EMERGNECY My Alkalinity is Super High

[jacka342]

Hey guys, I have the same 28 gallon bio cube for 5 years. It has been a fish only tank until a few days ago. Learning about corals has revitalized my love for the tank and I was super excited to get my first corals lately. The day the corals came, an Alk test came as well. It is the Red Sea Alkalinity test. I am getting a reading of 16! I have never tested for this, and everything seems fine. In fact, 2 of the zoas I got have already opened all their polyps. What can I do to lower this? I do not know if this is a recent problem, however I did switch salt recently. I am now using instant ocean salt. I made sure to premix and heat my water for around 14 hours before the change.

 

[Dragon52]

Corals will take up some of the alkalinity but I would change 50% of the water since the tank is that size, then retest after an hr.

 

[Uncle99]

Hard to get 16 if your not dosing.
Perhaps the test is not accurate?
Test again

 

[lapin]

I would change 50% water and test again. Also test the new salt water before adding it. This will give you an idea if its a testing error or not.

 

[jacka342]

Just tested again and got 15. I am very confident about those results as I made sure to be ultra precise. I think I may have figured out the problem, I live in a rural place and have a well. I was always under the impression that if I used a good filtration system my water would be fine to use. Could this be the issue? That would mean that my alk has been this high for 5 years and I still have the same clown...

 

[jacka342]

Hard to get 16 if your not dosing.
Perhaps the test is not accurate?
Test again

Does my source water theory make sense?

 

[Pistondog]

I'd say yes, especially if your bedrock is limestone.
Digression: I remember something on TV about a prehistoric, cataclysmic mega flood/tsunami in old Montana, so used to be ocean.

 

[jacka342]

I'd say yes, especially if your bedrock is limestone.
Digression: I remember something on TV about a prehistoric, cataclysmic mega flood/tsunami in old Montana, so used to be ocean.

That is true about Montana! So what should I do... I assume it’s not too big of an issue since everything is fine and has been for 5 years. I will order a RODI unit for my next change. If this is going to kill my corals I can run to the store and buy some water for now. It’s just strange because I have never had bad calcium buildup and everything in my tank seems super normal

 

[jacka342]

My PH is also stable at 8.2

 

[Pistondog]

Uncharted territory for me, don't change anything too fast.

 

[Hincapiej4]

Yea, sounds like you need an RODI stat...and I would get fresh RODI from the store. 16dkh is likely to kill them...they probably came from 8 - 8.5 dkh..you're gonna shock your coral.

 

[jacka342]

Yea, sounds like you need an RODI stat...and I would get fresh RODI from the store. 16dkh is likely to kill them...they probably came from 8 - 8.5 dkh..you're gonna shock your coral.

Alright, I’ll go now. Thanks

 

[Hincapiej4]

Remember...corals react late...so just because it hasn't happened yet...

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hey guys, I have the same 28 gallon bio cube for 5 years. It has been a fish only tank until a few days ago. Learning about corals has revitalized my love for the tank and I was super excited to get my first corals lately. The day the corals came, an Alk test came as well. It is the Red Sea Alkalinity test. I am getting a reading of 16! I have never tested for this, and everything seems fine. In fact, 2 of the zoas I got have already opened all their polyps. What can I do to lower this? I do not know if this is a recent problem, however I did switch salt recently. I am now using instant ocean salt. I made sure to premix and heat my water for around 14 hours before the change.

I think we're on the same boat, just yesterday around 3:00 p.m. I checked or tested my alkalinity it was at 16.1, I went to check my dosing pump and the container that has soda ash come to find out the container was empty. Somehow my dosing pump dumped all the liquid which was about three quarters of a gallon into the tank and all I did is wait for it to come down it came down now it's safe levels. The corals didn't look stressed out and the corals I have are the most impossible to care for. I was sweating it for a while

 

[jacka342]

I think we're on the same boat, just yesterday around 3:00 p.m. I checked or tested my alkalinity it was at 16.1, I went to check my dosing pump and the container that has soda ash come to find out the container was empty. Somehow my dosing pump dumped all the liquid which was about three quarters of a gallon into the tank and all I did is wait for it to come down it came down now it's safe levels. The corals didn't look stressed out and the corals I have are the most impossible to care for. I was sweating it for a while

I’m glad none of your corals died! They are so colorful, I am very jealous. I am going to run to the store and get some RODI to help the levels come down since I only have three frags to bring it down on their own. It is very encouraging to know that you didn’t lose anything!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is common for tap water to have substantial alkalinity. Add that to a salt mix and alk can get very high.

 

[jacka342]

It is common for tap water to have substantial alkalinity. Add that to a salt mix and alk can get very high.

I now have a RODI unit on the way... it was quite a shocker to test for alk for the first time and see it that high! Thanks

 

[Topher38]

I used raw water for my qt and my alk was almost 22 lol. I'm in a well as well, my ro/Di water after mixing fritz blue box (same water source - but through the to/Di) comes to 9(ish). Definitely source water. IMHO

 

[RaisingKane]

Hello, I am fairly new to the hobby and have a 45 Gal tank that has been running for a little over a year with a mixed reef and fish. I have noticed tiny pieces of neon green coral floating around the tank and see that my Goniopora has pulled in and I think those pieces are from the coral. I also just lost a fish. I recently updated my lighting and have it on acclimation mode so its running at very low intensity - I also just checked all my parameters and everything looks good except for my Alkalinity which is a whopping 15.0. How do I lower this and any other things I should be looking at?? I am afraid I am in for a big loss of coral and fish.

 

[lapin]

Hello, I am fairly new to the hobby and have a 45 Gal tank that has been running for a little over a year with a mixed reef and fish. I have noticed tiny pieces of neon green coral floating around the tank and see that my Goniopora has pulled in and I think those pieces are from the coral. I also just lost a fish. I recently updated my lighting and have it on acclimation mode so its running at very low intensity - I also just checked all my parameters and everything looks good except for my Alkalinity which is a whopping 15.0. How do I lower this and any other things I should be looking at?? I am afraid I am in for a big loss of coral and fish.

I would do a water change. Dilution is the solution. Check your salt mix before the change to be sure its not the problem.