Alk levels and time

[whaase]

I started dripping Kalk in my tank. Before I started my calcium was 450 and Alk was about 4.5-5 dKH. I am adding kalk with my top off water. I'm just wondering how long it takes to bring the Alk level up?

Walter

[Canadian Man]

Time is going to depend on many factors Walter.

Just so you know if your adding a balanced addative like Kalk for Every 2.8 dkh or 1.0meq/l you raise your alk you will raise your calcium by 20mg/l.

So if you want to raise your alk to 10dkh you will end up with a calcium level of aprox 490mg/l(don't want to get the calculator out to get an exact)

IMO this ratio would be a little unbalanced.

I would add some alk buffer ( I use baking soda myself) to bring your alk up alone to a higher level then use a balanced addative like kalk.

cheers

[StirCrazy]

Also don't forget your Ca should be ballanced to your salinity. a salinity of 1.027 should have a Ca level of about 415ppm, and a salinity lower should have a lower Ca level. for whats its worht I am starting to believe that most of us are trying to run our Ca at levels higher than we should be.

Steve

[whaase]

Time is going to depend on many factors Walter.

Just so you know if your adding a balanced addative like Kalk for Every 2.8 dkh or 1.0meq/l you raise your alk you will raise your calcium by 20mg/l.

So if you want to raise your alk to 10dkh you will end up with a calcium level of aprox 490mg/l(don't want to get the calculator out to get an exact)

IMO this ratio would be a little unbalanced.

I would add some alk buffer ( I use baking soda myself) to bring your alk up alone to a higher level then use a balanced addative like kalk.

cheers

Hmmmm. So, should I be mixing 6-1 of Baking Soda/Washing soda. How do I introduce it to the tank? Drip? Dump it in? Then once I get the desired levels, I dose Kalk to maintain it?

Walter

[Aquattro]

I am starting to believe that most of us are trying to run our Ca at levels higher than we should be.

Steve

why?

[Canadian Man]

Time is going to depend on many factors Walter.

Just so you know if your adding a balanced addative like Kalk for Every 2.8 dkh or 1.0meq/l you raise your alk you will raise your calcium by 20mg/l.

So if you want to raise your alk to 10dkh you will end up with a calcium level of aprox 490mg/l(don't want to get the calculator out to get an exact)

IMO this ratio would be a little unbalanced.

I would add some alk buffer ( I use baking soda myself) to bring your alk up alone to a higher level then use a balanced addative like kalk.

cheers

Hmmmm. So, should I be mixing 6-1 of Baking Soda/Washing soda. How do I introduce it to the tank? Drip? Dump it in? Then once I get the desired levels, I dose Kalk to maintain it?

Walter

I don't use the Baking soda/washing soda thing. Been there done that. Baked baking soda mixed with unbaked baking soda is supposed to work well but the baked baking soda doesn't like to dissolve in water.

So I just use baking soda.
Yes it drops your ph for a minute or so. Big deal. :rolleyes: I see a drop of about 0.1 to 0.2 in my ph for 30 seconds.

Add is slowly and I just sprinkle it in the sump in a high flow area. I take about 30 seconds to add a teaspoon of baking soda to my tank. In my old system 90g tank and 75g sump If I remember correctly if I added about 8 teaspoons of baking soda it would raise my alk by 1.0meq/l.

[whaase]

Thanks Jon!

Walter

[whaase]

Oh yea, when you add the BS, would the alk readings go up right away? Or will it take a bit to change?

Walter

[StirCrazy]

I am starting to believe that most of us are trying to run our Ca at levels higher than we should be.

Steve

why?

well here is a good aticle on calcification if you want to learn.. most people probably wouldent be interested in this level but I found it interesting.

http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm

for thoes of you who don't want to read it and just want the skinny here it is
"as the calcium level is increased in an artificial seawater medium from 0 to 800 ppm, the calcium uptake by the coelenteron increases in a linear fashion.4 The uptake by most of the tissues other than the calicoblastic epithelium also increases in a linear fashion. There is no data specific to the calicoblastic epithelium, but the data show that calcification does not increase above 360 ppm calcium."

anyways if you are into it, read the article, it is interesting.

Steve

[Aquattro]

Steve, you need to get out more :razz:

[Canadian Man]

Oh yea, when you add the BS, would the alk readings go up right away? Or will it take a bit to change?

Walter

Basically you could take the reading after your tank water and sump water have exchanged. So let's say wait 30 min.

[whaase]

Also don't forget your Ca should be ballanced to your salinity. a salinity of 1.027 should have a Ca level of about 415ppm, and a salinity lower should have a lower Ca level. for whats its worht I am starting to believe that most of us are trying to run our Ca at levels higher than we should be.

Steve

That's interesting, but, my level was 460ppm right from the start. I didn't add anything other than salt. Should a person then lower the Ca?

Walter

[Canadian Man]

Usually when you raise just your alk your calcium level will drop.

[StirCrazy]

That's interesting, but, my level was 460ppm right from the start. I didn't add anything other than salt. Should a person then lower the Ca?

Walter

well there is two theories on this right now and I haven't decided which one I believe yet :mrgreen:

the first saying that the max rate is achieved at 360ppm so anything higher is a waist, but not a problem so run it where ever you are comfortable.

the other theory is that to high of a concentration actually causes the coral to expend so much energy expelling Ca from its tissue that its growth rate is hindered.

so if you are running high Ca and getting lousy growth maybe try dropping it to 400 and seeing what happens.

Steve