Adjusting Alkalinity

[brians_224]

Thanks for your time.

Calcium is 430
Alk is 7.0 or 2.51

10 days ago, alk was 8.

I'm 14 days from a 25% water change.

Should I do anything?

I've been dripping pickling lime, 1 quart once a week.

TIA

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would suggest adding slightly more limewater each week. Maybe drip it twice a week or more as necessary to maintain alkalinity.

[besl]

Sorry for intruding on this thread, but I have a similar situation. Difference being I use B-Ionic and don't drip (pickling lime or) kalk as brians_224 does.

Randy, do you have any suggestions in this case?

Once again, sorry for jumping on this thread - but I really respect Randy's inputs!

[brians_224]

Besl - No need for apologies! :)

Randy - Just to make sure I understand, will dripping more pickling lime be sufficient to raise the alk to where it should be? I thought pickling lime was used just to maintain.

As always - thanks for your expertise!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The reason that limewater isn't "good" for raising calcium is that alkalinity will go too high (1 meq/L (2.8 dKH) for every 20 ppm of calcium) and that the pH will rise too high.

The only reason one would say it isn't good for raising alkalinity is that it is limited by evaporation and the pH rise. Neither of these should be an issue to raise alkalinity by a few dKH over time.

If you added 1% of the tank volume in saturated limewater, you'd be adding about 0.4 meq/L (1.1 dKH).

So if you add an extra half gallon of limewater to a 45 gallon tank over the course of a few days to a wek, that should help.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy, do you have any suggestions in this case?

I'd add more of both parts of the B-ionic, unless the pH is getting too high. How much are you adding now?

[brians_224]

Thank you Randy!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

[besl]

Randy, my Ca measures roughly 400, pH roughly 7.8 - 8 and Alk around 2.5. My nitrites and nitrates are 0. I do have cyano for several weeks that isn't getting any better or worse - I cut back on my photo period from 10 hrs to 8 hours (260 w power compact).

I have a 55 gallon tank with 1/2" crushed coral and approx 55-60 lbs on Live Rock (I mention that for rough idea of water displacement - dont know actual water volume). Also have a fuge (roughly 4 gal Aquafuge) hanging off the back.

I add approximately 12 ml of each part B-Ionic every morning (I was adding 10 ml and just bumped it up to approx 12 ml a week ago).

Thanks in advance for your inputs on this.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd bump the B-ionic again. It will raise all of pH, calcium, and alkalinity. Most especially pH and alkalinity. Maybe try 20 mL. That might also help the cyano a bit by promoting coralline algae to use more nutrients.

[besl]

Randy, thanks for your very fast response. Also thanks to brians_224 for allowing me to particpiate in this thread. I appreciate the support both of you are affording me!

Rand, not to belabor this subject, but in bumping this to 20 ml each part, am I doing this as a temporary measure for "x days" and return to 12 mls once Alk and pH are raised? Or are you thinking that I should probably stay up at around 20 ml as a regular regimen?

I know with B-Ionic I have to monitor water parameters for proper doseage but I am always a little gun shy with dosing anything - I always feel more secure under dosing than over dosing (the B-Ionic bottle recommends 1 ml per 4 gal water).

Thanks again... besl

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I can't say in advance of trying it how much routine addition it will take to maintain higher levels. So my suggestion is to try 20 mL/day for a week and see what heppens, then adjust up or down as necessary.

[besl]

Ok. Thank you so much for your help with this, Randy. And once again thanks to brians_224 for allowing me to join this thread.

besl

[brians_224]

You're very Welcome! Good Luck!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

[my2girls]

Randy,

How much b-ionic is too much? I have a 46 gallon tank with SPS. 20ml is not enough to meet demand. I do drip kalk (1 liter/day). Ca 380 and dKH at 7-8. Can't seem to get them up.

Like besl I am cautious. I would keep bumping up b-ionic but am worried about overshoot in PH. I dose early morning as to not do so.

Thanks for you help!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If corals are using all of the calcium and alkalinity, then no amount is too much unless the pH gets too high.

If you are getting a lot of abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate on things like heaters and pumps, then perhaps the pH is too high, or magneisum is too low.

FWIW, 1 ml B-ionic per gallon of tank water is equivalent to adding 1.8% of the tank volume (1.8 gallons) in saturated limewater, and is not unusually high for a heavy demand tank.

[my2girls]

Thanks Randy!

BTW, love your articles!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks :)

Happy Reefing.

[besl]

Randy, I increased B-Ionic to 20 ml for a week as you suggested - haven't specifically measured water params (will do this week) - but Red Slime Algae is 80% gone as you said would happen and corals (except leathers) look better - including a bubble which looked terrible is now looking to be on the mend. Overall I am pleased with what appears to be a happier tank.

My leathers don't look as good, though - they use to look the best, however - fingers are drooped and shrivelled, colors faded from pink to puple and bright yellow turning brownish-yellow. Do you think there is any correlation to the increased B-Ionic doseage? If yes, do you think the leathers just need time to re-adjust to the higher alk level? If no correlation, any ideas on why all 3 leathers exhibit this same behavior last week?
As always, thanks for your inputs! ... besl

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is hard to say if it is the alkalinity, not knowing what it is right now, but I've never seen any correlation between elevated alkalinity or pH and poor looking leathers.

I'm glad other things are doing well. :)

[besl]

Randy, I dropped B-Ionic back from your recommended 20 ml to 15 ml for a few days and have since gone back to 20 mls based on the culmination of input in your above threads. I will leave it at 20 ml and monitor water params.

I will take water measurments later this week and will post further information back here if the situation with the leathers doesn't improve.

Thanks again.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck. :)