Alkalinity

[bushh23]

Ok this is new and i have tried to different test kits and now i think it may be right. How do you lower ALK? I have never had a problem where i have had to lower it but my tests all say it is at 14. Cal is at 455 and PH is at 8.1 so everything else is stable. I just did a water change of 30% 2 days ago and i use Tropic Marin ProReef. Not sure how it got high on me but i do have a Calcium reactor and keep its PH at 6.78. Any ideas?

 

[ss7]

Shut down the calcium rx and do water changes. With calcium that high, there isn't much else you can do.

Sam

 

[bushh23]

Thats high? Ive kept it there for a long time and this is the first that i have had higher ALK. I thought 400-500 is normal.

 

[bushh23]

~~Bump~~

 

[Paul_N]

I run my Ca in the 450-500 range. My ALK is always in the 12-14 range although usually around 12. My PH is on the low side around 8.0 and drops to 7.9 at night. It may be your test kit if you are not dosing an ALK supplement. I would try another test kit to make sure on the #.

 

[gflat65]

I generally target a Ca of 380 to 420 and alkalinity at 8-9 dKh. Those values are a little closer to NSW. If cutting back on the ca rx doesn't help lower them both, water changes should. If not, test the WC water's alk and ca to see if of runs high. Make any changes slowly. If alk and ca slowly drifted high, you could give everything a shock if changing too fast.

 

[gparr]

Yes, shut off the reactor, do some water changes, and be patient. It'll come down. Don't force it down too fast or you'll regret it.
Gary

 

[TonyB]

Are there negative effects from higher Alk? I've recently bumped mine from 10 to 13 and the corals have responded well.

 

[gflat65]

I've noticed nicer colors under higher alk in times past. I know of several who say they run high alk with no issues (some literature recommends higher alk for algae control). I'm not sure of long term effects at high alk, but I'd probably acclimate new additions much more slowly since many you get frags from may actually be closer to the 9 mark. My old club had some issues at a swap years back where someone who sold a lot of frags and ran high alk (13). Many lost their frags due to underestimating the difference in parameters in their acclimation process. Something to consider, if nothing else.