Dkh

[Mitchell]

So I tested my water today and got some weird results. My calcium is 500, my ph is 8, and my dkh im not sure about. Now the test says that the dkh is the number of drops it takes to turn orange to green. But when I tested it never turned orange to green, it turned blue to green. It is blue until 5 drops then it turns green and at 6 drops its yellow. I put 20 drops in and its still yellow. I tested my dkh a couple months ago and I don't remember what colors it turned at all I know is that it was 9. I am using the api fg and kg test kit.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Mitchell]

It looks like I read the gh part instead of the kh part. The kh says blue to yellow. So that means my dkh is 6. How can I raise it? I have never dosed anything before and I am a little nervous about doing so.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Mohaynow]

baking soda, I'm not sure how much baking soda to how much water but it works in a pinch

 

I found this

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1303031

[coralreefer]

I use API test kit also...watch out for age of test kit...very good when new...baking soda can be used in a pinch...however, 6 is low...you could dose baking soda tonight or pick up alkalinity addition tomorrow (Seachem makes a good one) at LFS....DO NOT try to fix this overnight!!! 1) Your test kit may be faulty 2) Increasing dKh will lower calcium 3) You could use kalkwasser to maintain but not good at raising dKh levels

 

Where do you want your level? I try and keep mine about 10...if your corals aren't truly suffering then the worst thing to do is panic and raise too fast....

 

DrMerle

[pnkrcklives]

I use three table spoons Baking Soda in four gallons of top off water(make sure it fully dissolves). Add top of water normally. Test each day till you get to target(watch ph too). Baking Soda you buy from the store may raise ph slightly (depending on your numbers) while raising dkh. If you bake the baking soda for 45 min at 300 then use it. It will tend to lower ph and raise dkh. I find Baking Soda(Sodium Bi-carbonate) buffers water to around 8.5-8.7. Baked Baking Soda(Sodium Carbonate) buffers water to around 8.0-8.3. Hope that helps

[Mitchell]

Thanks guys. It is a new test kit. I think I'll go to petco or petsmart tonight and pick up something. I am a little worried about using baking soda. What are good brands and what should I avoid. Everything is doing fine my blue stag has really grown this past week.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[pnkrcklives]

More frequent water changes will bring your dkh up as well.

[Mitchell]

Petco has kent supperbuffer would that be ok?

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[pnkrcklives]

I used it before. Using recomended doses raises levels to fast for me stressing corals. It also lowered calcium levels pretty fast. I have had my best luck with baking soda(over a couple days). Then once where I wanted it adjusted my water change percent/schedule(and have not dosed since). My dkh was around 5 when I started the baking soda dosing.

[reefnjunkie]

Petco has kent supperbuffer would that be ok?

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

Stuff works great, use it at half strength/dose at least, not sure who wrote the directions but to start you may want to try 1/4 the recommended amount, its better/easier to add more and overdosing is not good

[Mitchell]

Stuff works great' date=' use it at half strength/dose at least, not sure who wrote the directions but to start you may want to try 1/4 the recommended amount, its better/easier to add more and overdosing is not good[/quote']

 

Ok I went to petco and got supperbuffer. I used one tsp of it. On the container it says to use one tsp per 20-30 gallons and my tank is 55 gallons with about 40 gallons of actual water with all my rock taking up the rest.

 

What could be causing my low dkh (alk)?

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[pnkrcklives]

My main problem with dkh is how long I go between water changes since my make up water has no buffering capabilities at all. Hence me adding a little baking soda to my make up water(helps keeps things much more stable in my tank). But there is a relation too all chemicals in the water(one goes up others come down). I am no expert but I bet if you look around here there are.

[Mitchell]

My main problem with dkh is how long I go between water changes since my make up water has no buffering capabilities at all. Hence me adding a little baking soda to my make up water(helps keeps things much more stable in my tank). But there is a relation too all chemicals in the water(one goes up others come down). I am no expert but I bet if you look around here there are.

 

I do weekly water changes of 5 gallons. I have a marine chemistry book laying around some where that I know will answer all my questions if I can just find it.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Kshack]

What do you use to keep your Kh at the levels you want? If you do nothing, the coral growth consumes both calcium and alk. Best advice is not to panic. Zeovit users guide recommends alk from 6.5-7.5 area, so you are not that far off. My alk is around 7 dkh. As things grow you will have to add:

Calcium reactor

Limewater (Kalk)

Two part additives (pre packaged bottles)

Do it yourself two part additives.

Last two possibly in dosing pump.

[Mandinga]

The superbuffer works great in a pinch. I would try to raise it by 1dkh every other day.

 

 

I know your tank is new, so this is normal...but if you want to maintain Healthy SPS without a reactor, you will have to start dosing daily 2-part.

