Raising Alkalinity

[dakar]

Looking for some suggestions, more like affirmations I guess, ran the water param's on the big tank last night... everything pretty much where it should be, short of Alk, it's a bit low at 6.7dKh, calcium @ 500ppm, PH ~8.1. These tests were run about 4 hours following a 20% WC.

No additives are being supplied to the system as is, she's holding these numbers very consistently with just monthly water changes. I'd like to push the Alk up just a touch, getting a little calcium precipitation, though for the most part it is staying suspended, just looks crappy.

Normally when needed I used a two part drip of Baked Baking Soda (BBS) and Dowflake, or just a limewater drip. But with the calcium already high any thoughts to the effect of using just the BBS drip to buffer up the Alk? I know the PH will go a little screwy.

Any suggested concentrations for the mixture? Fearing using limewater at this point will cause a massive precip snowstorm.

[ereefic]

Whenever my Alk. drops i'll buff it up with a little Kent's Superbuffer dkh. Works just fine just a little more expensive than BBS. I don't think a drip is necessary.

I'll mix a tsp. or 2, depending on how much I need to raise it, with a cup of RO water. Let it clear up and dump it in the sump. Recheck the Alk. atleast an hour later and its up. I've never had any problems doing it this way.

[jerryc]

Just plain old BS for me I'm cheap

[dakar]

Okay thanks for confirming my thoughts, we'll see how things turn out, might end up having to use BBS (or BS) as a regular additive to my make up water.... evaporation on this system is up to almost 6 gallons a day now, the woodstove and fireplace must be really drying the air out. Time to start collecting some real calcium eating coral in there so I can go back to limewater top offs to balance things out.... How's that for a good excuse for more critters?

[davejnz]

I use unbaked baking soda every other day in my frag tank.I just mix 1 tsp in about 4oz. of water and pour it in sump and 12ml of calcium chloride to balance it out.

[Reptoreef]

Why wait for more ca users??? Any extras will tend to precip with the rise of alk to naturally balance, right?

[Reptoreef]

Will also aid in a more natural removal of phosphates, too... I'm sure you're aware of the natural bond(attraction) of the phosphate molecule to the ca carbonate molecule.

[dakar]

Yup all that covalent molecular bonding and stuff is floating around in my head somewhere. But added 3 tsp's of BBS tonight, I'll recheck ca and alk tommorrow night and see where things settle at, want to buffer it up slowly and try not to throw the PH all crazy.

Any excuse for more critters is a good one.

[jerryc]

I use 2 tsps 2 times a week to keep it up always did have a problem with it to low

[Reptoreef]

My prob hasn't been with ca and alk so much as a low PH(due to atmospheric co2). Raising ph without alk... that's the trick.