Two-Part Additive System. How Much to use?

[Stu_WI]

Randy,

I bought all the materials according to your two-part additive system, but I'm not sure how much of each part to add how often? I have a 75 Gallon Aquarium and my Calcium is around 380 and pH is around 7.8. I'm going with this system because I can bring the levels up, but I can never maintain them. I've been using Kent Liquid Reactor and Kent Superbuffer dKH. I know I'll have to play with the dose after I start adding these to my sump and doing some testing, but could you give me a ball park dose and frequency to start with. I'm going to use Recipe #1 since I do not use Kalk.

One last question; could you use Superbuffer for Part 2 of the additive instead of baking soda? If so, would it be the same amount per gallon and would I need to bake the Superbuffer?

Thanks!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What is the alkalinity now?

Assuming that it is normal to low, I'd start 25 ml per day for a while and see what that does. Then go up or down as necessary to maintain alkalinity at 7-11 dKH (2.5-4 meq/L). Don't worry about calcium much, it will follow along just fine.

If the alkalinity is on the high side, you may want to boost the calcium first, before starting the two part system.

I would not recommend Kent Liquid reactor for use in normal reef aquarium. It just doesn't provide much usable calcium and alkalinity, IMO:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement (Aragamight; Liquid Reactor)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

Yes, you can use the supperbuffer if you have some left that you want to use up, but I'm not sure exactly how much is an equivalent replacement for the baking soda. I'd guess that it is similar to unbaked baking soda in potency, and a little higher in pH. Baking it would be fine.

[Stu_WI]

Thanks for the quick response. Right now I'v been just using a strip test for my alkalinity which has shown that my alkalinity is 300 ppm. I don't know how accurate this is, so I am going to go out a purchase a better test kit. If my alkalinity is on the high side, should I try and boost the calcium with just Part 1 of the additive system, or should I buy something like Kent's Turbo Calcium?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd get a alkalinity titration test kit, rather than a test strip.
If my alkalinity is on the high side, should I try and boost the calcium with just Part 1 of the additive system, or should I buy something like Kent's Turbo Calcium?

Either one, but the turbo calcium is likely cheaper. :)

[Stu_WI]

Randy,

I test my parameters with some new test kits and these are the results I got:

Calcium = 340
pH= 8.8
dKH = 17
Nitrate = 20 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm

This was taken during during the day which is when the pH is the highest, but that is a bit high. What do I do with a high pH and high alkalinity, and a low clacium? Think over what I was dosing (Liquid Reactor and superbuffer), and I don't understand how it got this far off. Please help.

Thanks!

[Stu_WI]

From reading your article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.htm; and a few other posts, I think I need to add the calcium chloride because the alk and pH are related.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The pH is very high, if accurate. How did you measure it?

I'd focus on just calcium supplements for a while. No alkalinity or buffer supplements. The calcium will rise, and the alkalinty and pH will fall (assuming the pH is 8.8).

This article has some tips on high pH:

Solutions to pH Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

[Stu_WI]

Randy,

I dosed just calcium for a while and my calcium went up some (from 340 to 360). During this time my pH dropped to 8.2 and my dKH went down to 12. I started using both Part A and B of your system since my pH was at the right level, and the Alkalinity was just on the high side. My pH dropped down to 8.0 and my alkalinity went down to 11, but after a water change the alkalinity went up to 14. During this time my calcium level has gotten up to 380. Could the swing in the Alkalinity be due to a water change the day before? Just to let you know I'm using 25 ml of each solution daily. Also, I'm dosing in my sump after my tank lights go off. I'm attaching a spread sheet with my water parameters. I've started recording them each time I test my water. You can see my NO3 is a bit high, but I think it is temporary due to some facts you will find in my notes.

Thanks,

Chris.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Could the swing in the Alkalinity be due to a water change the day before?

If the water change water has very high alkalinity, it could. Try measuring it. What salt? Was the water purified?

[Stu_WI]

I use Kent Salt and I dechlorinize tap water and run carbon filtration on the fresh water for a day prior to adding the salt. Then the new salt water sits with just a power head and a heater for 12 to 24 hours. I tested the fresh water once, and I thought the alkalinity was at about 3 dKH, but I can recheck and check after I mix my salt in it.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In that case, some alkalinity rise could come from the tap water. I'd double check the water change water.

I don't generally recommend tap water, for a variety of reasons described in this article:

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm