RS Foundation, ALK stays steady with no dosing

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

I switched to RS Foundation and had been dosing Part A (Calcium) and B (Alkalinity) per their recommended 1/0.333 ratio. I also dose Part C (Mag) using their recommended 1/0.35 ratio to Calcium. I'm dosing a very small amount since my tank is 12.5g. I'm dosing 0.3mL of part A and 0.90mL of part B.

I had to stop dosing part B as my ALK kept rising from the target 8, and kept dosing part A to keep my calcium at 430. My ALK will not drop, it is staying steady despite no ALK dosing.

Part A is calcium chloride (20-25%) & strontium chloride (1%) - is part A somehow bumping my ALK up very slightly? Or is the ALK going up through nitrate consumption? Or am I doing something wrong? I am using Hanna testers.

Thank you!

7/19: 8.0, 430
7/20: 8.3, 423
7/21, 8.3, 431
7/22: 8.3, 425
7/23: 8.5, 430
7/24: 8.5, 425 (stopped Part B)
7/25: 8.3, 435
7/26: 8.3, 436

 

[Formulator]

Are you sure you have enough coral to warrant dosing in the first place?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I wouldn't fret. Just stop dosing and watch it fall. With alk consumption that low you can take your time.

Also if you stop dosing Part b you can stop part a. Except in certain instances alkalinity and calcium consumption are linked.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

Are you sure you have enough coral to warrant dosing in the first place?

I believe I do, it's all automated with dosing pumps and using as a learning experience before upgrading tank size.

I guess my main question is can calcium chloride increase ALK?

Per Google it says it can, but this is related to a pool...

"Calcium chloride is a salt compound that is often used in pools as a pH buffer. When added to water, it increases the water's alkalinity, which can help to stabilize pH levels. It is also a popular choice for swimmer sanitation, as it can help to kill bacteria and viruses."

 

[Formulator]

I believe I do, it's all automated with dosing pumps and using as a learning experience before upgrading tank size.

How did you come up with the dosing volume? It just seems like you are adding more than what the tank is consuming. That’s the obvious explanation anyways.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

How did you come up with the dosing volume? It just seems like you are adding more than what the tank is consuming. That’s the obvious explanation anyways.

RS has an online calculator. I'm using less than what they recommend.

Their calculator uses the same recommended ratio regardless of tank size.

 

[Formulator]

RS has an online calculator. I'm using less than what they recommend.

Their calculator uses the same recommended ratio regardless of tank size.

I don’t understand how you can calculate a dose without understanding how much your tank consumes… The ratio is irrelevant without first answering that basic question. For example, without dosing anything, testing 3 days in a row, how much does alkalinity decrease? Once you answer that question, you know how much to dose. If alkalinity is stable without dosing, there is no need to dose anything and doing so will cause the increase you are seeing.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

How did you come up with the dosing volume? It just seems like you are adding more than what the tank is consuming. That’s the obvious explanation anyways.

RS recommended 1/3 ratio seems to match the general consumption ratio of ~18ppm calcium for each 1 meg/L (2.8 dKH) of ALK.

Bottle shows for 25g
Part A, Cal is 1mL +2ppm
Part B, ALK is 1mL + 0.1dKH

My tank was showing -0.20 dKH per day prior to dosing.

Dosing 0.9ml (+0.18 dKH) ALK, and 0.3ml (+1.2ppm)

 

[Formulator]

That’s relieving. Sorry it wasn’t immediately clear to me that you fully understood the concept of dosing per consumption. But I see now I should have given you more credit. My apologies.

I’m not sure exactly what is going on, but I would just stop dosing everything for now and monitor to double check your consumption is 0.2 dkh/day. I would do this over the course of at least 3 days to account for variability in the test itself. Testing 2x per day (morning and night) would be the best if you can manage it.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Randy Article

that's is an article on Randys site. Seems calcium chloride alone can actually precipitate calcium carbonate, and there for lowering alk. If I read it right.

Most of the relevant info is in the heading corrections for zone 3

 

[Formulator]

Calcium chloride is a salt compound that is often used in pools as a pH buffer. When added to water, it increases the water's alkalinity, which can help to stabilize pH levels. It is also a popular choice for swimmer sanitation, as it can help to kill bacteria and viruses.

I missed this tidbit earlier. Dr. Google is full of crap. There is literally nothing factual about this statement. CaCl is not a buffer. It is a salt that fully dissociates into its ions and does not associate with H+ or OH- like a buffer. If anything it will lower alkalinity by precipitating Calcium carbonate.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

That is really weird, ALK should be falling. I even tried fresh reagent with the Hanna ALK tester.

I had started dosing 2mL of RS Reef Energy AB+ every other day, I wonder if the extra nitrates are driving ALK up. Randy mentions in another thread:

"50 ppm of nitrate consumed gives 2.3 dKH of alk. Often that gets lost in the noise of other alk dosing needs."

In a tank my size @12.5g having 0.92 ppm of nitrate consumed would create the +0.2 dKH bump if my math is right...

 

[Formulator]

That is really weird, ALK should be falling. I even tried fresh reagent with the Hanna ALK tester.

I had started dosing 2mL of RS Reef Energy AB+ every other day, I wonder if the extra nitrates are driving ALK up. Randy mentions in another thread:

"50 ppm of nitrate consumed gives 2.3 dKH of alk. Often that gets lost in the noise of other alk dosing needs."

In a tank my size @12.5g having 0.92 ppm of nitrate consumed would create the +0.2 dKH bump if my math is right...

I think you might be onto something here. You could do some experimenting to confirm and then adjust your dosing of alk on days you dose the AB+.

 

[Miami Reef]

I think the solution is to add more corals. Everything you’re doing seems to be spot on. You just need a higher demand.

Sometimes Alkalinity can rise without dosing: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-ways-alkalinity-can-accumulate-in-a-reef-tank.902/

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

Small update: tested ALK this morning and again 8.3 dkH with no dosing (three days same ALK). NO3 7.5ppm, PO4 0.09ppm.

Questioned my Hanna checker. Fresh saltwater @ 1.026 (RS Blue) was close to the bucket, ALK 7.8, CA 434.

Tested tank after 12% WC and ALK 8.2 dkH, CA 445 (+0.30mL Part A).

Going to skip RS Reef Energy AB+ tomorrow and see what happens...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As folks have suggested, stop dosing any alk, calcium or magnesium and see what happens over a week or longer.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

As folks have suggested, stop dosing any alk, calcium or magnesium and see what happens over a week or longer.

Thank you Randy. I'm going to do this, I have no idea what my ALK is doing sigh

 

[revenant]

Any updates to this? I just discovered my alk at 10.1 yesterday which is a lot higher than it was, usually in the 8 ~ 7 ranges.. I did up my 2 part dosing a bit over the last 10 days so I am stopping all dosing (esv 2 part, mag, seachem iodide, trace elements) of anything.. I found my mag at 1490 also! I am going to test daily for now... anyways I was going down this high ALK rabbit hole and found this thread. Was curious how things went.