Are these parameters ok?

tangman99 · #1 07/23/2006, 06:08 PM

Because I can't get my Alk to budge. I have been adding 70ml of Randy's Two Part everyday for the past 3 weeks. I just checked my water parameters right before my daily dosing so it has been about 24 hours since the last dosing. My parameters are:

Salinity: 1.026 (Refractometer)
PH 8.1 (Salifert)
Alk - 7 dkh
Calcium - 400
Magnesium - 1260

I only have one 3" crocea clam, and one acropora frag for calcium users.

DrBDC · #2 07/23/2006, 07:05 PM

Even at a tank consumption rate of 1 dKh per day you will use all 70 ml of the reciepe per day (even using reciepe 1)without the levels ever changing when you test. That would be a very low daily tank consumption. Do you use the calculator to re-align your numbers and then figure your daily use via daily testing, or did you just start a daily addition trial amount.

I would use the calculator, bump it to what you want in each component. Test tommorrow the alk, find what it takes to get youi to the numbers you chose to be your base. Check against the calculator and that's your daily use. Add that much of each of the two parts. Repeat daily testing for a few days, then back off to testing every few days while continuing to do the daily average of dosing you found to be needing. If your numbers creap up or down then readjust your daily dosing.

Did I write that clearly or confusing?

tangman99 · #3 07/23/2006, 07:30 PM

I followed Randy's instructions to get the Calcium levels right first which I did in about 3 days. I then started adding the amount of Alk part trying to get the alk to about 9 or 10 dkh along with the matching part of calcium additive. Originally, if I remember correctly I was adding about 150 ml a day to try and get it right over a few days. It would never go over 7 dkh. I decided to just try a steady schedule with what would seem to be more than enough. No matter what though the alk is always between 6.8 and 7.0.

bertoni · #4 07/24/2006, 01:31 AM

I suspect you just need to add more. According the the calculator, it'd take about 200 ml to raise the alkalinity to 11 dKH, assuming 70 gallons of actual water in the system. You could try half that and see what happens, just give it a bit to mix, and then test. Are you using the low pH version?

tangman99 · #5 07/24/2006, 10:31 PM

I am using the low PH version. I added 100 ml tonight. I have a 90 gallon tank so we will see what happens.

tangman99 · #6 07/29/2006, 10:21 AM

Well, I added the 100 ml for a couple of days and then 150 ml for the past three days. The Alk is now at abour 7.5 Dkh. Should I just stick with thd 150 ml a day and see if it continues to go up slowly or increase the daily dose even more?

Billybeau1 · #7 07/29/2006, 10:41 AM

Are you sure your alk test kit is OK. I would have thought you alk would be higher then that by now. How's your ph ?

tangman99 · #8 07/29/2006, 01:56 PM

I'm reasonably sure. It's a new Salifert test kit which is all I use for all my tests. My Ph is around 8.1 or 8.2. It's hard to tell with the salifert. I hate their ph test kit.

Billybeau1 · #9 07/29/2006, 02:14 PM

Yes I know what you mean. I had the same problem. I've got a ph meter now. If the budgets low, the Aquarium Pharmacuticals ph kit is easy to read and almost dead on my meter. Cheap too.
The Aquarium Systems is pretty accurate too.

Did you try what Bert said about testing the water shortly after adding the suppliment? It just has to go up. If you cant measure the increase then there is something wrong with your suppliment.

tangman99 · #10 07/29/2006, 04:42 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention. I have the reefkeeper 2 with the PH probe. It usually hovers around 7.8 or 7.9 but my test kits show it at around 8.1 or 8.2. I pretty sure I did not calibrate it perfectly so I just account for it in my head until I can recalibrate it again.

When I add the two part, the PH meter will usually go from around 7.8 to 8.1 so it definitely has an immediate affect.

I have not tested the Alk right after. How long should I wait? I add the supplement to my sump and I always test from my tank?

