How to maintain lower ALK with 2 Part Dosing (ESV B-Ionic) and high ALK Reef Crystals

[vokrey09]

Hi all,

I am just about to start dosing for the first time. Decided to go with ESV B-Ionic 2 part on a dosing pump. I have a 25gal (20 gal total water volume) lightly stock mixed reef.

My issue is that I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals which has an Alk of about 11dkh. I would like to setup my 2 part system to maintain levels between 8-9dkh. How can I best set up my doser to deal with the sudden influx of Alk during water changes? I've also read its best to dose 1:1 which is conflicting with my logic to dose less alk than calc.

I typically change 5gals weekly (25%)

My ALK consumption rate appears to be 0.8dkh per day.

Any advice would help!

(Ultimately I plan on switching to RedSea salt with an 8dkh. But already have two boxes of Reef Crystals to use)

 

[Reefer1978]

One way you can keep a more stable alk is by doing daily water changes of like 1 gallon, instead of a single larger water change.

 

[intricate_reefer]

When automaticity dosing you really need your salt to match your desired parameters so when you do water changes it doesn’t throw things off. Depending on how big your water change is you could shut off the doser and let the Alk come back down naturally for a day. Another option would be to get some muriatic acid and bring the Alk down on the water change water. I use B-ionic and find dosing the 1-1 ratio keeps everything in line. I think it also has Mag in it as well as I rarely ever have to dose mag.

 

[vokrey09]

One way you can keep a more stable alk is by doing daily water changes of like 1 gallon, instead of a single larger water change.

This is something I'm going to look into, would love to mix 5gals and have the tank auto change them throughout the week using my two extra dosing pump (one out, one in)

 

[vokrey09]

When automaticity dosing you really need your salt to match your desired parameters so when you do water changes it doesn’t throw things off. Depending on how big your water change is you could shut off the doser and let the Alk come back down naturally for a day. Another option would be to get some muriatic acid and bring the Alk down on the water change water. I use B-ionic and find dosing the 1-1 ratio keeps everything in line. I think it also has Mag in it as well as I rarely ever have to dose mag.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thinking if I do a water change on a Sunday and cause a 0.8dkh spike I could just skip Mondays dosing and begin on Tuesday.

Or maybe do a combination of this idea and @Reefer1978 's and use multiple smaller water changes throughout the week to minimize the swing

 

[intricate_reefer]

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thinking if I do a water change on a Sunday and cause a 0.8dkh spike I could just skip Mondays dosing and begin on Tuesday.

Or maybe do a combination of this idea and @Reefer1978 's and use multiple smaller water changes throughout the week to minimize the swing

If it was me, I would go with just lowering the water change Alk with muriatic acid. Seems the simplest route. I haven’t done it personally but have researched it a bit and there are no issues. I was thinking about switching to reef crystals and doing that because it is so cheap. I’m using redsea blue bucket and it’s been mixing a little bit under 8dkh and I’m getting sick of bumping it up to my desired 8.6. Also the cal and mag mix a little low for me so I bump that up as well. If I don’t go that route I will probably switch to fritz or liveaquaria salt as they are like the perfect parameters for me.

 

[X-37B]

If it was me, I would go with just lowering the water change Alk with muriatic acid. Seems the simplest route. I haven’t done it personally but have researched it a bit and there are no issues. I was thinking about switching to reef crystals and doing that because it is so cheap. I’m using redsea blue bucket and it’s been mixing a little bit under 8dkh and I’m getting sick of bumping it up to my desired 8.6. Also the cal and mag mix a little low for me so I bump that up as well. If I don’t go that route I will probably switch to fritz or liveaquaria salt as they are like the perfect parameters for me.

I use sodium bisulfate to lower my esv salt from 9.6 to 7.5. Works well.
I would let the alk come down to your range with no dosing and adjust salt to alk level or get something with lower alk.

 

[intricate_reefer]

I use sodium bisulfate to lower my esv salt from 9.6 to 7.5. Works well.
I would let the alk come down to your range with no dosing and adjust salt to alk level or get something with lower alk.

For sure, that way you don’t have that small Alk spike. Also I would hate to forget to turn the doser back on then my levels get all messed up.

 

[X-37B]

For sure, that way you don’t have that small Alk spike. Also I would hate to forget to turn the doser back on then my levels get all messed up.

Just test daily and you wont miss tour target.

