Alkalinity VERY HIGH

[Chris444]

Just tested my Alkalinity using Salifert test and the result is 13.7. The test was done correctly and twice as I couldnt believe its so high.
For the past week I am having problem with really cloudy water which has a very bad acid smell that makes the house stink.
My sps coral turned all white in just about 10 hours.
There is also a build up of something on all the equipment.
The skimmate in skimmer is BLACK which smells terrible as never before, usually it was brown as normal.
I have done a water changes but this literally doesnt help anything.
All the fishes are hiding in the rocks.

I am not dosing anything.

Just have put Red Sea carbon 2 days ago.

The aquarium is 80g with 15g sump. Running for 3 months

Current parameters;
Alkalinity 13.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 430
Magnesium 1380
Iodine <0.03
Ph 8.2
Sailinity 1.026
Temp 25.6 C / 78 F

Any ideas what I should do in this situation?
How to lower Alkalinity and get rid of cloudy water and what can cause all of this to happen?

Really greatfull for any help as I am slowly thinking to get out of the hobby as this is maybe not for me even tho I am trying all my best and spend a lot of time on it.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Well unfortunately your tank juat crashed. That high ALK with no nutrients is very bad.

At this point take out all your corals since they are now dead if all white, start doing massive water changes. That's about all you can do until things get stable. Also, a 3 month old is just not stable enough for corals. It's best to move slowly as newer tanks tend to run higher all depending on the salt your using.

 

[tehmadreefer]

The skimmer is pulling out all the dead coral tissue, that's why its black and smelly. The white stuff is precipitation. And will go away with water changes.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Curious how your Alk got that high without dosing anything. What salt are you using ?

Did you dose some kind of PH buffer? If you did that will raise your Alk .

 

[OutsideBrian]

Are you using an auto top off and was it full of saltwater vs fresh water?

 

[scriptmonkey]

Are you using an auto top off and was it full of saltwater vs fresh water?

If that was the case his Salinity would be through the roof. Something had to been added, even if was not to his knowledge.

At this point I would punt and do a 100% water change. Clean the gear. Do you have any fish and how are they doing?

 

[ScottR]

What salt are you using? Red Sea coral pro salt boasts a high alk of 12 or so.

Also, 3 months is too young for a tank to support SPS corals.

 

[408Dartfish]

Start doing massive water changes with a low alk salt. Don’t give up on the hobby.

 

[Chris444]

I am using Aqua

Curious how your Alk got that high without dosing anything. What salt are you using ?

Did you dose some kind of PH buffer? If you did that will raise your Alk .

I am using a Aquarium Systems Reef Crystals. I did use Seachdm Ph buffer twice but thats 2 weeks ago

 

[Chris444]

Are you using an auto top off and was it full of saltwater vs fresh water?

Yes I am and just rodi water

 

[Chris444]

What salt are you using? Red Sea coral pro salt boasts a high alk of 12 or so.

Also, 3 months is too young for a tank to support SPS corals.

I am using aquarium systems reef crystals that has a alkalinity of 9

 

[Chris444]

If that was the case his Salinity would be through the roof. Something had to been added, even if was not to his knowledge.

At this point I would punt and do a 100% water change. Clean the gear. Do you have any fish and how are they doing?

I have a few fish in there and they are all hiding in the rock just coming out for food

 

[Chris444]

Also the water was cloudy for the first time the night I have added a Condy anemone which looks not bad still and the sps coral frag which is now dead

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I am using Aqua


I am using a Aquarium Systems Reef Crystals. I did use Seachdm Ph buffer twice but thats 2 weeks ago

Try to use a lower Alk salt such as Red Sea blue bucket or something similar.

Do not chase PH with a PH buffer . This will spike your Alk before you know it. If your PH is low , open a window or run the intake hose of your skimmer to take in air from the outside .

 

[Chris444]

Try to use a lower Alk salt such as Red Sea blue bucket or something similar.

Do not chase PH with a PH buffer . This will spike your Alk before you know it. If your PH is low , open a window or run the intake hose of your skimmer to take in air from the outside .

Yeah I stopped using it, just used it twice as my ph was 7.6 but I found opening a window actually more effective than the ph buffer.
With this salt after mixing with RO water the alkalinity in the container is at 9 as written on the salt. Should I still switch to a different one?

 

[scriptmonkey]

To elaborate on what Tuan said, 90% of PH issues are CO2 exchange issues. If your Alk is in the normal range and you still have low PH increase Oxygen. He was dead on with the open window or pull in air from the outside. I just read that a tank with ferns next to it saw a very healthy PH upward swing due to the plant converting the CO2 to Oxygen.

I would do a few water changes as big as you can and see how things respond. I would then do a test of PH then open a window near the tank for a few hours and retest and see if you see an increase.

I too had PH issues( 7.7-7.8 )but for mine it turned out I had ALK that was like 5.8 DKH. Once I raised it to 8.5-9 DKH , PH is now constantly in the 8.1-8.2 range.

Also, stay away from PH buffer, it's the devil.

 

[scriptmonkey]

Yeah I stopped using it, just used it twice as my ph was 7.6 but I found opening a window actually more effective than the ph buffer.
With this salt after mixing with RO water the alkalinity in the container is at 9 as written on the salt. Should I still switch to a different one?

If that is all you have, DKH of 9 is not bad, just use what you have.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

9 isn’t too high , if your tank is stocked with sps and they consume it quick. Is this instant ocean reef crystals you are using ? That salt has really high Alk and better suited for the nicely stocked reef that can consume it.

 

[scriptmonkey]

9 isn’t too high , if your tank is stocked with sps and they consume it quick. Is this instant ocean reef crystals you are using ? That salt has really high Alk and better suited for the nicely stocked reef that can consume it.

Actually had to look it up..there is an aquarium Systems Reef Crystal's as well. Never heard or seen it before.

https://www.aquariumsystems.fr/en/aquatic/salts/reef-crystals/

 

[Chris444]

9 isn’t too high , if your tank is stocked with sps and they consume it quick. Is this instant ocean reef crystals you are using ? That salt has really high Alk and better suited for the nicely stocked reef that can consume it.