Top off water and low ALK

[da5speed]

Im still trying to figure out why my alk drops so fast. And had a thought,
I tested my alk in my top off water and it less then 1.4 which i would have expected. Should i be adding alk to the top off water so that when it tops off it around 9 dkh? My system is 120 gallons and i go threw 20 gallons of ATO every 10 days. Could this be the reason. I know i should check the magnesium just waiting to get a kit.

 

[KathyC]

Your top off water should be pure rodi water (I don't think I've ever tested it for alk...), unless you are adding kalk to the top off water.
Is that what you mean?

Alk tends to drop easier in tanks where there are high phosphates - among other less common reasons.

What are the rest of your parameters and what type of salt mix are you using?

 

[da5speed]

Your top off water should be pure rodi water (I don't think I've ever tested it for alk...), unless you are adding kalk to the top off water.
Is that what you mean?

Alk tends to drop easier in tanks where there are high phosphates - among other less common reasons.

What are the rest of your parameters and what type of salt mix are you using?

Yes my top off is rodi water nothing else, I was just looking at the amount of top off i use and was wondering if that could be the reason for my drop in Alk, I use the kent 2 part in the morning, and add a teaspoon of baking soda at night. Never used Kalk additive before.

ph is 8.3, temp 81, amonnia 0 nitrate and nitrites 0, phosphates 0 but Iknow are present, alk is 8-10. presently around 8.4, Calcium is about 400 right now.

As for salt i use tropic Marin but its the regular not the reef version, which i was talk to the LFS and asked him if that could be the reason it drop fast.

 

[sil3ncio]

what's the baking soda for?

 

[da5speed]

in expensive way of bring up the alk

 

[Bob 1000]

Alk tends to drop easier in tanks where there are high phosphates - among other less common reasons.

I learn something new everyday thanks Kathy.. I hust put some High phosphate rock in my system and have been experiencing dosing alk at a fast level.. I really need to get my calcium reactor back on line.. Dosing sucks,,lol..

 

[KathyC]

in expensive way of bring up the alk

You are taking your tank on a roller coaster ride and that is no good for your corals..and that can be very expensive.

Didn't you say you are already dosing 2 part? Have you figured out how much alk your tank is using? (Do a water change, go a few days without dosing and then chart -on a daily basis - where your #'s are (Ca, alk, mg) ) that will tell you how much your tank is using..and then you can correctly dose from there.

Might also help to test your freshly made SW as well and see what the numbers are there.

Without a Mg kit, you'll never know where you truly stand with the alk as MG isa huge help in stabilizing it

 

[da5speed]

by doing the 2 part in the morning and dosing with the baking soda at night has kept the alk stable. I figure it was better to do the additional doing at night to break it up. Also for the 2 part instructions say to add equal parts which i do. It keeps the calcium in check that way. Im changing tanks in Oct Nov to a 120 tech tank and after selling off some of my old equipment i want to invest in a calcium reator.
I was talking to someone last night and they said it would be ok for me to add the baking soda to the RO top off water so when it tops off the Alk will not drop. I go through ruffly 2 gallons of top off a day.

 

[pecan2phat]

You should research baking soda. I think baking soda affects Ph more then alkalinity. Washing soda might be what you want but again, research it since I am not 100% sure.

 

[Toadally]

Baking soda does help to bring your alk number up, but it also has an effect on your ph. You should keep a close watch on your ph while dosing baking soda.