alcalinity ?

[doadster]

Calcium 430. Alkalinity is 2.29. Just started running a phosphate reactor to help with red algae. Do I need to be worried about low alkalinity...............Also have chem pure in tank. Never dosed tank, just water changes 5 gal every week on my 90 gal

[stevelkaneval]

what is your ph at?

[bertoni]

I would dose it up to at least 2.5 meq/L, and keep it there. A 2-part like B-Ionic is a good way to get started, although it'd get expensive for that size tank. If there's no stony corals in the tank, and coralline growth isn't of interest, dosing alkalinity via baking soda can work well, though.

[doadster]

Since my calcium is up and i seem to have alot of coraline growth. Would I just dose with the alkalinity and how often is this to be done. Dosing my tank is all new to me. I have several zoos, bubble coral, pacoda, torch, suncoral, flat brain, mushrooms, lta, flower pot and a few fish.

[bertoni]

Dosing just alkalinity is fine as long as the calcium level is okay. I'd probably dose every day, but every tank is different. Some baking soda dissolved in RO-DI water will be okay. This calculator will help give an idea of the amount required:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[doadster]

Thanks for info. My ph is also 7.8. What are your thoughts on using seachems reef buster in the tank to raise ph and alk. How much at a time should I put in tank without overdosing tank.

[SuperNerd]

Originally posted by bertoni
If there's no stony corals in the tank, and coralline growth isn't of interest, dosing alkalinity via baking soda can work well, though.

Why isn't baking soda as good at growing coralline algae?

[virginiadiver69]

...or stony corals. I was wondering the same thing.

[bertoni]

Baking soda is fine, but usually tanks require calcium as well as alkalinity.

[virginiadiver69]

Oh okay...I misunderstood. It sounded like you were saying that using baking soda was not suitable for tanks wanting coralline growth or stony corals.