 

Check out bulk reef supply...u can do it very affordably with that size tank. I dose 250ml of sodium bicarbonate per day(soda ash).

 

Here you go...start reading. If u get this dialed in, your sps will thrive dood.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/calcium-alkalinity-magnesium/two-part-calcium-and-alkalinity-solution

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[XrayGuy]

I use the soda ash alk from BRS (I make up 1 gallon of the mix at a time, which lasts quite a while) which I dose 1/2oz every day and that keeps my dkh between 8 and 9. I also dose Seachem Reef Advantage calcium, about 1tsp per day (I mix it in a cup of tank water so that it is dissolved good, then pour it back in the tank). My CA stays between 450 and 500. I also use the API test kits.

[Mitchell]

I just noticed my royal gramma is missing. Could a dead fish lower my alk?

 

A couple hours after I put in the tsp of supperbuffer my dkh is 7 and my ph is 8.3-8.4 it's hard to tell the colors apart.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Mitchell]

I just found the gramma alive.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Eugenereef]

Thanks guys. It is a new test kit. I think I'll go to petco or petsmart tonight and pick up something. I am a little worried about using baking soda. What are good brands and what should I avoid. Everything is doing fine my blue stag has really grown this past week.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

Actually, baking soda is the way to go. Stuff on the store shelf is just a bit more fancy form of baking soda! All you have to do it to spread the baking soda on a baking pan with aluminuim foil and bake it to 350 deg for 1 h or so. then use it pinch every night. if you rase the alk very rapidily, it may also shock your system and with Ca at 500, you may see precipitation of CaCO3!! Take a week or so to go up to 8 or what ever number you want to be at. increasing it ever so slowly will help the other salts (or ions) to balance out and not cause the snow storm!

JMHO!

[akambience]

Save your money.

 

Actually, baking soda is the way to go. Stuff on the store shelf is just a bit more fancy form of baking soda! All you have to do it to spread the baking soda on a baking pan with aluminuim foil and bake it to 350 deg for 1 h or so. then use it pinch every night. if you rase the alk very rapidily, it may also shock your system and with Ca at 500, you may see precipitation of CaCO3!! Take a week or so to go up to 8 or what ever number you want to be at. increasing it ever so slowly will help the other salts (or ions) to balance out and not cause the snow storm!

JMHO!

 

Bump.

 

If you cant find whats utilizing the NaHCO3, then your water chemistry life is exponentially more difficult. 7-11 dKH is within the norm, and in fact 7dKH is the typical surface ocean value. But to make changes, slow changes are key. Remember that what you dose in one part, expect 1/2 - 3/4 loss of the other. I like The Marble Analogy. -this is unless you dose in a 2-part. But if your Ca is fine then small doses in baking soda will keep your Alk up as well. I always start dosing with half of what anyone advises or what the directions on the bottle say, then, if nothing bad happens (like precipitation) up the fequency and amount until you get to where you want to be. Every system is different. At some point if/when you become more dependent of these additives, Magnesium and Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide) will become more important then the baking soda. The pH and alk effects of baking soda are temporary. After I dose, my alk levels will drop back to what they were before within a few days and my pH goes back to 8.4 within an hour or so after i'm done dosing.

 

This is a ridiculously helpful calculator for dosing amounts, find your zone and this page will give you all the technicals and specifics about about the concept. And this is the most thorough article I have read about water chemistry thus far.

 

Here are recipes for DIY Ca and alk. although these are a little old, and I would prefer to buy any Ca from BRS. Are you mixing your own saltwater? I would look into the "nutrition sheet" of the salt your using, or find out what salt is being used where you buy it mixed. I have found that not all salt is equal. Some people swear by Kent, some only use Instant Reef. You may even try doing a larger then normal WC. Test your KH right before, do 10-15 gallons, then test again after word. If your KH goes up and stays there for a few days without any additives, then you may want to up the amount of water you change out every week. Depends on your bioload too.

 

I bake my baking soda. lots at a time, and dose one or two tps. in a half gallon over the course of a day or two using a DIY drippier. You should premix the baking soda with RODI water because it doesn't mix well with salt. In fact, you'll notice a milky cloudiness when you add it to your sump but it will only last a few minutes.

 

I also use the API tests because they are so darn easy and cheep. I have experience first hand of mild API inaccuracy. When I find a test out of wack, then panic and rush to the LFS for a bottle of something or other, I bring some tank water and have the test that I don't like double checked. I personally try to avoid additives as much as possible, but thats probably just a personal marine philosophy....

 

Best of luck and try not to overdose!

[Eugenereef]

...I personally try to avoid additives as much as possible, but thats probably just a personal marine philosophy....

 

Best of luck and try not to overdose!

 

+1 on That!!!

