Hi all, Wonder if you can help. My tank at the moment is using KH like...

Question

Hi all,

Wonder if you can help.

My tank at the moment is using KH like you wouldn’t believe. Levels I have never seen before.

I am currently dosing Red Sea Foundation B (image below), alongside foundation A and C.

My question, Is there a cheaper alternative available in the UK with the same quality? Or would anyone know a reason as to why the KH is depleting so quickly?

For reference, I like to keep the KH around 10 and dosing around 212ml per week to maintain this level! (via automatic daily dosing of 30ml)

Garrett · Answer

Lots of reasons why it could be consumed so quickly(maybe CO2 buildup in the room?). But to answer your question on something cheaper; Sodium Bicarbonate from the grocery store (in the US we call it Baking Soda) + RODI. There’s recipes for the mixture and dosing calculators online.

Kurt · Answer

Who did you order the powder form from

Dan · Answer

Yes I am using RODI water, TDS meter reading 0ppm.

Calcium 450ppm

Magnesium high at 1470ppm.

Colin · Answer

Are you using rodi water for the salt mix?

What's your mg and calc?

I ask due to possible precipitation fallout

Billy · Answer

👌

Dan · Answer

Thanks, didn’t consider a magnetic stirrer! All on order for tomorrow. 🤟🏼

Billy · Answer

Very nice. And then I recommend using a magnetic stirrer for best consistency.

Here’s a video of me using the stirrer if helps https://youtu.be/MDeUUTq94uY?si=ysT19z69RQEPeZj6

Dan · Answer

The calc consumption is about 40ppm a week, so dosing approx. 11ml per day of foundation A.

Mag doesn’t seem to drop all that much, stays pretty stable.

Dan · Answer

Billy you gent! Looks like we can buy something similar in the UK.

Watched Red Sea’s videos on it and it’s basically the same 100g of powder into 1 litre of RODI water.

Cost £34!

Tob · Answer

That much KH dosing sounds intense! With a good mix of LPS and softies you probably have some heavy calc consumption going on. I’d double check your calcium and magnesium levels too since they work together. Sometimes using kalkwasser alongside your dosing can help stabilize KH without breaking

Billy · Answer

Have you tried All For Reef? I’ve got a ton of LPS and SPS in a 160g system.

I buy a 1600 gram tub of power. That 160 grams mixed with water makes one liter of dosing. So 10,000ml total and I dose about 55ml per day. The tub is $80 so I’m at about $.40 a day for my system.