Hey Kip-Dowflake Question...

kahnsell

kahnsell

Member
Hey Kip. As we previously discussed, I got the Dowflake and made a 1 gal solution by adding 2 1/4 cups of the Dowflake. Pretty easy. Tomorrow I will start dosing the new solution. Is there anything specific I need to keep an eye on? It seems like a lot of the good advice I have learned in the past was after something bad happened... To recap my last post:
a) I am not adding an alk buffer at all.
b) I am just dripping kalk and I was adding 45 ml/ every other night of the Calc. portion Balance two-part additive.
My levels as of today (pretty close to my average):
Calcium- 440
Alk- 5.66
dkh- 10.4
ph is always at 8.2
I intend to start dosing the Dowflake solution at 30 ml every other day and closely monitor the 4 above-mentioned levels.
Does this sound okay???
 
neoreef

neoreef

Member

Originally posted by Kahnsell
Hey Kip. ...To recap my last post:
a) I am not adding an alk buffer at all.
b) I am just dripping kalk and I was adding 45 ml/ every other night of the Calc. portion Balance two-part additive.
My levels as of today (pretty close to my average):
Calcium- 440
Alk- 5.66
dkh- 10.4
ph is always at 8.2
I intend to start dosing the Dowflake solution at 30 ml every other day and closely monitor the 4 above-mentioned levels.
Does this sound okay???
MMMM....Alk and dKH are measuring the same thing but with different units.... If your alk is 5.66meq/L, then your dKH is around 16!!!!! way high
If your dKH is 10.4, then your alk is really around 3.7 meq/L. Much better. Actually, most would say, perfect.
Where'd you get the 5.66 number? Was that 3.66?
***Not a good idea to dose 30 ml all at once of a CaOH concentrate. Better to dissolve the daily dose,15 ml, of your solution of Dowflake in a day's worth of top off water, and then drip that slowly into your tank. Better to do that every night while the lights are off, and pH is naturally a little low. Putting it in all at once would shift your pH too high too fast and may kill or injure some of your critters.
I didn't see your earlier thread. Have you noticed that Ca as well as alkalinity is consumed in your tank? If only one decreases with time, then you probably should not do Kalk. JMO.
 
kahnsell

kahnsell

Member
Ok, I will begin dosing the Dowflake... Is it pretty close to the same chemical breakdown as the Calcium additive in the C-Balance? Meaning, should I begin dosing it at the same dosage as I was dosing the C-Balance???
 
kahnsell

kahnsell

Member
No idea. I will check when I get home. I guess to be safe, I will start dosing the Dowflake at the same rate as I was dosing the C-Balance.
Meanwhile, it was so weird watching some of the Dowflake that I spilled on my floor turn into water. It was really wild. If the Dowflake somehow turns into water when it spills, what is keeping it from doing the same in the bag during storage???
 
kahnsell

kahnsell

Member
I will begin dosing the Dow at 15ml every other day and gradually increase the dosage if needed. I will keep track of the results (as always) and keep you updated...
By the way, the C-Balance does not indicate the concentration, but it lists the 'ingredients"... mostly chlorides. And some wasabi for that extra "kick".
 
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