Alkalinity inexplicably up at 13, please help.

[Jib]

I had a thread going in one of the general forums but moving here for some updates since it turned into a chemistry discussion.

Angry Corals due to high Alkalinity?

I've really been struggling with my tank since I started it about 18 months ago. Most recently have been battling ick and green cyno bacteria. Tank is actually looking pretty good now, with no signs of cyno or algae. But the corals still seem to be miserable. Have a few different zoas, a...

www.reef2reef.com

TLDR of that thread: My Alk was up at 13.7. This seems too high, and my corals are angry. I don't dose anything that anyone thought would raise would raise Alk. Other parameters seem okay. No one thought my alk could raise to be that high without dosing or the test kit being off. Tested my jugged saltwater and Alk was around 10.5. Salinity was good.

Update: Went to the LFS today. I was mistaken on salt brand, they use the Red Sea Coral Salt Pro. Also, got a new Salifert Alk test kit. After the a 35% water change yesterday, the Alk lowered to 12.95. Also switch over my PH test kit to Salifert from API, and it is showing my PH at 8.15.

Full Parameters:

PH: 8.15
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Alk: 12.95
Cal: 460
Mag: 1350
Salinity: 1.025

So my question, what caused my Alk to get so high, and what do I do about it?

Thank you for the help.

 

[blaxsun]

Red Sea Coral Pro salt has a very high alkalinity to begin with. From what I remember it was somewhere around 11dKH out of the bucket. So if the salt mix was a little more concentrated at your LFS and you were dosing alkalinity without testing at regular intervals, it could easily get out of hand.

I use a Trident to monitor my alkalinity every 6 hours, and even then I've seen a few decimal increase of alkalinity in a single day - so if your dosing isn't spot on it can easily slip from your ideal zone.

 

[Jib]

Red Sea Coral Pro salt has a very high alkalinity to begin with. From what I remember it was somewhere around 11dKH out of the bucket. So if the salt mix was a little more concentrated at your LFS and you were dosing alkalinity without testing at regular intervals, it could easily get out of hand.

I use a Trident to monitor my alkalinity every 6 hours, and even then I've seen a few decimal increase of alkalinity in a single day - so if your dosing isn't spot on it can easily slip from your ideal zone.

Yeah, I took a pic of the bag and it says 11.5 at 34ppm. I just have a small tank with softies, I don't dose anything to increase Alk, so its why I'm not sure why my Alk got high.

 

[blaxsun]

Yeah, I took a pic of the bag and it says 11.5 at 34ppm. I just have a small tank with softies, I don't dose anything to increase Alk, so its why I'm not sure why my Alk got high.

Sorry, I misread re: alkalinity dosing. The only thing I can think of is that either the batch of saltwater from your LFS was mixed higher or that you topped up with saltwater instead of RO. If you're not dosing or supplementing alkalinity, those are really the only possibilities.

 

[Jib]

Sorry, I misread re: alkalinity dosing. The only thing I can think of is that either the batch of saltwater from your LFS was mixed higher or that you topped up with saltwater instead of RO. If you're not dosing or supplementing alkalinity, those are really the only possibilities.

Def wasn't topping off with Saltwater. Maybe the LFS mixed a hot batch that got me? Anyway, any thoughts on how to get it down without big water changes?

 

[Saltyreef]

Def wasn't topping off with Saltwater. Maybe the LFS mixed a hot batch that got me? Anyway, any thoughts on how to get it down without big water changes?

You would just have to let it fall naturally if you dont want to do water changes.

TLDR, did you get an appropriate salt?

I used to use RSCP when i was new but switched to blue bucket and never looked back

 

[blaxsun]

Def wasn't topping off with Saltwater. Maybe the LFS mixed a hot batch that got me? Anyway, any thoughts on how to get it down without big water changes?

Take some saltwater out and add a different brand of saltwater with lower alkalinity. Something like blue bucket.

 

[Saltyreef]

Take some saltwater out and add RO instead.

Thats a horrible idea!

 

[blaxsun]

Thats a horrible idea!

I wasn't finished editing, see above (to quick on the "submit" button I was).

 

[Saltyreef]

I wasn't finished editing, see above.

Lol. You mean you edited it cause you realized you were telling him to lower his salinity instead of alkalinity

 

[Jib]

You would just have to let it fall naturally if you dont want to do water changes.

TLDR, did you get an appropriate salt?

I used to use RSCP when i was new but switched to blue bucket and never looked back

LFS uses Red Sea Coral Salt Pro. I buy my water from them.

Edit: I dont really have anyhting that consumes ALK, jsut coraline algae and not that much of it.

