Can't raise dKh

[Dyngoe]

Hi All,

My dKh used to be at 8-9 and now I can't get it above 6. I used Kent Marine Super dKh to make sure the PH was at 8.3 and then I have been adding Seachem Reef Builder at ~1tbs/2 days and I have not seen an increase in the dKh. Anyone have any ideas why this may be happening and what I can do to fix it? My calcium dropped to ~360-370 and I want to make sure my dKh is up before I start dosing CA again.

-D

 

[Mr. Ugly]

What's your system volume?

What does your alk test at before and after dosing?

If I used Reef Builder for my system(78g), I'd have to dose about a tablespoon per day per their calculator.

[edit] ok I see in your sig. 1tb/2days might be reasonable for you. What's your Mg?

 

[sfsuphysics]

wow... dejavu

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Hehe

Good article here:

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

Kent Super Buffer is mostly sodium bicarbonate(baking soda), with a little sodium carbonate(washing soda), and a little sodium tetraborate.

Here's an MSDS I tracked down for KSB. The link on the Kent web site is busted.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050404095323/www.kentmarine.com/msds/DRYBUFFERMSDS1.PDF

If you had used a lot of KSB before, maybe there's a problem with too much borate? Borate adds to total alkalinity, but is not useful for building skeletons.

If Mg is low, I believe you can have a problem with abiotic precipitation of Ca/alk. And Mike had a prob with high Mg?

 

[Dyngoe]

Thanks N,

Thanks for the link. I think I see where my problem lies. I have been using both Reef Builder , Super Buffer and B-Ionic Calcium. It is possible I just have too much alkalinity but not hardness. I'm going to try using my Kent Marine liquid calcium and see if that fixes it.

D

 

[sfsuphysics]

High mg, low mg, who knows I just wasn't able to read it... it's been a week or two since I tested maybe the test will work better now

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Yah, Mike. Don't leave us hanging. You have to post an update on your thread!

 

[flyingphish]

dont do anything for a couple days. do a nice water change. then start fresh.

test for:

Ph
Ca
Alk
Mg

easiest if you have a digital Ph meter.

ok, so, use arm and hammer baking soda. add a few pinches to a cup of tank water. stir. now start adding to tank. as Ph decreases by .04 units, Alk goes up by .5 meq. eg. ph is 8.24, alk is 2.5 meq. add soda mixture slowly, ph will drop, when it gets to 8.2, alk is now at 3.0 meq. you should only raise by .5 meq at one sitting. wait till the next day to do another .5 increase to get to 3.5 meq.

after you get to 3.5ish meq now add bionic part 2 (calcium) and raise Ca to 400-420ish.

now bring Mg up to 1350. i use bionic liquid Mg. dosed with a litermeter3 dosing pump.

maintain these parameters with Kalk-top off, and/or two part, and/or Ca/kalk reactors...Ca reactor will give you Ca only. A kalk reactor will give you Ca and Alk.

 

[Raddogz]

Mike if you bring me a sample of the water I can do a Magnesium test for you at the meeting.