help raising Alk w/ DIY 2 part suppliment?

[WmTasker]

For the past month my Calcium has been staying around 450 and Alk at about 1.5. I have been using the DIY 2 part calcium additives for the last month or so. I have been adding about 3 times more of part 2 (baking soda) over part 1 (Calcium Chloride)for the last 2 weeks. My pH is 8.4 so I made Recipe 2. But I still can't get the Alk to raise. Tonight I went through and reread these articles to see if I missed something.

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2004/chem.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Alkalinity
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm

After rereading the article on 2 part additive, I caught the part about how baking soda will only alter pH and doesn't change the Alk. Am I doing something wrong here. What can I do to raise the Alk in my tank?

Thank you
Billy

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You have it backwards. It will raise alkalinity and not pH. :D

Adding enough baking soda will raise the alkalinity. Unless this is a new aquarium, I suspect that you just need more, and actually need more of both parts but haven't noticed the naturally slower (percentage wise) drop in calcium yet.

So I'd double the dose of the baking soda part, and dose the calcium to match for a few days and see what happens.

Are you using any other supplements?

[WmTasker]

Im only using the DIY supplements. I have been looking for Pickling lime, but everyone tells me in not canning season yet, to wait another month.

This 120 aqaurium has only been set up for a month. BUT ... I just moved everything from my old 75 to it and added more HOH. The 75 was set up for about 4 years.

I was looking at the reef chemistry calculator at www.kademani.com and it said I should add 17 tsps of baking soda. I know I have to do this over time, but how much can I put in at a time? Do I use BS or BBS? If I calculated right each tsp. should raise the Alk .15 to go from 1.5 to 4.0, What is the highest change I can make without killing stuff?

My normal dosing is 30 mL of part A and 90 mL of part B (recipe 2). I've been doing this daily for about a week. So by doubling the amount I put in, should I go up to 180 mL of each then?

Would it be better to dose the the 17 tsp of BS or to double up on my suppliment doses for a few days?

Sorry for all the questions. Judging by your post count, I bet you have answered these questions more than once. Do you ever see a new thread and think not that again or not that person again? :D I know I would :D


Thanks Billy

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you dissolve that baking soda (unbaked) in fresh water, you can add it all at once to a high flow area in a sump, or over a few days.

I'd correct the alkalinity rapidly, then use a small amount of equal dosing going forward.

I bet you have answered these questions more than once.

Calcium and alkalinity is a very popular subject. :D