 

I try to follow KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid )as far water chemistry is concerned. Good salt (and I think most of them are good! I use reef crystal) and regular water change keeps things in stable equilibrium. I have never really added any thing of the shelf in my tank (did buy a bottle of purple up four years ago and still have it ). If things that could go out of wack then just follow simple home made remidies. I DO use calcium reactor which I though was one of the 3 best investments I made for keeping sps reef tank! ie. pH is low then add Kalk, pH is high (I dont have a solution to that. It happened to me once and I added acetic acid (or vineger) to bring the pH down). Alk can be easily adjusted by baked baking soda (and I always keep some handy). The only other thing I add is lugol's iodine solution (few drops for zoa or lps). I have to admit, I have never tested Mg in my tank either .

[impur]

Actually, baking soda is the way to go. Stuff on the store shelf is just a bit more fancy form of baking soda! All you have to do it to spread the baking soda on a baking pan with aluminuim foil and bake it to 350 deg for 1 h or so. then use it pinch every night. if you rase the alk very rapidily, it may also shock your system and with Ca at 500, you may see precipitation of CaCO3!! Take a week or so to go up to 8 or what ever number you want to be at. increasing it ever so slowly will help the other salts (or ions) to balance out and not cause the snow storm!

JMHO!

 

This works great, i do this as well. 2 1/4 cups of baking soda on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for an hour, then i dissolve that into 1 gal of water. So i always have a 1gal container of solution to increase my alk if need be.

 

Like some have stated you might look into dosing kalk in your topoff for starters. I've been using just kalk in my topoff with the occasional splash of alk solution for about 6 years now. Works great and keeps levels nice and steady once you have all the amounts figured out. I max out the kalk by using 2 teaspoons per gallon of RO. You can even squeak out a little more from the kalk by adding vinegar but thats another discussion.

[Mitchell]

Bump.

 

If you cant find whats utilizing the NaHCO3, then your water chemistry life is exponentially more difficult. 7-11 dKH is within the norm, and in fact 7dKH is the typical surface ocean value. But to make changes, slow changes are key. Remember that what you dose in one part, expect 1/2 - 3/4 loss of the other. I like The Marble Analogy. -this is unless you dose in a 2-part. But if your Ca is fine then small doses in baking soda will keep your Alk up as well. I always start dosing with half of what anyone advises or what the directions on the bottle say, then, if nothing bad happens (like precipitation) up the fequency and amount until you get to where you want to be. Every system is different. At some point if/when you become more dependent of these additives, Magnesium and Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide) will become more important then the baking soda. The pH and alk effects of baking soda are temporary. After I dose, my alk levels will drop back to what they were before within a few days and my pH goes back to 8.4 within an hour or so after i'm done dosing.

 

This is a ridiculously helpful calculator for dosing amounts, find your zone and this page will give you all the technicals and specifics about about the concept. And this is the most thorough article I have read about water chemistry thus far.

 

Here are recipes for DIY Ca and alk. although these are a little old, and I would prefer to buy any Ca from BRS. Are you mixing your own saltwater? I would look into the "nutrition sheet" of the salt your using, or find out what salt is being used where you buy it mixed. I have found that not all salt is equal. Some people swear by Kent, some only use Instant Reef. You may even try doing a larger then normal WC. Test your KH right before, do 10-15 gallons, then test again after word. If your KH goes up and stays there for a few days without any additives, then you may want to up the amount of water you change out every week. Depends on your bioload too.

 

I bake my baking soda. lots at a time, and dose one or two tps. in a half gallon over the course of a day or two using a DIY drippier. You should premix the baking soda with RODI water because it doesn't mix well with salt. In fact, you'll notice a milky cloudiness when you add it to your sump but it will only last a few minutes.

 

I also use the API tests because they are so darn easy and cheep. I have experience first hand of mild API inaccuracy. When I find a test out of wack, then panic and rush to the LFS for a bottle of something or other, I bring some tank water and have the test that I don't like double checked. I personally try to avoid additives as much as possible, but thats probably just a personal marine philosophy....

 

Best of luck and try not to overdose!

 

Thanks for all the links, they were very helpful. I did a water change today and tested my ph and dkh before and after. Ph was 7.8, dkh was 7 and calcium was 500 before the water change and after ph was 7.8, dkh was 7.5 and calcium was 500. I use westsides premaid water and they use kent reef salt. After doing some research it sounds like kent has pretty low alk, so buffering it is normally necessary. My plan is to put a tsp of supperbuffer in my water change water every week.

[ReeFit]

just an fyi, your ph will fluctuate daily and usually follows suit with your kh. focus more on getting your kh up and then stabilize it. kh is the carbon source that your corals use to extract other nutrients from the water collumn as they build their skeletons so if your corals are growing your kh is going to naturally deplete and will need to be dosed regularly.