 

[vokrey09]

@90's reefer @intricate_reefer

Excuse my lack of knowledge in this area, but would lowering the alk in my water change bucket via muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate affect the ratios in how I need to dose my 2part? I would like to keep it at 1:1 but not sure if reducing the alk will effect the dosage of calc added.

Also which alk lowering method would you recommend of the two and why? (cost, ease of doing, ph effects)

 

[X-37B]

@90's reefer @intricate_reefer

Excuse my lack of knowledge in this area, but would lowering the alk in my water change bucket via muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate affect the ratios in how I need to dose my 2part? I would like to keep it at 1:1 but not sure if reducing the alk will effect the dosage of calc added.

Also which alk lowering method would you recommend of the two and why? (cost, ease of doing, ph effects)

I use sodium bisulfate and a little goes along way.
I run a powerhead and ph drops to 8.0 and thats what my tank runs.
A small bottle is cheap and its a dry chemical.
I run a carx and it does not affect ca/alk ratio in my 120.
My frag is esv 2 part and it does not affect the ratio either.

 

[vokrey09]

I use sodium bisulfate and a little goes along way.
I run a powerhead and ph drops to 8.0 and thats what my tank runs.
A small bottle is cheap and its a dry chemical.
I run a carx and it does not affect ca/alk ratio in my 120.
My frag is esv 2 part and it does not affect the ratio either.

Could you recommend what brand you use? Also, about how long do you need to wait for the ph to stabilize?

 

[alain Bouchard]

do less water change, or switch to instant ocean, which have a lower dkh, lower calcium and lower magnesium. I shouldnt matter much, since you will be dosing alk and calc, and for magnesium, I always though it was too high for nothing with RC.

 

[dank reefer]

Switch salts would be my recommendation and look for one that will be close to what you want to keep your tank at. IO, or red sea blue bucket would be better suited for where you want to keep your levels at.

 

[X-37B]

Could you recommend what brand you use? Also, about how long do you need to wait for the ph to stabilize?

If you add is slow and monitor it with a ph probe it does not take long.
You can let it sit over night if it gets to low and add an airstone to blow off the co2.
This is what I use.
You wont need more as the 4oz will last a long time

Sodium Bisulfate 4 Oz Reagent Grade Microprills USA SELLER | eBay

Sodium Bisulfate. The item for sale is 4 Ounces (by weight) of Sodium Bisulfate. • Food Additive. • Cleaning Agent. Hundreds of Uses.

www.ebay.com

 

[Scritch]

Just do weekly 10% water changes. What’s you’re reasoning for the 25%? At 10%, water changes shouldn’t affect your alkalinity. Esv also has trace elements in their 2part, so you would be replenishing some with dosing.

 

[vokrey09]

If you add is slow and monitor it with a ph probe it does not take long.
You can let it sit over night if it gets to low and add an airstone to blow off the co2.
This is what I use.
You wont need more as the 4oz will last a long time

Sodium Bisulfate 4 Oz Reagent Grade Microprills USA SELLER | eBay

Sodium Bisulfate. The item for sale is 4 Ounces (by weight) of Sodium Bisulfate. • Food Additive. • Cleaning Agent. Hundreds of Uses.

www.ebay.com

Awesome, thank you!

 

[vokrey09]

Just do weekly 10% water changes. What’s you’re reasoning for the 25%? At 10%, water changes shouldn’t affect your alkalinity. Esv also has trace elements in their 2part, so you would be replenishing some with dosing.

Honestly, I mainly do the 25% because mixing a 5gal bucket is very manageable for me (used to have a 45gal and would do 5gals weekly). I also did this because I thought it would be better for my system to remove nitrates/phosphates and also to replenish more depleted elements.

Seems like it may be overkill now that I think about it. Do you think it could be negatively affecting things?

Going to look into smaller 2gal containers for wc's

 

[X-37B]

I had a 25 nano that I did a 3 gal water change a week for a year before going to a no scheduled water change system for the next year before upgrading to my 120.

 

[DaneGer21]

I use the same salt and went through this same issue.

I use Muriatic Acid to lower the ALK in my mixing barrels. It also lowers PH at the same time, so I add a bubbler and mix for 24hrs to bring PH back up.

Here’s a thread I use for dosing calculations...

How to Lower Alkalinity with Muriatic Acid

Can someone please point me to the article or calculator on how to accomplish this? Thank You

www.reef2reef.com