Raising Alkalinity

[davejnz]

You can use washing soda instead of baking soda,,helps correct low PH

[Reptoreef]

Yep, but it will effect alk...

[davejnz]

yes it will,its for those who want to raise alk and PH.Your kalk reactor doesnt help raise your PH?

[ereefic]

I thought BS wasn't good to use all the time?

[Reptoreef]

The kalk reactor does well, but atmospheric co2 can only realy be alleviated with the intro of more o2(ozone reactor) or air pumped into the spaces of the sump and tank.

[davejnz]

I thought BS wasn't good to use all the time?

Its sodium bicarbonate so sodium can accumulate.I've never had any problems with it and all the "experts" /old-timers have been using it for a while.

Repto,have you tried dripping your effluent from your calcium reactor to your skimmer to drive off C02

[dakar]

Just a follow up, just checked my params again, calcium is still hanging right at 500 and Alk jumped to 7.2 ( up 0.4dKH), suspended precip is a little less than it was (just my observation so pretty subjective), PH dipped down a bit, that was expected.
Surprising how much just that little bit would affect around 240 gals total water volume.

I just dosed it again with another 3 tsp. Suggestions on how fast I can push it up without crashing something else? .3-.4 every couple of days seems reasonable, but rather be safe than sorry. Figuring ultimately want to try to hold it at 9-10.

[Reptoreef]

On the new skimmer I just built, I have actually added a valve to do such a thing, but for now, I've been adding the ca effluent to a container with an airstone and it brings the ph from a 6.6 to a 7.8 before spilling into fuge chamber of the sump so I feel pretty good about that... it is just plant food if anything. I've done the atmospheric testing using the bubbler and ca effuent inside and outdoors. Thanks for the suggestions.

[davejnz]

Just a follow up, just checked my params again, calcium is still hanging right at 500 and Alk jumped to 7.2 ( up 0.4dKH), suspended precip is a little less than it was (just my observation so pretty subjective), PH dipped down a bit, that was expected.
Surprising how much just that little bit would affect around 240 gals total water volume.

I just dosed it again with another 3 tsp. Suggestions on how fast I can push it up without crashing something else? .3-.4 every couple of days seems reasonable, but rather be safe than sorry. Figuring ultimately want to try to hold it at 9-10.

I've raised 1dKH a day before in my SPS tank with no ill effects,just remember every addition will need to be balanced with calcium or those levels will drop.In fact,I feel yours would be better balanced around 450ish once alk stabilizes at 9dKH.