How may ml of 2part are you dosing daily?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I run the alk at 9.5 and have run by accident the alk container dry. It does drop pretty quick but not 7dkh.

That's the amount you are dosing to maintain the alkalinity, but you wouldn't see a drop that big because the demand is dependent on the alkalinity.

So at 10 dKH, the alkalinity and calcium are used a lot faster than at 5 dKH, where calcification comes nearly to a halt. Thus at 10 dKH you need a certain dose to maintain it, but at 5 dKH you'd need hardly anything.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Could more folks show pics of tank and your daily dosing amount?

Unless you are asking every person what the potency of the two part they are using is (they vary), and correcting it for tank size, I'll repeat that this isn't the right question. The best way to compare is the amount of alkalinity dosed each day.

 

[jackson6745]

Could more folks show pics of tank and your daily dosing amount?

Maintaing Alk of 9 Dkh, Calcium 440ppm
Dosing 110ml of each part using B-ionic, not sure what potency is but it's more powerful than BRS mix. I also dose 400ml of saturated Kalk + Vinegar (10ml vinegar per gallon saturated kalk)

Portions of my sand is calcified, but no real precipitin on any of the pumps, however, my ebo jager heater is white with calcification.
IMG_0083 by rich.colombo, on Flickr

 

[marke]

I may have missed it but what did you say your magnesium level was? Higher mag might be what you need. I have a 250 gl stocked with sps primarily and I dose 70 ml per day

 

[Lazys Coral House]

That's the amount you are dosing to maintain the alkalinity, but you wouldn't see a drop that big because the demand is dependent on the alkalinity.

So at 10 dKH, the alkalinity and calcium are used a lot faster than at 5 dKH, where calcification comes nearly to a halt. Thus at 10 dKH you need a certain dose to maintain it, but at 5 dKH you'd need hardly anything.

Thanks Randy, question on that point. Would ALK consumption be diffrent if keeping tank at say 7.7 vs 9.5? At what point does the consumption start to slow down vs coming to a stop.

Maintaing Alk of 9 Dkh, Calcium 440ppm
Dosing 110ml of each part using B-ionic, not sure what potency is but it's more powerful than BRS mix. I also dose 400ml of saturated Kalk + Vinegar (10ml vinegar per gallon saturated kalk)

Portions of my sand is calcified, but no real precipitin on any of the pumps, however, my ebo jager heater is white with calcification.

Very nice tank. Love your scape and coral layout

I may have missed it but what did you say your magnesium level was? Higher mag might be what you need. I have a 250 gl stocked with sps primarily and I dose 70 ml per day

I keep mag at 1300 - 1350. Would you mind sharing a picture of your tank

 

[Zippy]

Every time I raise my alk I start with stn at the base of colonies. For me the lower amount works. Same was when I ran a 55.

 

[jackson6745]

Every time I raise my alk I start with stn at the base of colonies. For me the lower amount works. Same was when I ran a 55.

I see this only in ULN tanks.

 

[-Logzor]

Thanks RedfishBlueFish. I have a 125g display that is connected to a 150g Sump/Frag Tank combination. Using BRS 2 part at a concentration of 2 cups per gallon of Soda Ash and 2.5 cups per gallon of Calcium. It does seem like a lot. I see some other very heavily stocked SPS tanks and wonder what they must be using. It must be an absolute enormous amount.

That seems relatively high, I'm at around 230 mL per day on a 150g display using the exact same recipe. I also top off with saturated lime water and dose an additional 150 mL per day of limewater.

Are you getting much precipitation on your pumps and heaters?

Here is my FTS. It's pretty heavily stocked with a handful of large SPS and LPS colonies. It's hard to see, but in the back there is a scroll coral that is at least 14" in diameter.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks Randy, question on that point. Would ALK consumption be diffrent if keeping tank at say 7.7 vs 9.5? At what point does the consumption start to slow down vs coming to a stop.

Yes, the higher the alkalinity, the more you need to add each day to keep it there.

Abiotic precipitiation increases as alk increases, and so does calcification by many types of corals.

 

[rayn]

Sorry, no pic currently. I have a 40 and dose 20 ml of alk and cal daily. I only have about 6 corals in the tank, but this keeps everything happy and growing. No noticeable precipitation on pumps or anything.

 

[jackson6745]

Logzor that looks awesome!

 

[mr neon]

I just started dosing my 90 last week with the BRS solution to raise my alk. I was at 7.5/8 and now I'm at 9.5. I've notice a bit of improvement in corals, which are mostly LPS and softies. I do run a bare bottom so I am assuming there are some things missing in the water chemistry that may or may not have a direct relfect on my corals. I really never dose until recently. I dose about 12ml of alk daily until I got to 9.5. I will propbably test daily and dose every other day to maintain that level and see how the corals do. One thing to this day is I still can't get monti-cap or bridsnest to grow or even make it a month. Could be a light issue since I run LED's but so far the LPS and softies are doing great with the higher alk levels. Calcium is stable at 450 and mag is about 1320.

 

[Lazys Coral House]

That seems relatively high, I'm at around 230 mL per day on a 150g display using the exact same recipe. I also top off with saturated lime water and dose an additional 150 mL per day of limewater.

Are you getting much precipitation on your pumps and heaters?

Here is my FTS. It's pretty heavily stocked with a handful of large SPS and LPS colonies. It's hard to see, but in the back there is a scroll coral that is at least 14" in diameter.

Wow Logan! your tank looks fantastic!. Nice job brother.

 

[Lazys Coral House]

Yes, the higher the alkalinity, the more you need to add each day to keep it there.

Abiotic precipitiation increases as alk increases, and so does calcification by many types of corals.

Thank you Randy, I am grateful to have access to your knowledge here on R2R

 

[Lazys Coral House]

I see this only in ULN tanks.

That has been my experience as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you Randy, I am grateful to have access to your knowledge here on R2R

You're welcome and thanks!

Happy Reefing.

 

[-Logzor]

Wow Logan! your tank looks fantastic!. Nice job brother.

Thanks Brian!! I did a lot of glass scraping/cleaning before I took that photo LOL

 

[Mike332211]

I have a 250 gallon sps tank and I dose about 350ml each a day. U may want to check your mag level.

 

[Lazys Coral House]

I have a 250 gallon sps tank and I dose about 350ml each a day. U may want to check your mag level.

Thanks Mike, can you double check your attachment. It isn't showing.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

I wouldn't expect your alkalinity to drop to catastrophic levels if you dosing container went dry because of the factors affecting uptake that Randy mentioned. My concern was if you lost power to a system that provides flow, lighting, or heat to the tank and that caused a drop in coral uptake of alkalinity. Like if you were out of town and your lights didn't fire up for 2 days but the dosing system continued to make up for 7dkh loss each day. You have a recipe for a massive and rapid alk spike in such a situation. Have you ever had something like this happen where your corals slowed their growth and you noticed a rapid alkalinity jump?