Can Alkalinity increase on it’s own?

[LuizW13]

Last Thursday my dkh was at around 9.6, and has steadily been increasing. I figured it could just be the test kits and what not, but it’s at around 10.4 right now.

I’m not dosing anything right now other than Brightwells NeoNitro, and haven’t done any water changes this week.

Any ideas?

 

[ScottR]

Last Thursday my dkh was at around 9.6, and has steadily been increasing. I figured it could just be the test kits and what not, but it’s at around 10.4 right now.

I’m not dosing anything right now other than Brightwells NeoNitro, and haven’t done any water changes this week.

Any ideas?

Do you have an ATO? Water evaporation?

 

[LuizW13]

Do you have an ATO? Water evaporation?

Yes, I have an ATO.

 

[ScottR]

Yes, I have an ATO.

Have you checked your salinity for spikes?

 

[TaylorJames]

Do you have man made rock? Sometimes it can slowy leach carbonate

 

[Hemmdog]

Do you have man made rock? Sometimes it can slowy leach carbonate

+1 real reef or any of that quarried garbage is a nightmare for a few months with leeching alk.

 

[LuizW13]

Have you checked your salinity for spikes?

Interesting enough, my salinity went down a tad bit. I guess it makes sense from all the testing I've been doing this past week. My Calcium and Mag are within normal levels, 400~ and 1280~.

Do you have man made rock? Sometimes it can slowy leach carbonate

No, I used dry Pukani rock to set up the system.

 

[Hemmdog]

Interesting enough, my salinity went down a tad bit. I guess it makes sense from all the testing I've been doing this past week. My Calcium and Mag are within normal levels, 400~ and 1280~.



No, I used dry Pukani rock to set up the system.

Those are very low levels for that high of alk, I would dose cal up to 440, 1350 mag.

 

[LuizW13]

Those are very low levels for that high of alk, I would dose cal up to 440, 1350 mag.

The reason for that high alk was because i was making saltwater without mixing my salt bag, the alk in my tank a few weeks ago was at 12. I was able to successfully make saltwater at the advertised levels per Red Seas normal salt, and performed a series of small water changes and got the alk to ~9.6. Somehow, it's creeping up again.

I'm going to make some new saltwater tonight and start changing water during the next few days and use some of that to top off the tank to get it back to normal salinity levels.

But yeah, not sure why alk has been going up.

 

[MnFish1]

Usually - Alkalinity cannot increase 'on its own'. I am not aware of carbonates leeching from rock except at an extremely low pH. (I believe that is a quote from @Randy Holmes-Farley. )

I would ask you - could it be that you measured at a different time of day - which can cause fluctuations? OR that one of the tests is an error (or within the error of the test). Besides these 2 data points what does your alk usually run?

 

[LuizW13]

Usually - Alkalinity cannot increase 'on its own'. I am not aware of carbonates leeching from rock except at an extremely low pH. (I believe that is a quote from @Randy Holmes-Farley. )

I would ask you - could it be that you measured at a different time of day - which can cause fluctuations? OR that one of the tests is an error (or within the error of the test). Besides these 2 data points what does your alk usually run?

I'm more inclined to think it could be testing error, although it it's been steadily increasing every time I test ( i use both Hannah and red sea kits), usually on the early evenings.

I'm going to try and run home for a few after lunch to do a quick test and see if that will give me a different reading. And if not, i'm going to make some new salwater, make sure that is in the correct levels, and start changing a gallon at a time within the next several days ( I have 17gal of water volume).

I have a green bridnest frag and some cool looking unkown acro frag that has been in my system since thursday, and i have never seen such fuziness before, so, not toooo worried right now.

 

[MnFish1]

I'm more inclined to think it could be testing error, although it it's been steadily increasing every time I test ( i use both Hannah and red sea kits), usually on the early evenings.

I'm going to try and run home for a few after lunch to do a quick test and see if that will give me a different reading. And if not, i'm going to make some new salwater, make sure that is in the correct levels, and start changing a gallon at a time within the next several days ( I have 17gal of water volume).

I have a green bridnest frag and some cool looking unkown acro frag that has been in my system since thursday, and i have never seen such fuziness before, so, not toooo worried right now.

BTW - is it possible you have left your doors/windows more open given the spring time - that may cause your CO2 to drop - which may affect alkalinity

 

[W1ngz]

I learned this here a couple of weeks ago from Randy HF, alkalinity can increase seemingly on it's own as nitrate decreases due to consumption.

See this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/alkalinity-rising.269520/#post-3228821

 

[Hemmdog]

And I learned with first hand experience real reef and life rock leech alk for the first few months. You couldn’t pay me to put that junk in my systems again. They do serve as halfway decent doorstops though.
I also overdosed alk on my first tank once I got actual live rock, messed it up big time for 2 months, couldn’t get my alk below 12, it was stuck in the rocks and was leeching out. So leeching alk 2 ways over here.

 

[Hemmdog]

They also have tons of silicates and something in them that makes dino’s explode, but that’s for a different thread..

 

[LuizW13]

BTW - is it possible you have left your doors/windows more open given the spring time - that may cause your CO2 to drop - which may affect alkalinity

Hmm, I do like to leave my windows and doors open.

I learned this here a couple of weeks ago from Randy HF, alkalinity can increase seemingly on it's own as nitrate decreases due to consumption.

See this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/alkalinity-rising.269520/#post-3228821

Interesting, Randy said the following on that thread:

"These are the things that can lead to apparent alkallinty rises:
Test error,
top off with tap water,
decline in nitrate,
dosing of nitrate,
dissolution of new artificial live rock
supplements or foods that contain alkalinity even if you do not realize it
dissolution of live rock or sand due to very low tank water pH
dissolution of live rock or sand due to very low pH inside of them due to degradation of organics"

I have been dosing Nitrate to detectable levels this past week and i'm finally getting steady readings of about 2ppt (or whatever metric) is on the Salifert kit. But, I have also noticed more algae growing too.

 

[MnFish1]

I learned this here a couple of weeks ago from Randy HF, alkalinity can increase seemingly on it's own as nitrate decreases due to consumption.

See this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/alkalinity-rising.269520/#post-3228821

Yes - but we're not talking about a 1 dkh decline - unless the nitrated drops from a high level to a very low level.... And since the OP didnt add or do any water changes etc - during this time - the nitrate thing is very unlikely either way - but its a good reminder. The problem with Alkalinity is now going to be people measuring with trident or Hannah and then worrying because its dropped .5. Who cares?

 

[MnFish1]

And I learned with first hand experience real reef and life rock leech alk for the first few months. You couldn’t pay me to put that junk in my systems again. They do serve as halfway decent doorstops though.
I also overdosed alk on my first tank once I got actual live rock, messed it up big time for 2 months, couldn’t get my alk below 12, it was stuck in the rocks and was leeching out. So leeching alk 2 ways over here.

From what I understand - Using - like pukani - this won't happen. The rock they dig up somewhere - who knows.

 

[Hemmdog]

From what I understand - Using - like pukani - this won't happen. The rock they dig up somewhere - who knows.

Exactly , went with Fiji to replace that junk. Tonga branches on my 90g build. The real stuff is so much better in to many ways to count.

 

[LuizW13]

Quick little update: not sure the time of day is affecting the readings, but i was able to get the dkh down 2/3 tenths of a point down by changing two gallons of water last night.

I'll probably do this until i get to that 8-9ish dkh and see if it goes up again.