High Alk

[shornik]

Well if you look at my various posts to R2R you'll notice I've posed this question before. But I just can't get my head around this problem(?). My Alk is high, today I tested (Red Sea) and the testing liquid never changed, well it did get darker and maybe kinda purple but that's it.

I do 5 gallon water changes once a week that I get from my LFS. A few weeks ago when I tested the LFS water and the ALK was 7.7.

I understand that ALK isn't something in the water like Calcium, etc. so its frustrating to not know why its high, and what it fluctuates so much in my tank - its been steadily increasing for the last 3-4 weeks.

Now the good news, my fish are fine, my corals are fine (at least the one's that are still alive in my tank). So maybe I should just stop testing and that might elevate the weekly frustration of not being able to get a handle on this param :neutral:

I had been dosing Calcium but stopped that a week ago. I am dosing AquaVitro Balance to get my PH up - it was consistently around 7.8 (API indeterminate color but close to 7.8). Now that I'm writing this I think my LFS said that Balance might raise the ALK, hmmm. Could that be it? But I've only been doing this for 1 week and the ALK has been high, and climbing for several weeks now.

Here is everything else I measured today if that helps:

TUE 16​

Measured Magnesium at 1240 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:36 AM Measured Calcium at 425 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:27 AM Measured Phosphate at 0.09 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:16 AM Measured pH at 7.9 pH http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:08 AM Measured Nitrate at 10 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:06 AM Measured Temperature at 78 F http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:04 AM Measured Nitrite at 0 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:04 AM Measured Ammonia at 0 ppm http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/dashboard# 10:04 AM

 

[clownfitch]

If your alk is too high and wont drop through tank usage then you should stop dosing anything that will also enhance alkalinity. Keep an eye on your parameters and when alk drops below where you want it then do the math and dose only what is needed. You're definitely overdosing something if it is rising...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I had been dosing Calcium but stopped that a week ago.

With what?

I am dosing AquaVitro Balance to get my PH up

That's probably your explanation. It provides a big alkalinity boost. It is VERY misleading (in fact, an outright untruth) for Aquavitro to claim "raises pH without affecting calcium and alkalinity" because of course the hydroxide in it raises alkalinity. Rarely has an aquarium hobby company claim been so ridiculous.

 

[shornik]

I had been dosing Calcium but stopped that a week ago.

With what?

I am dosing AquaVitro Balance to get my PH up

That's probably your explanation. It provides a big alkalinity boost. It is VERY misleading (in fact, an outright untruth) for Aquavitro to claim "raises pH without affecting calcium and alkalinity" because of course the hydroxide in it raises alkalinity. Rarely has an aquarium hobby company claim been so ridiculous.

Yikes, thanks! Well the LFS did mention that but you're right the reason I chose the product was because of their claim. I am officially stopping all dosing until the ALK comes down. Thanks everyone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sounds good.

To get a true alk reading, you can use a second syringe of titration fluid, and add the values together.

That way you can more readily monitor the decline in alkalinity.