Take some saltwater out and add a different brand of saltwater with lower alkalinity. Something like blue bucket.

My salinity is good though at 1.025. Tank is only 14G. It changes pretty easily from a cup or two hear or there.

 

[blaxsun]

Lol. You mean you edited it cause you realized you were telling him to lower his salinity instead of alkalinity

Meaning I wasn't paying attention, yes.

 

[blaxsun]

My salinity is good though at 1.025. Tank is only 14G. It changes pretty easily from a cup or two hear or there.

I meant remove and replace some saltwater with a similar salinity but less alkalinity, ie: Red Sea salt (blue) vs. Red Sea Coral Pro (black). It doesn't have to be Red Sea, but it would entail getting a small container and RO to mix your own.

 

[Saltyreef]

I meant remove and replace some saltwater with a similar salinity but less alkalinity, ie: Red Sea salt (blue) vs. Red Sea Coral Pro (black).

This would still require him to perform water changes unfortunately.

But i agree its the best option.

Just do it very slowly on a 14g tank

 

[Jib]

I meant remove and replace some saltwater with a similar salinity but less alkalinity, ie: Red Sea salt (blue) vs. Red Sea Coral Pro (black).

I see what you mean. I'd have to start mixing my own, which I'm not currently set up for. Was hoping there was an additive I could try to pull it down a little.

 

[blaxsun]

This would still require him to perform water changes unfortunately.

But i agree its the best option.

Just do it very slowly on a 14g tank

Other than just letting it decline naturally, I don't know of any product to reduce alkalinity other than some degree of water changes with a salt that has lower alkalinity. And on a small 14-gallon tank it would probably take more than a few weeks to drop below 11.5dKH again.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I had a thread going in one of the general forums but moving here for some updates since it turned into a chemistry discussion.

Angry Corals due to high Alkalinity?

I've really been struggling with my tank since I started it about 18 months ago. Most recently have been battling ick and green cyno bacteria. Tank is actually looking pretty good now, with no signs of cyno or algae. But the corals still seem to be miserable. Have a few different zoas, a...

www.reef2reef.com

TLDR of that thread: My Alk was up at 13.7. This seems too high, and my corals are angry. I don't dose anything that anyone thought would raise would raise Alk. Other parameters seem okay. No one thought my alk could raise to be that high without dosing or the test kit being off. Tested my jugged saltwater and Alk was around 10.5. Salinity was good.

Update: Went to the LFS today. I was mistaken on salt brand, they use the Red Sea Coral Salt Pro. Also, got a new Salifert Alk test kit. After the a 35% water change yesterday, the Alk lowered to 12.95. Also switch over my PH test kit to Salifert from API, and it is showing my PH at 8.15.

Full Parameters:

PH: 8.15
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Alk: 12.95
Cal: 460
Mag: 1350
Salinity: 1.025

So my question, what caused my Alk to get so high, and what do I do about it?

Thank you for the help.

Coral Pro is high to start with.

I'd just let it drop naturally, rather than trying to force it down too fast which will cuase more coral issues.

FWIW, you can use an acid such as muriatic acid or hydrochloric acid to drop Alk, but it cannot be done in tank, and involves dropping the alk on new water before adding to the tank.

I stongly suggest letting it drop naturally

 

[blaxsun]

I see what you mean. I'd have to start mixing my own, which I'm not currently set up for. Was hoping there was an additive I could try to pull it down a little.

If your LFS is your only source for saltwater, you're kind of limited in options if you're not going to mix your own. But it doesn't entail much: You just need a 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot, the salt, a spoon and a 5-gallon bottle of RO water.

 

[Jib]

Here is something google turned up. Maybe add an 1ML of vinegar?

Step 3: Add Organic Acid Like White Vinegar​

Adding a small dose of white vinegar can be the game-changer when it comes to lowering the alkalinity in the reef tank. It will help to reduce the alkalinity level almost immediately. However, as it also lowers the pH level, you should not use any organic acid like vinegar frequently.

If the pH level drops significantly due to the use of organic acid, here’s what you should do to restore the pH:

• Stir the surface of the tank water. When you agitate the water, the gas exchange will improve in the water. As a result, the oxygenation of the reef tank will increase the pH level will be back to normal again.
• Move the powerheads and return pump outlets towards the water surface.

 

[Saltyreef]

When i was without my RODI unit i would just go to the local glacier water machine. $.35/g

Buy yourself a bucket of Red sea blue, a small powerhead to mix (mj600-mj1200)
And go at it!

Or as suggested above, get a small bottle of muriatic acid and keep using the LFS water.