Need help, drop from 220 to 170 ppm in 12 hours?
 

OK, is this possible to drop in 12 hours from 220 ppm alkalinity to 170 ppm? The drop was overnight.

Based on my calculations I need to dose about 2.3 liters of the baking soda solution just to maintain per day. This change seems to be consistent over the long term. I do need to clean all my pumps every 1-2 months from buildup.

My calcium is on the high side 480 ppm and so is my MG at 1500+. My salinity is 1.029 from dosing two part and I am working on bringing it down.

I do have this one sps coral self propagating all over my tank, with a good number of large colonies all over a large tank.

Currently, using two part from Randy's recipes. Guessing I need a calcium reactor?

Not sure how you get 2.3 liters. Do not raise more than .5 t0 .75 dKH /day

220 is a dKH of 12.3. Why do you want it so high? 7.8-9.0 is plenty. Even the 10.0 is plenty.

That would put your usage at about 2.3 dKH /day.

I use 3.5 dKH/day and absolutely use a ca reactor.

I'm not trying to keep it that high, happy maintaining at 8-9. Having a hard time keeping up the values. My goal is swings of .5 or less per day.

Adding 1.1 liters got me back to 210.(only over 12 hours) So figure my usage over 24 hours is around 2.0-2.3 liters per day. I'm just shocked in a few months my consumption skyrocketed this much as coral growth exploded. Used to get by with just kalk and vinegar in the top off.

So these numbers are definitely viable usage?

That is about 2 dKH per day, roughly, which is believable. My tanks ran 2-3 dKH per day for years due to coralline growth.

A calcium reactor would largely eliminate the rise in salinity, so it might make for somewhat less maintenance. I can't tell, though, since some people who run reactors seem to have to spend time tuning it. Kalk will add calcium and alkalinity without adding salinity, but it generally can't keep up with that kind of consumption rate.

OK, thanks. I get it now. Yeah, trying to keep it stable this way isn't ideal or fun. Getting a new proper sump next few weeks, trying to hold out on the reactor until then.

You're welcome. If you start seeing large tannish or off-white builds on surfaces, you might want to look into abiotic precipitation prevention, but I suspect your corals are your main suspect.

Although a reactor would be ideal, you could use dosing pumps. If you have and Apex controller they have DOS dual pumps. Also check with BRS or other vendors.

In my system with a 180 DT and 30 sump (total water voume about 145) I use 3.4-3.5 dKH/day (60 PPM).

Kalk will not keep up, but I have used Kalk in ATO to reduce reactor use, but because evaporation was too variable I only use te reactor now. You will want a decent size (large) reactor.

I was thinking of this, https://www.geosreef.com/product/cr818-calcium-reactor/

Definitely get a reactor if your consumption is that high. It is much easier to maintain. Instead of mixing new solution every week or so and manipulating the dosing rate (which can be a pain depending on your pumps), you can make minor adjustments to CO2 flow and/or effluent rate. These are really small adjustments that you might make every few days or weeks. I test the alk on my system once a week and it tends to stay in the mid to upper 7s. Ideally, I'd use a peristaltic feed pump to [almost] eliminate any fiddling with effluent. Once you get the Ca reactor up and running it's very easy. But I also agree with HKGAR to get the biggest reactor possible. I got a massive reactor for my 300 thinking it would be overkill. It's not overkill, but it works very well.

This is the one I have now. I highly recommend it.

That looks really good. Mind if I ask which regulator and other stuff you use?

I recommend checking out CO2art (UK) for your regulator. Very good prices and extremely good performance. Never had any issues with mine. The customer service is also very good.

Looks like to have a decent dual stage with solenoid fairly priced. Thanks!

Here is the one I have. Many reefers opt for this one

https://aquariumplants.com/collectio...-regulator-set


Here is a link a good thread about using a regulator

Nobody said this hobby was cheap, if you want beautiful SPS and LPS corals

Ordered the dual stage British one and T3 Aquamaxx reactor. Have an Apex and an extra probe already.

What media?

That thread is massive, read some of it a few weeks back. Peristaltic really that important? Any leads lol?

Not if you like checking your effluent drip rate daily :). Check out the kamoer continuous duty dosing pump. Made specifically for reef keeping. Great little pump with an lcd display that shows what dosage rate you are at currently. Very easy to adjust.

That seems more straightforward than tracking down a used medical one.

Was wondering why people just don't use this one, newer?

Yeah i think it came out early this year? Ive had one for about a month now. I really like it. A used medical one can be had cheaper, but not by much. This one is about 260 and has the bonus of the lcd screen showing what you have it set on

A peristaltic pump is very good for dosing Kalkwasser, but I haven't heard of one being all that useful with the standard carbon-dioxide-driven calcium reactor. For a Kalkwasser reactor, it'd be worth checking, in my opinion.

So many swear by one?