Alkalinity Rising?

[Kenmx10]

Hi Randy. I Set up a 20 gallon QT tank to monitor new corals. I added about 20lbs of establish rock out of my main system. Im not dosing anything but my alkalinity is steadily rising. Could it be leaching out of the live rock? Ive used 2 different Salifert test kits and they are consistent with each other. Salinity has been steady at 1.026. Any ideas? Thx

12/27/24. Alk 8.6
12/29/24. Alk 8.9
1/1/25 Alk 9.0
1/3/25. Alk 9.6
1/9/25. Alk 9.8

 

[Kenmx10]

Im using Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt which tested at 7.3 . Ive done a coupe small 2 gallon water changes to try and bring it down but its still rising . I plan on doing a 2 gallon water change every day until I can get it down to 8.5.

 

[I never finish anythi]

How are you nitrates ?

 

[Kenmx10]

How are you nitrates ?

5

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did they decline to that level or start there?

Nitrate consumption slowly boosts alk.

 

[Kenmx10]

Nitrates started at 5. I set the tank up using water from my display tank. I have no fish in the tank so there's no nutrients going in. I plan on dosing nitrates and phosphates when needed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nitrates started at 5. I set the tank up using water from my display tank. I have no fish in the tank so there's no nutrients going in. I plan on dosing nitrates and phosphates when needed.

Live rock does not typically dissolve fast enough to see in the short term. Not sure why you observed what you did. Be sure no solid particles get into the alk test as they can dissolve and give a false high value.