Im have alk problems.

[Tarolisol]

Well i cant seem to get my alk above 6 dkh.
My calcium is about 400ppm
Ph is about 8.5

Now what can i do to get my alk up without screwing around to much.

[Aquattro]

how do you supplement alk and Ca? what are your NO3 levels like?

[Bryan]

Which test kit are you using, and have you tried referencing with another test kit?

[Tarolisol]

My NO3 is zero, i dont supplement but was considering it to raise the alk.
The test kits are aquarium pharmaveuticals, there not much else out there here unless i order online or buy hagen. Water changes is how i keep the calcium up. I think the test kits are correct i dont see to much growth from my SPS latly so i figure the alk was low so low and behold it was.

[Aquattro]

Sean, baking soda can raise your alk, I think Bev might have posted some links to articles that will tell you how much. My alk was down last week, so I disoolved 4 tbspn of baking soda in some RO and dumped it in, raised it enough for my needs. Go look forthe recipe though, just so you do it right.

[Beverly]

Somebody mentioned posting reef chemistry articles

Sean,

Water changes will not keep calcium levels up, unless you are dripping kalk, and maybe not even then. It depends on the calcium uptake in your particular tank. Also to be considered in the grand scheme of reef chemistry is magnesium. Mg, along with Ca and alk, needs to be tested and corrected at least every other week.

But back to your low alk and high pH. Baking soda will raise alk but lower pH. I've got two tanks that have consistently high pH and sort of normal alk due to dripping kalk. To reduce the pH of the kalk, I add some vinegar to the kalk/RO mix so the pH doesn't rise when I drip kalk.

Anyway, about those reef chemistry links...... the list just gets longer

Aquarium System Volume Calculator:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/volcalc.html

The Reef Chemistry Calculator:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Magnesium in Reef Aquaria:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

High pH: Causes and Cures:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm

Low pH: Causes and Cures:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

Whew! Posting them is the easy part. Reading and understanding any of it is where the blood and sweat come in

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Somebody mentioned posting reef chemistry articles

I knew you'd be right along....

[Tarolisol]

Well after a little light reading, Im still a little lost on magnesium but untill i can get a test kit for it im going to assume its ok.

No with the chemistry calculator and the article on alk ive decided to do small doeses of back soda since my PH is a little on the high side, but in an accepatable high.

The reef chemistry site says i need about 20 TSPS of baking soda, so today ill start with 4 and take it from there.

Ill keep everyone informed.

[Beverly]

Sean,

How big is your tank and to what level do you want to raise your alk? Remember when using the first link, the Aquarium System Volume Calculator - http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/volcalc.html
to measure your tank from the inside of the glass. If using standard outside measurements, you may be dosing too much.

[Tarolisol]

Well the total volume of my tank is about 300g the actul display tank is 200.