Alkalinity confession - and question

[NigelRichardson]

First tank reefer / tank at its 5 year anniversary (Translation - I still consider myself brand new to this)

The confession: Due to work and other commitments I haven’t tested Alkalinity in my tank for several (More than 2 / may be 3 or 4 months). Yes I know that’s horrific and I need to get back into the weekly cycle I kept up for 4 1/2 years or so…

The problem: There isn’t one. Tank looks ok to me. No algae. No pests. Growth is good. No mortality over the last 12 months

The situation: Alk levels used to sit at about 8 or 9 - with a slow drift down as I tried to dial in my doser - but when I tested today it’s all the way down to 5.5 (!)

The question: Is this a “Problem” that I need to “fix” / actively push my Alk levels higher / back to the 9 range that everyone seems (?) to drive to - or do I sleep well knowing that the end of the universe as we know it is less likely to happen and I should just do a better job of monitoring to ensure it stays stable / doesn’t drop any further ?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts / guidance / support !

 

[smitten with ocean life]

your tank is gorgeous so personally i wouldnt touch it! but im a newbie too so ill tag @VintageReefer

 

[fish_collector]

Yes you really need to get your alk back up to NSW levels, but over a period of time. You probably need to measure the pH level as well, and make a note of where the calcium is. I'd get the alk back up to at least 7 over a few days and then change some water, then when you're back in the safe zone you can work on everything else that might be low. It's not the end of the world but very much longer and it would be.

You probably know this, but alkalinity allows salt water to resist drops in pH from acids, tis the reason you need to determine if your pH has fallen dangerously low as well, it's probably mid to high 7s.

It does look like your hippo and yellow tang have some erosion and fin damage from HLLE, you may want to revisit their diet and begin adding vitamins to their food if you don't already. But overall nicely done sir!

 

[VintageReefer]

I would get it up to 8-8.5 by increasing .5dkh each day

How many gallons / liters is this tank? It is very easy to fix the alkalinity

What is your calcium ?

 

[NigelRichardson]

Yes you really need to get your alk back up to NSW levels, but over a period of time. You probably need to measure the pH level as well, and make a note of where the calcium is. I'd get the alk back up to at least 7 over a few days and then change some water, then when you're back in the safe zone you can work on everything else that might be low. It's not the end of the world but very much longer and it would be.

You probably know this, but alkalinity allows salt water to resist drops in pH from acids, tis the reason you need to determine if your pH has fallen dangerously low as well, it's probably mid to high 7s.

It does look like your hippo and yellow tang have some erosion and fin damage from HLLE, you may want to revisit their diet and begin adding vitamins to their food if you don't already. But overall nicely done sir!

Thanks for the insights (While "It's fine as long as it looks fine" was my original thinking, me posting here was as a result of thinking "Surely that can't be the right answer - so I'll ask those who know way more than me!)

Interestingly the Ph (Measured by Hanna checker, so I'm "reasonably" confident that it's "reasonably" accurate) comes out at 8.6...

Will definitely slowly increase the ALK level up through - many thanks for the confirmation that my "hunch" was right...

 

[NigelRichardson]

I would get it up to 8-8.5 by increasing .5dkh each day

How many gallons / liters is this tank? It is very easy to fix the alkalinity

What is your calcium ?

Thanks - I may even go slower than that, but I'll definitely work to get this increased.... Tank is only 280 litres unfortunately (Based on where it is - effectively "built in" to the house it's the largest I could get)

Calcium is around 1460 I believe - if anything potentially a little on the high side...

 

[NigelRichardson]

Yes you really need to get your alk back up to NSW levels, but over a period of time. You probably need to measure the pH level as well, and make a note of where the calcium is. I'd get the alk back up to at least 7 over a few days and then change some water, then when you're back in the safe zone you can work on everything else that might be low. It's not the end of the world but very much longer and it would be.

You probably know this, but alkalinity allows salt water to resist drops in pH from acids, tis the reason you need to determine if your pH has fallen dangerously low as well, it's probably mid to high 7s.

It does look like your hippo and yellow tang have some erosion and fin damage from HLLE, you may want to revisit their diet and begin adding vitamins to their food if you don't already. But overall nicely done sir!

P.S. Well spotted about the fin damage.... I had always assumed that the damage was caused by the far-too-fat-and-I-need-to-work-out-how-to-remove-Australian-stripey-whos-the-tank-bully - but if this is caused my my errors in water chemistry I will absolutely work to resolve ASAP.... thanks for spotting!

 

[KrisReef]

What are you using to measure Alk? I would make certain the alk measurement is really that low before moving it that far.

 

[Garf]

Calcium is around 1460

Typo?

