Alkalinity consumption rate

[PFoster]

Hmm.. very cool tip Tim, I will try this.
I have found the precipitation from sodium bicarb too and i just don't use the bottom tiny bit of the container.
But i will definitely try this!

[Myka]

I think it's kind of funny (cute?) when people start dosing, and they say "I dose more and more and I can't keep up." Just keep dosing more. As your parameters stabilize the growth will increase too, so then you'll be behind again. By now you should have a good idea how much you increase the dosing and how much that affects your numbers. Just keeping increasing until you find the happy spot, but continue weekly testing until your tank is full (of corals) and the increase in consumption is less. A growing tank will always have a greater and greater demand until you're fragging just as much as is growing. I can't remember if you mentioned magnesium at all? You're testing that as well, right? You're in the 1300-1400 ppm range?

Originally Posted by TimT

That might be because either your trying to mix too much bicarb into the amount of water or the water is cooling too much after dissolving and the bicarb won't stay in solution. I find it works better if you warm the water to about 80°f. I mix at a concentration of 86 grams sodium bicarb to 1 litre of water. I stir it for 15 minutes to make sure it's all dissolved.

I do this too, except I use a MJ400 to do the mixing. Using warm water makes a big difference when mixing sodium (bi)carbonate.

[Snappy]

Regarding any precipitate at the bottom of the container - I do get some but I really don't worry about it. I draw the solution through an air stone so I don't clog up my hoses or pumps. I also run a small powerhead in the alk tank to help things stay in solution.

[asylumdown]

Gah. Dkh fell another 0.89 in the last 24 hours. I don't think I'm being aggressive enough enough with my rate of increase. I jumped the rate by 120 mL/day and readjusted the level manually. It took nearly 2 full cups to brink alk back to where it was yesterday, which is like 470 mL, but I'm too chicken to increase my dosing rate that much in a single day. I'll be upping the rate again every day this week until it stops falling.

Those dinner plate sized monti-caps are beasts.

[TimT]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

I jumped the rate by 120 mL/day and readjusted the level manually. It took nearly 2 full cups to brink alk back to where it was yesterday, which is like 470 mL, but I'm too chicken to increase my dosing rate that much in a single day. I'll be upping the rate again every day this week until it stops falling.

Those dinner plate sized monti-caps are beasts.

When corals start growing quickly, especially monti's they can consume a lot of alk.

A few things to check.
Make sure your heater and the magnets on pumps are not encrusting calcium. Also check to make sure any sand is not doing it either.
Check your Magnesium, should be 3x calcium or 1350 to 1450. To low of a magnesium will cause calcium to bind to heaters, magnets, glass etc.

Cheers,
Tim

[Aquattro]

I (very) briefly considered switching to dosing today. I read this thread, changed my mind

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I (very) briefly considered switching to dosing today. I read this thread, changed my mind

You, with a calcium reactor ?
Why would you switch back ? If I'd started with a reactor it would have saved me SO much grief

I'm regretting choosing dosing, but was told to start with it and switch later if I need to

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

You, with a calcium reactor ?
Why would you switch back ? If I'd started with a reactor it would have saved me SO much grief

I'm regretting choosing dosing, but was told to start with it and switch later if I need to

More just a logistics thing with equipment placement, and fighting high alk at the moment I have to build a second cabinet to house my reactor out of kid's reach, and had a lazy moment lol. Dosing would fit under my stand. No real good reason other than that.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by TimT

When corals start growing quickly, especially monti's they can consume a lot of alk.

A few things to check.
Make sure your heater and the magnets on pumps are not encrusting calcium. Also check to make sure any sand is not doing it either.
Check your Magnesium, should be 3x calcium or 1350 to 1450. To low of a magnesium will cause calcium to bind to heaters, magnets, glass etc.

Cheers,
Tim

As well Coraline algae will use up a large demand if there is enough of it in the system and is often a major consumer

Most people are shocked by the dry weight they need to add daily with Alk , more often than not people are afraid to add the amounts they should and end up slowly watching it drop and then play catch up slowly to bring it back with a doser

Good luck Adam you'll get it

[asylumdown]

I didn't have space for a calcium reactor when I set up the tank, but if this is headed where it seems like, I'll be going through an entire $24 box of both tropic Marin's part A and B every 8 days. I'll probably go back to bulk chems before I get a calcium reactor, but I got rid of my external return pump a while back and have a big empty space next to my sump...