Reef Carbonate^™

Raises carbonate alkalinity (KH)
Concentrated (4,000 meq/L)
Made with a blend of carbonate and bicarbonate salts

Overview

Reef Carbonate™ is a concentrated (4,000 meq/L) optimized blend of carbonate and bicarbonate salts designed to restore and maintain alkalinity in the reef aquarium. Calcium and carbonates are essential to all coral growth. If either becomes deficient, coral growth will cease, followed by a rapid decline in coral health. To prevent this you must provide carbonates (Reef Carbonate™) and calcium (Reef Advantage Calcium™ or Reef Complete®).

Whereas competing products simply use sodium bicarbonate, Reef Carbonate™ is made with a blend of carbonate and bicarbonate salts. This blend of salts results in Reef Carbonate™ yielding a pK of roughly 9.0 in saltwater (higher than competing products). In a closed reef system, the multitude of organics produced by reef inhabitants tends to force pH downward, but the advantage of Reef Carbonate’s™ higher pK is a stabilization of pH around 8.3-8.4. Competing products’ formulations make them incapable of such a claim, so pH will always fall below desirable levels for a reef aquarium.

Used as directed, Reef Carbonate™ will not deplete calcium, magnesium, or strontium which usually tend to precipitate with increasing alkalinity. Reef alkalinity should be maintained at 3–6 meq/L (8–17 dKH). Alkalinity should not be allowed to fall below 2 meq/L.

Sizes: 100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL, 2 L, 4 L

Beginner

Use 1 capful (5 mL) per 80 L (20 US gallons) twice a week. Best if diluted into a cup of freshwater, then added. Check alkalinity every 2 weeks and adjust amount or frequency accordingly.

Advanced

Check alkalinity (use MultiTest™ Marine pH & Alkalinity to test alkalinity levels), then follow addition regimen above until alkalinity is adjusted to 4–5 meq/L. Each mL contains a minimum of 4 meq of alkalinity. Each 5 mL/80 L will raise alkalinity by about 0.25 meq/L. Amount or frequency can be adjusted, but do not exceed 20 mL/80 L per day. Thereafter, use as required to maintain alkalinity.

Expert

After determining the alkalinity consumption rate, set up a continuous drip system. Use the following formula (or skip the math and use our Dosage Calculator) to determine how much to add to your top–off water: m=va/4 (m=mL of product to add to top off water, v=volume of tank in liters, a=amount to raise alkalinity in meq/L). For example, if you want to raise alkalinity by 1 meq/L in a 200 liter tank, then you would add (200x1)/4=50 mL into the top–off water. [For reference: 1 gallon=3.8 L].

Notes

Best to pour in gradually near strong water movement. Do not add to a sump or other area of slow water exchange. Use MultiTest:™ Marine pH & Alkalinity to measure total alkalinity or Reef Status™ Magnesium, Carbonate & Borate to measure carbonate alkalinity.

DO NOT OVERDOSE: Excess alkalinity may enhance the loss of calcium, magnesium, and strontium. Do not directly mix with any calcium, magnesium, or strontium supplement. Best if calcium & carbonate additives are added on alternate days or at least 30 minutes apart.

Water Volume

Units

Current Alkalinity meq/L

Desired Alkalinity meq/L

To reach your desired level use

mL ( caps)

Do not exceed 1 meq/L per day

Considerations

Use MultiTest:™ Marine pH & Alkalinity to measure total alkalinity or Reef Status™ Magnesium, Carbonate & Borate to measure carbonate alkalinity.

Reef alkalinity should ideally be maintained at 3–6 meq/L (8–17 dKH). It is advisable to make large adjustments slowly to avoid overshooting intended level or shocking corals and inverts. Each dose will raise alkalinity by about 0.25 meq/L.

DO NOT OVERDOSE

Excess alkalinity may enhance the loss of calcium, magnesium, and strontium. Do not directly mix with any calcium, magnesium, or strontium supplement. Best if calcium & carbonate additives are added on alternate days or at least 30 minutes apart.

FAQ

My bottle of Reef Carbonate™ has crystals in the bottom of the bottle. It was cold when I received the shipment. Is there reason for concern? Do I have to wait for the crystals to dissolve before dosing in the aquarium?

A: The white crystals you see are normal for that product when exposed to cold temperature. Once the product warms up, you should be able to shake the bottle and get them to re-dissolve. If you have a hard time getting the crystals to re-dissolve, try heating some water (lukewarm) on the stove and setting the bottle in the water for a few minutes before shaking.

What is the difference between Reef Carbonate™ and Reef Builder™?

A: Reef Builder™ is the powdered version of Reef Carbonate™. They are identical products for the most part. There is a slightly different blend of salts used to make Reef Carbonate™ than the salts used in Reef Builder™. We do this to make Reef Carbonate™ (liquid) as concentrated as possible. The end result is the same regardless of the product you choose.

Do I have to turn off my canister filter and protein skimmer when I add Reef Carbonate™?

A: No, Reef Carbonate™ will not be impacted by a canister or protein skimmer. It is perfectly acceptable to leave this equipment running while dosing this supplement.

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask us a new question. One of the experts from our technical support staff will be happy to promptly respond. You can also call 888‑732‑0003 (Monday- Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST) if you would like to speak directly with a technical support representative.

Safety

Download Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Download Images

0665	Reef Carbonate 100 mL
0666	Reef Carbonate 250 mL
0663	Reef Carbonate 500 mL
0668	Reef Carbonate 2 L

Saltwater

Reef Carbonate™