# Can not keep up with alcalinity consumption



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Two months ago slowly increased alkalinity from 6 to 9 (using Seachem carbonate) and started to drip Kalk, but looks like my tank consume carbonates in big values, and I was not able to to keep it even at 7.
Last week started to use Soda Ash and was continue to drip Kalk. The PH was increasing at the moment of adding Soda, but in few minutes it was going back to 8.2. This is normal as per RBS instructions.
At the moment, I stop to add Soda Ash (using Part 2 pouches) and continue to drip Kalk after 2 days alkalinity again 6 and PH is 8
Calcium is 440. 
20G weakly whater change.
I mix 10 tea spoons (with top) per 3G of rodi and drip it within 3-4 days.
Current system total is 170G
Most of my corals are SPS and LPS, but they are not big ones.
The tank is 10 months old
I have no clue what is going on

I am attaching image just to provide info how full is the tank
Thank you guys for advice



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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

How much kalkwasser do you drip? 

You're probably losing a lot of alkalinity to the coralline algae - if you've got good coralline growth it can strip a lot of alk from the tank.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

ameekplec. said:


> How much kalkwasser do you drip?
> 
> You're probably losing a lot of alkalinity to the coralline algae - if you've got good coralline growth it can strip a lot of alk from the tank.


I mix 10 tea spoons (with top) per 3G of rodi and drip it within 3-4 days.
An I do not have much coralline algae. 

Just got to links from Reefkeeping ( Andy from ReefCentral). Will post them

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## explor3r (Mar 14, 2010)

I cant never raise my alkalinity neither but is usually at 6 to 7 dkh but as long as is stable and your corals look ok that should be just fine. I would be worry if you have spikes like from 6 to 9 dkh and so on.
What works best for me is to perform weekly water changes sometimes twice a week and that keep my Kh stable to 6 which is a bit on the low side but ok
Good luck Greg...


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## rburns24 (Jan 31, 2011)

I use a stock solution of 2 cups of soda ash(from BRS) mixed in a gallon of water and dose about 35ml. a day and don't have a problem maintaining alkalinity. I ordered a dosing pump which will make it even easier. 


My tank is very lightly stocked, so I imagine you would have to add a fair amount more per gallon for yours. Hope this helps.


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## Omis (Dec 27, 2010)

I had the same problem and my tank isn't heavily stocked at all, just a few corals here and there. It happened when I started to run GFO in my reactor. The GFO binded the alk and my calcium shot through the roof. Didn't matter how much Soda Ash I added, the alk kept dropping. This lasted about a month until things stabilized.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Omis said:


> I had the same problem and my tank isn't heavily stocked at all, just a few corals here and there. It happened when I started to run GFO in my reactor. The GFO binded the alk and my calcium shot through the roof. Didn't matter how much Soda Ash I added, the alk kept dropping. This lasted about a month until things stabilized.


It is a possibility

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

explor3r said:


> I cant never raise my alkalinity neither but is usually at 6 to 7 dkh but as long as is stable and your corals look ok that should be just fine. I would be worry if you have spikes like from 6 to 9 dkh and so on.
> What works best for me is to perform weekly water changes sometimes twice a week and that keep my Kh stable to 6 which is a bit on the low side but ok
> Good luck Greg...


I agree! 
As long as it is stable and not jumping all over the place I would leave it be and just do weekly or bi-weekly water changes.
You might want to test your mix up water just to get a baseline.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

liz said:


> I agree!
> As long as it is stable and not jumping all over the place I would leave it be and just do weekly or bi-weekly water changes.
> You might want to test your mix up water just to get a baseline.


Did it.
Alc 8
calc 420

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

sig said:


> Did it.
> Alc 8
> calc 420


How did your Ca. go up from 420 to 440?


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

liz said:


> How did your Ca. go up from 420 to 440?


I think it is the KALK, since I drip it

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

I thought that would have lowered it a little?


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

I do not know for sure. I ordered yesterday new test kit for calcium.
Will see

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

I know when I drip alk to lowers my ca just a small amount.
Post your ca when you get your kit and another alk reading.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

liz said:


> I know when I drip alk to lowers my ca just a small amount.
> Post your ca when you get your kit and another alk reading.


when you drip alk it can happen, but I drip Kalkwasser. ( to tell true, I really have no clue  what should happen with with calcium in my case)

the Kalkwassser should maintain existing levels of calcium and alkalinity.* I do not know why I can not keep up with alkalinity, but calcium is stable.*
For sure these parameters are related and also magnesium plays role in these relations ( I never tested magnesium)

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

try posting it on AP - there is girl over there named mortigas who is super smart with these kind of chemistry problems.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

the Randy Holmes-Farley on reefcentral finally responded to my question and said:

"I think using some two part in addition to the limewtaer (kalk) is a fine plan to maintain alkalinity and calcium."

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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

sig said:


> the Randy Holmes-Farley on reefcentral finally responded to my question and said:
> 
> "I think using some two part in addition to the limewtaer (kalk) is a fine plan to maintain alkalinity and calcium."


Well there you go - right from the horses mouth!!! lol


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Randy Holmes-Farley:

*" That is always the way if you underdose both equally. The reason is that there is a huge reservoir of calcium in seawater relative to alkalinity.

If you start at 8 dKH and 450 ppm calcium and let calcium carbonate be deposited with no dosing, you can attain 6.6 dKH and 440 ppm calcium. That alk drop looks huge and the calcium drop looks within the error of testing. "*

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## Cintax (Jun 16, 2011)

What is your magnesium? The three are all connected.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Cintax said:


> What is your magnesium? The three are all connected.


never tested.

Ordered test kit yesterday

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