Billybeau1 · #11 07/29/2006, 04:52 PM

20 min should do it. At least we'll get an idea how much it is raising and subsequently how much alk your tank is consuming in 24 hrs. I would add your suppliment, test after 20min then test at the same time tommorrow.

tangman99 · #12 07/29/2006, 11:44 PM

I'll give that a try tomorrow night after I add it. To busy fighting the little one trying to get her in bed tonight. Thanks for all the help.

tangman99 · #13 07/30/2006, 04:03 PM

Ok. I just added 150ml of both parts and tested 20 minutes later. My Alk measure around 9.5 Dkh. I used all of my 2 part last night so I this was from a new batch but I made it identical to the last batch. Baked 2 1/4 cups of baking soda for an hour and mixed with a gallon of RO/DI water. I also will be adding the 2 1/2 cups of the Magnesium mix today but have not added it yet because I wanted the conditions to be the same.

What's your take?

Billybeau1 · #14 07/30/2006, 04:30 PM

Thats good. Now lets we where your dkh is 24 hrs. later. Adding mag is ok now.

tangman99 · #15 07/30/2006, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Billybeau1
Thats good. Now lets we where your dkh is 24 hrs. later. Adding mag is ok now.

Will do. Thanks and I'll check back in tomorrow evening.

Billybeau1 · #16 07/30/2006, 07:57 PM

tangman99 · #17 07/31/2006, 05:09 PM

I just measured my Alk and it is around 7.5 Dkh. It's a little higher than normal. Any ideas on how I should continue with the dosing?

bertoni · #18 07/31/2006, 06:08 PM

The normal recommended range for dKH is 7-11, so I would just dose away for a while.

tangman99 · #19 08/01/2006, 06:46 PM

Billy? You there Bro'?

Billybeau1 · #20 08/01/2006, 07:53 PM

I'm here, wuz up ?

tangman99 · #21 08/01/2006, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Billybeau1
I'm here, wuz up ?

Just wondering your thoughts on the Alk after 24 hours. Bertoni suggested that I dose away but I'm not sure if that means continue with the 150 ml a day or increase it some to try and get it higher. I was originally wanting to keep it around 9 dkh but I'm not sure if what I have now is just fine by as it is.

Billybeau1 · #22 08/01/2006, 10:13 PM

Well, you changed up a bit. If I'm reading your posts correct, you changed to baked baking soda because you ran out of two part, so you gotta get that 150ml out of your head. Differant ball game now.

Your alk dropped from 9.5 to 7.5 in a couple of days if I read you correct. Thats an awful lot.

Did you add the magflake like you said you were going to.

Lets get a Cal/Alk and Mg reading and go from there.

BTW - Whens the last time you did a water change ?

janakaybravo · #23 08/01/2006, 10:47 PM

tangman, I'm having the same problem as you, not being able to keep my alk. up with Randy's two part. I'm following your thread, so keep posting your results. My alk. is 8.8 now with Salifert's test.

Kay

Billybeau1 · #24 08/01/2006, 10:51 PM

Kay, whats wrong with 8.8 ?

tangman99 · #25 08/01/2006, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Billybeau1
Well, you changed up a bit. If I'm reading your posts correct, you changed to baked baking soda because you ran out of two part, so you gotta get that 150ml out of your head. Differant ball game now.

Your alk dropped from 9.5 to 7.5 in a couple of days if I read you correct. Thats an awful lot.

Did you add the magflake like you said you were going to.

Lets get a Cal/Alk and Mg reading and go from there.

BTW - Whens the last time you did a water change ?

I think I may have crosses a few wires here. Let me rephrase a few things as either I said it wrong (likely) or you read it wrong.

1. I used the last of my Randy's 2 part and I made some more which was just timing. There was no difference in the two. They were both the same recipe (recipe 1) made the same way (baked).

2. The time between the tests were right about 24 hours apart, not 2 days.

3. I posted the initial test of 9.5 and you said it was ok to add the Mag part now. I added all 2 1/4 cups of the Mag part that night. I measured the 7.5 the next day (about 24 hours later)

4. I did a 5 gallon water change of my 90 gallon tank the same day and before I took the first 9.5 measurement after adding the 2 part. I did a 10 gallon water change the weekend before. I've been trying to get rid of hair algae for about 6 months now. It's much better but not completely gone.

So other than adding the mag, nothing else really changed at all from what I've been doing for a while.

Does that make it a little clearer? I can do new tests tomorrow afternoon and post them up if needed.

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.