 

[VintageReefer]

Thanks - I may even go slower than that, but I'll definitely work to get this increased.... Tank is only 280 litres

Very simple

2.5 grams or approx 0.5 tsp of baking soda, dissolved in a cup of rodi; will increase dkh by .3

 

[YMJDEA]

First tank reefer / tank at its 5 year anniversary (Translation - I still consider myself brand new to this)

The confession: Due to work and other commitments I haven’t tested Alkalinity in my tank for several (More than 2 / may be 3 or 4 months). Yes I know that’s horrific and I need to get back into the weekly cycle I kept up for 4 1/2 years or so…

The problem: There isn’t one. Tank looks ok to me. No algae. No pests. Growth is good. No mortality over the last 12 months

The situation: Alk levels used to sit at about 8 or 9 - with a slow drift down as I tried to dial in my doser - but when I tested today it’s all the way down to 5.5 (!)

The question: Is this a “Problem” that I need to “fix” / actively push my Alk levels higher / back to the 9 range that everyone seems (?) to drive to - or do I sleep well knowing that the end of the universe as we know it is less likely to happen and I should just do a better job of monitoring to ensure it stays stable / doesn’t drop any further ?

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts / guidance / support !

I'll look into these solid state Ammonia/Nitrate /pH probes Electrode

 

[twentyleagues]

I will agree and add to what @KrisReef said are you sure that reading is correct? Its almost impossible to be that low on alk. If you have not tested in 4-6 months your reagents may be bad. Calcium at 1460 is also most likely incorrect, typo? maybe. If your alk is indeed really that low I dont believe the 8.6ph either. I would not go changing anything without confirming your tests are correct get new tests or reagents 1st or cross check with an lfs. Like they say A picture is worth 1000 words or in this case more than a handful of incorrect test results. That is not a pic of a tank with these test results.

 

[NigelRichardson]

What are you using to measure Alk? I would make certain the alk measurement is really that low before moving it that far.

Hanna Checker.... Which has - I think - been pretty accurate in the past.... or at the very least consistent...

 

[NigelRichardson]

What are you using to measure Alk? I would make certain the alk measurement is really that low before moving it that far.

Hanna Checker.... Which has - I think - been pretty accurate in the past.... or at the very least consistent...

 

[NigelRichardson]

Yep - absolute typo. Calcium 444, Magnesium 1324

 

[NigelRichardson]

I will agree and add to what @KrisReef said are you sure that reading is correct? Its almost impossible to be that low on alk. If you have not tested in 4-6 months your reagents may be bad. Calcium at 1460 is also most likely incorrect, typo? maybe. If your alk is indeed really that low I dont believe the 8.6ph either. I would not go changing anything without confirming your tests are correct get new tests or reagents 1st or cross check with an lfs. Like they say A picture is worth 1000 words or in this case more than a handful of incorrect test results. That is not a pic of a tank with these test results.

Thanks for the valuable insights... Definitely off to the LFS for double-checking... and likely an ICP test too... I'm very confused by the numbers, but even more so when the tank is - in my opinion as a new-to-hobby-first-tank-guy - looking pretty good... Having the problem that there's almost no space in my tank because my corals have grown so much is not a problem I was ever expecting to have, so I'm focusing on the positives !

 

[IntrinsicReef]

Here is a thread where I manage a mixed reef solely on water changes and Randy and I discuss low alkalinity as the limiting factor in calcification. Thread 'Acropora/ SPS growth with No Dosing' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acropora-sps-growth-with-no-dosing.1088702/

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I will agree and add to what @KrisReef said are you sure that reading is correct? Its almost impossible to be that low on alk. If you have not tested in 4-6 months your reagents may be bad. Calcium at 1460 is also most likely incorrect, typo? maybe. If your alk is indeed really that low I dont believe the 8.6ph either. I would not go changing anything without confirming your tests are correct get new tests or reagents 1st or cross check with an lfs. Like they say A picture is worth 1000 words or in this case more than a handful of incorrect test results. That is not a pic of a tank with these test results.

5.5dkh is the low end of where corals can utilize alk, but possible. Those other readings do seem off, though.

 

[twentyleagues]

5.5dkh is the low end of where corals can utilize alk, but possible. Those other readings do seem off, though.

I do remember reading that, and remember the tank was very nice as well. I have also read/seen calcium carbonate structures beginning to "dissolve" below 6.5dkh. I am not a chemist and dont really know how to quantify this I'm sure ph needs to be a factor like in a calcium reactor. My guess is that if it actually was 5.5 growth would probably just stagnate. But since there is mention of a doser which most likely means there is something alk related being dosed and there for the test is off.

I am going to leave all that I typed above....I'm not infallible and I really dont have a great chemistry back ground. I am at work and I deal with techs all day wanting parts, so I have to stop typing things in the forums and then come back and reread what I typed and finish or make changes...sometime takes me 3 hrs to post something like this. lol I started to reply at 9:45 and its now 10:43 lol

I guess if you calculated you need to dose .5dkh/day 6 months ago and stuff grew and now needed 1.5dkh/day that would easily explain the 5.5dkh now if you are still dosing at the .5dkh need. I am getting myself in the weeds here. Just cross check you tests, probably wouldnt hurt to get new reagents as well. If you need to adjust the alk go slow its easy to do. Interested to see how this turns out.

 

[CBonito]

Your corals look better than they'd be found in nature. hahaha.
Amazing looking tank! Good luck straightening out your issue or lack thereof.