whats product is recommended for dosing alkalinity

[sx230]

i have been using b-ionic #1-#2 but i always end up using alkalinty first now i have 2 new bottles of cacium and need to dose for alkalinity.looking for product thats only good to raise alk.b-ionic is good but only comes in set

 

[DonW]

Arm and hammer baking soda.

Don

 

[wrightme43]

Yep, Arm n Hammer.
or Arm n Hammer at something like 6 to one to Arm n Hammer Washing soda mixed.
I think thats right, maybe do a search on it. There is a formula on here somewhere.

 

[sx230]

how do you mixe? ive heard of that but not sure how to mix portions. any help?

 

[Krish]

Hmm...I'm the total opposite. I use up more calcium per dose with my B-Ionic than alk! I'll need extra calcium way before I run out of alk...

 

[wrightme43]

Bumped the thread for you. Its called baking soda in the reef aquarium.

 

[barrierreefcf]

I like Seachem's Reef Builder. If you prefer liquids I believe their liquid formula is called Reef Carbonates. Its just less concentrated. You get more for your money with the powder. I bet you get even more for your money using the baking soda route but I've never tried.

 

[sx230]

i did research and found receipe for using baking soda, baked a batch last night ill see how it goes. lot cheaper using baking soda it only cost me less than $2.00 for a batch of a gallon worth

 

[Fishead77]

I don't add anything for alkilinity just calcium yet my alk. runs a little high. Not sure why? Any ideas?

 

[DonW]

I don't add anything for alkilinity just calcium yet my alk. runs a little high. Not sure why? Any ideas?

Salt mix? Make sure you keep Mg up also.

Don

 

[Fishead77]

Yeah magnesium is something I don't add and don't test for. I'll have to get a test kit and starting monitoring it. My LFS has me adding calcium, iodine and a reefbuilder type additive. I don't know what's in the reefbuilder and the label doen't break down the ingridients. The salt mix I'm using is 'instant ocean'.

 

[Jumpincactus]

yea your magnesium should run around 1200=1300ppm the theory is if you are low on mag that as you add calcium it will precipitate and snow in your tank. Get a test kit or have your LFS test periodically

 

[Fishead77]

yea your magnesium should run around 1200=1300ppm the theory is if you are low on mag that as you add calcium it will precipitate and snow in your tank. Get a test kit or have your LFS test periodically

What does that mean? "it will precipitate and snow in your tank." I've heard that before but have no idea what it means.

 

[bc_slc]

your water will get cloudy after you dose. Basically the calcium will fall out of solution forming a solid.

Mat

 

[patmayo]

Randy has a good two part formula that you can make yourself and it's very inexpensive and works well. You can find the formula here:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Krish, I don't understand how your calcium can be used up before the alkalinty. Physically it's not possible. Alk is used up much quicker, it's like a 20 to 1 ratio. Boomer can explain it better. I would suspect a testing error. I would double check the test or have someone else check your work. I use Salifert kits which are very accurate in my opinion.

Anyway, I hope this information helps.

Regards,

Pat

 

[Boomer]

You can have a drop in the calcium with little change in the alk if you screw up a DIY Ca++, Mg++ alk sup. or you add certain Mg ++ sups to the tank. This is most common when you add a Ca++ sup and a Mg++ sup together or they enter the water at the same time. The Ca++ will leave solution attached to a sulfate ion, Ca++ ==> CaSO4 and the Ca++ will fallto the bottom as the mineral Gypsum, Plaster of Paris. This seems to common with Seachem magnesium sup.

 

[My2heartboys]

i have been using b-ionic #1-#2 but i always end up using alkalinty first now i have 2 new bottles of cacium and need to dose for alkalinity.looking for product thats only good to raise alk.b-ionic is good but only comes in set

Kent's Superbuffer dKH will do this. You can even get it in powdered formula so that it will last longer. Many have found that non aquarium products work for them---and that is great. When I tried one non-aquarium product, things in our tank became very unsettled and acted weird. I immediately stopped it and have not had any problems since. If you have used non aquarium products in your tank in the past and things have been fine--then go for it. Do what works for your tank.

Anne

 

[Boomer]

Baking soda will work just fine for raisng the Alk

Anne

What is a non-aquarium product ? I hope you do not mean baking soda

 

[My2heartboys]

Baking soda will work just fine for raisng the Alk

Anne

What is a non-aquarium product ? I hope you do not mean baking soda

Back with our old tank, I was desperate to get the mag level up I used epsom salts. Shortly after starting the drip the critters in my tank started acting really weird--stopped the drip immediately and have not used a non aquarium product since.

Like I said in previous email, if it works for you and your tank---great by all means do it. I will not argue--I do what works for me and our tank.

Anne

 

[Boomer]

That may have been your dosing scheme That does not mean it is the epsom salt at all. It is just magnesium sulfate and sulfate in seawater is like 2710 ppm. As far a non-aqauirum poducts that is what is in most of those LFS bottles to sup Magesium sulfate, epsom salt, or Magnesium chlroide. Many of those so called aqaurium products are junk or just rip-offs.