I have been trying to raise my alkalinity (and PH) over the past month and I need some guidance on best options to get it up to the 8.3-8.5 range. The salt I use is Reef Crystals and it mixes up at around 11.0 Alk. I change 3 gallons a day. Total water volume in the system is about 190 gallons. My PH was running low as well, range 7.8 to 7.95, so I got a CO2 scrubber and now it runs from 8.15 to 8.3. I have added a good complement of SPS and LPS over the last few months. Alkalinity is dropping about .3 per week. Currently at 7.6. I dose Brightwell part A Alkalinity 5ml per day. Not dosing Ca or Mag yet. The system is about 10 months along and I’m starting to see good increased growth of coraline algae and encrusting of the SPS corals on the rock around their posts.
Testing is done using Trident with Salifert and Hanna backups. Current parameters are:
Salinity. 34.8
Temp. 80
PH. 8.23
NO3. 11.1
PO4. 0.04
Alk. 7.6
Cal. 500
Mag. 1625
Since my Cal and Mag are pretty stable, I’m just trying to get Alkalitity up a bit. Would it be better to increase my Part A dosing or use some Baking Soda or Sodium Carbonate to get it up to the 8.3-8.5 range?
Jetson
Testing is done using Trident with Salifert and Hanna backups. Current parameters are:
Salinity. 34.8
Temp. 80
PH. 8.23
NO3. 11.1
PO4. 0.04
Alk. 7.6
Cal. 500
Mag. 1625
Since my Cal and Mag are pretty stable, I’m just trying to get Alkalitity up a bit. Would it be better to increase my Part A dosing or use some Baking Soda or Sodium Carbonate to get it up to the 8.3-8.5 range?
Jetson