how to use the Red sea B foundation? having low ph and alkalinity

[jcdsr3]

Hi,

I'm having low ph and alkalinity. Test show ph on 7.8 and AK on 7 dkh surely I need to rise this parameters.

My tank si a 55 litres aquanano, I have 2 clownfish, a scarlet shrimp, 3 hermit and 3 snails. 5kg of live rock and 5 kg of sand.

Filter is floss sponge with carbon bag and phos bag all this in separated chambers.

My LFS told me to buy the red sea B foundation to stabilize the ph and AK. However the bottle said works 1ml for 100 litres, which mean for my tank I need to add 0.5 ml everyday until this parameters get it right, of course I will add this on the chambers no directly to fish.

I this the correct treatment? or not? The instructions are not clear on the bottle or in the mini manual of the product.

Also if 1ml will rise 0.1 dkh to rise the parameters on my tank will take an eternity?

I really don't know how to use it. Sorry if look stupid this.
I will appreciate your help.

 

Find attached the product image

 

Regards

[Arkayology]

I honestly see no reason for concern with your params. Yes, your alk could be raised a little, but I run my tank at 7.0-7.3 dkh. What are your Calcium and Magnesium levels? Stability is the key more than chasing the right params. What kind of corals do you keep? If you are only keeping soft corals, you really don't need to worry too much. If you are keeping LPS and SPS, then it all depends on what your combined Ca/dkh/Mg levels are.

[jcdsr3]

I don't have coral at the moment, however I went to buy a toadstool and LFS didn't sell to me because my parameters weren't right, If I add that coral on tank will melt quickly.

 

I also contact red sea, regarding to the product because the info was confuse a bit and this is what I got:

 

--------------- red sea

Thank you for contacting Red Sea via our website.

Firstly pH in the Reef Aquarium is very complex and there are many factors that can effect it, I would not be concerned about a pH of 7.8 if your dKH is maintained.

For a normal fish only aquarium a dKH of 7.0 is fine there is no mention of corals only shrimp so I’ll recommend you aim for 8.1 , 1ml of Foundation B will increase the dKH in 100 litres by 0.1, so in your case approximately by 0.2, you can dose 5ml of Foundation B this will raise your dKH by 1.0 to the recommended level.

Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Regards

Technical Support Manager

Red Sea Group

_____________ My replied:

Thx so much for your time and consideration.

I forget to mention I plan to add a toadstool coral to the tank.

So as I follow the my LFS advice I been adding on the last 3 days 0.5ml every day at the same time which I don't see any effect.

However, and sorry for all my question, I should add 5ml in one goal then wait, how long? 1hr or 30 min and then test the water?

Also on the next water change I will have to do the same? if the parameter are low? Because it seen my LFS use unbalance salt on the salt water which a buy from them.

Thx again.

JCC

_____________ red sea email:

Even with the addition of a toadstool coral a target dKH of 8.1 is fine.

The maximum increase in dKH per day without causing stress for any corals is 1.4 so an increase of 1.0 will be fine.

A better option for dosing is daily based on the update, in this case carbonate (Alkalinity/dKH) sample your aquarium on day 1 and record the result, without adding any Foundation B sample again after 4 days, subtract this result from that of day 1 and divide by 4, this will give you an average daily uptake, you can then dose enough Foundation B daily to keep your dKH stable.

Best regards

Technical Support Manager

Red Sea Group

Also I don't know my cal and mg levels I don't have the test kit

[Arkayology]

Also I don't know my cal and mg levels I don't have the test kit

I would get one as these 3 parameters are intertwined. IMO you shouldn't dose anything without being able to test all three of these. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1179702

 

What salt are you using and how often do you do a water change? At 55 liters, your tank is not big at all. Unless it is stocked to the brim with stoney corals, 2g weekly water changes will give you all the supplementation for the elements your tank consumes.

[farkwar]

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

Low alkalinity and low pH means you need to dose sodium bicarbonate.

[jcdsr3]

Hi Arkayology

 

I been changing 10lts every week. However I will hold this week and change it next week

 

Also after I applied the 5ml of foundation B on my tank the PH rise to 8.4 and 7- 8 dKH. I will wait 4 days to see what will be the daily intake of B foundation.

 

The salt water I buy is from my local fish store. Which I start to doubt about the quality of that water, I think the use unbalance salt.

[blasterman]

A dKH of 7 is a bit low, even in a fish only tank. It will certainly result in a corresponding low pH, and that will just makes things easier for nuisance algaes and other bad things to thrive. In a fish only tank water changes *should* keep dKH inline, but it doesn't hurt to artificially pump up dKH a bit. A dKH of about ~8 is fine for a fish / softie tank, and easy to maintain.

 

Tank biology, especially new tanks consume carbon in huge amounts, and this is what causes dKH to drop faster than calcium. Low dKH typically results in low pH, and it's just not as nice an environment for even fish.

 

I love the names they come up with for Two part dosers. It's likely just baking soda in distilled water like the rest. Just add it until your water tests around 8 or 8.5. This will certainly knock your pH up a bit and stabilize it.

 

IMHO, testing dKH is more important than pH. pH swings are often caused by low dKH, and you fix that by monitoring dKH. So, if you keep dKH stable by reading it once a week and dosing baking soda accordingly you can often forget about the pH kits. Again, you don't need to fuss over dKH with a fish only tank, but it certainly won't hurt.

[farkwar]

Youre buying your salt water from the LFS? If I were you I would buy some reef salt and make my own. Their water seems to be the source of your problems, and using more of their water is not going to fix anything.

[Tenor]

I would not worry if your Alk measure about 7 - 7.5 DKH. 2 parts dosing would keep it parameter stable. The water in ocean measured about 6.5 DKH.

 

Most of LFS are using the cheap Salt mix to increase their profit margin so the best method to keep your tank parameter stable is mix your

 

own salt water with better salt mixed.

 

Good luck

[farkwar]

Tenor,

 

While that may be so for the ocean, this is not the ocean.

 

The ocean's pH is going to be relatively stable without the need for carbonate buffering. A small nano does need it.

 

 

Take your own body for instance, you're a small little system just like a nano in a way. You have HCO3 molecules floating around your system. When that level drops, your CO2 increases and your pH drops further and faster than normal. And then you get really sick, very fast(sometimes fatally)..

 

So having a relatively high Kh, dKh, dK, carbonate hardness or whatever you want to call it, is way better than having a low level; because it buffers the pH and prevents wider swings and lower drops.

[Tenor]

Tenor,

 

While that may be so for the ocean, this is not the ocean.

 

The ocean's pH is going to be relatively stable without the need for carbonate buffering. A small nano does need it.

 

 

Take your own body for instance, you're a small little system just like a nano in a way. You have HCO3 molecules floating around your system. When that level drops, your CO2 increases and your pH drops further and faster than normal. And then you get really sick, very fast(sometimes fatally)..

 

So having a relatively high Kh, dKh, dK, carbonate hardness or whatever you want to call it, is way better than having a low level; because it buffers the pH and prevents wider swings and lower drops.

 

Corals will do better growth with ALK 7-8dkh + 2 parts dosing. High DKH could cause slow growth on corals and that was a reason all

Tropic Marin salt mixed DKH around 6.5 - 7dkh.

[farkwar]

Tenor,

 

Can you post a link to the studies, please.