High alkalinity! Is it possible to reduce?

[w8_4iT]

Hi all-

My tank has been doing well and all my hard corals have been growing well recently. I believe this was the result of dripping kalkwasser very slowly. I was also dosing Alk, Cal, and Mag several times a day.

Over the last couple of days, I've noticed my Candy Canes corals and trumpet corals aren't as plump as usual. Actually, most of my soft corals aren't looking as well as usual. I added Reef Buffer yesterday which helped it a little but didn't sustain. I did a water test and saw the dKH was at 14.7 (5.25 meq/L)! I've done a 25% water change the last 3 weeks with Reef Crystals. Is there a way to reduce the dKH without just replacing with RODI water and lowering salinity at the same time?

125-gallon tank; 20 gallon sump
Temperature: 79.2
Salinity: 1.023 (will be doing another water change to increase this weekend)
pH: 8.2
NH3/NH4: 0.0
NO2: 0.0
NO3: 10.0
PO4: 0,0
dKh: 14.7
Cal: 400
Mag: 1260

Any suggestions? Should I turn off my refugium light at a night also for a couple of days? I used the Salifert test kit.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

If you are dosing, kalk, alk, and reef builder each one is adding alk causing the raise. Edit-reef crystals are also adding. There are ways to reduce alk, but I would say let it go for a day or 2 and cut the dosing. See if the daily consumption lowers it. Then adjust your dosing since you are overlapping in some areas

 

[w8_4iT]

If you are dosing, kalk, alk, and reef builder each one is adding alk causing the raise. Edit-reef crystals are also adding. There are ways to reduce alk, but I would say let it go for a day or 2 and cut the dosing. See if the daily consumption lowers it. Then adjust your dosing since you are overlapping in some areas

I've significantly reduced Alk last week but kept Cal, and Mag constant. Here's my dilemma with that suggestion; I'm going out of town in two days and will be out another 4 days so I can't monitor. Would be it okay if I cut off all my dosing and go on my trip without dramatically impacting the tank?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

If you are dosing, kalk, alk, and reef builder each one is adding alk causing the raise. Edit-reef crystals are also adding. There are ways to reduce alk, but I would say let it go for a day or 2 and cut the dosing. See if the daily consumption lowers it. Then adjust your dosing since you are overlapping in some areas

+1^ High alkalinity short term is not detrimental. I'd stop dosing and allow it to come down naturally. Corals need stable conditions most importantly. Dosing accurately requires true understanding of element consumption on a daily basis. When you return from your trip start to test Mg, Ca, ALk same time each day for about a week and pick up dosing the beneficial amount. There are many supplement calculators online to establish correct measurement for your daily consumption.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

That really depends on the tank consumption. I don’t want to say yes and find you tank burns calcium or alk at a high rate. You numbers look good. I would let it ride for a day and test, see what drops to give you an idea of consumption. Them one more time before you leave. On a average stocked, not high sps, I would say dose mag before you leave and then leave dosing kalk only as normal. The kalk will keep you calcium and alk level, and mag should be ok for a few days.

Once back definitely look at you dosing. The reef crystals is bringing high alk to start, not sure of exact number but it can be googles. Then kalk is adding alk, the reef builder is and also you dosing alk.