going to fall out and precipitate, so you are chasing your tail.

I thought the high alk trend was over. Even my hardcore SPS buddies don't go any higher than 9-10 dKH anymore.

 

[Shadows Reef]

Are you intentionally targeting that high alk to drive hard coral growth? It will take a lot less to maintain 7 dKH.

Well my tank is a mix of sps and softies , and my LFS advised me recently to follow the Red Sea mixed reef recipe to get the best growth. Since I do use the Red Sea coral pro salt and also use their trace elements A,B,C,D ,adding it as needed after testing. What levels would you target for best growth without worrying about precipitation?

 

[Shadows Reef]

It's precipitating.

Alk at 11.5 and calcium at 450 is going to be very hard to keep stable with a two part doser because as soon as either hits the tank you have a localized area that's going to fall out and precipitate, so you are chasing your tail.

I thought the high alk trend was over. Even my hardcore SPS buddies don't go any higher than 9-10 dKH anymore.

What parameters would you recommend for a mixed reef?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It's precipitating.

Alk at 11.5 and calcium at 450 is going to be very hard to keep stable with a two part doser because as soon as either hits the tank you have a localized area that's going to fall out and precipitate, so you are chasing your tail.

I thought the high alk trend was over. Even my hardcore SPS buddies don't go any higher than 9-10 dKH anymore.

lol

I was wondering if the low alk trend was ending

The cloudiness that you see where the two part hits the water isn’t generally calcium carbonate, but rather is magnesium hydroxide that will redissolve. Using a low pH two part will reduce that issue as well as lowering tank pH and thereby reducing precipitation of calcium carbonate.

 

[Shadows Reef]

lol

I was wondering if the low alk trend was ending

The cloudiness that you see where the two part hits the water isn’t generally calcium carbonate, but rather is magnesium hydroxide that will redissolve. Using a low pH two part will reduce that issue as well as lowering tank pH and thereby reducing precipitation of calcium carbonate.

Just to clarify when you say low pH two part are you talking about sodium bicarbonate?
Also I failed to mention that when I got the advise about using the mixed reef recipe was when I bought a maxima clam . I’m not sure if they prefer higher levels but that’s what the guy at my lfs said

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, bicarbonate is the lowest pH type. It lowers pH a small amount when added.

 

[Shadows Reef]

Yes, bicarbonate is the lowest pH type. It lowers pH a small amount when added.

Thank you I will give it a try. Do you think the Red Sea mixed reef recipe is a good guideline for me to try to follow with my mix of sps ,softies, clams and anemones?

Btw also my wife and I had a blast see you and Ryan at reefapalooza California. And thank you for the $25 vouchers that was super cool!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm a different Randy.

I'm not sure what you mean about using a Red Sea recipe. Are you talking about elements beyond alk, calcium, and magnesium?

 

[Shadows Reef]

I'm a different Randy.

I'm not sure what you mean about using a Red Sea recipe. Are you talking about elements beyond alk, calcium, and magnesium?

lol my wife had me convinced that it was randy from brs.

Well....anyway.....lol

Red Sea has a program on the parameter guidelines depending on your type of tank, https://www.redseafish.com/reef-care-recipes/

I follow it pretty good except instead of using Red Sea’s calcium and alkalinity supplement I use the soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, and calcium chloride mixed from Brs.

I dose trace elements ABC&D as needed after testing twice a week and sometimes I use nopox but not often since rarely ever have a algae problem my nitrates and phosphates are always super low I have a refugium with an ai prime fuge light growing chaeto like crazy and my rollermat fleece filter do a great job keeping those two down.

I also have a co2 scrubber hooked up to my skimmer to maintain a higher ph as well since I sometime have allot of people over hogging all of my corals fresh air lol

 

[rushbattle]

@randyBRS would say that HE is the other Randy, not Dr. Holmes-Farley, who has contributed to the reefkeeping hobby immensely for far longer than Randy from BRS has even had an aquarium. Maybe even since around when he was born!

Dr. Randy has a PhD in chemistry from Harvard University, and has even developed some drugs you might have taken or more likely designed the drug delivery system at least. The two part components that BRS sells for DIY supplementation are sold because Dr. H-F worked out the recipes years before BRS even existed! Sorry normal Randy and Ryan, but I would skip meeting you to meet Dr. Randy!

I think Dr. H-F would say that elevated alkalinity, which is mostly what you are talking about, is fine but there is likely a good bit of precipitation like he has already pointed out. It would be less expensive and easier to maintain a bit lower alkalinity level.

Dr. H-F will correct the parts that I inevitably remembered incorrectly. Thanks!