HOW CAN I QUICKLY LOWER ALKALINITY?

[UnderseaOddities]

Also is there a substrate substrates like crushed coral and sand can help with mineral depletion in a smaller system

 

[UnderseaOddities]

If I were u I'd say mix base salt like stated above at sg 1.025 and do a 35% wc daily until it is in the range of 8 to 8.6

8.2 to 8.4 seems to be a sweet spot with synthetic salt ime

 

[UnderseaOddities]

It seems like u got it now boss

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Those params seem to be within acceptable ranges

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

You're overthinking it your base salt mix probably mixes at 8 to 8.6 dkh if using io reef Crystal's when mixed to 1.025

U don't want to lower alk instead figure out daily alk consumption by not dosing for a couple days record see the correlations in the swings and adjust accordingly

To me personally its sounds like u went hard on bottles how are u supplementing alk? Because why else would the alk be high?

Are u using 3 part bottles or kalk?

U got a pereistatic dosing pump or are u dosing by hand?

Also which salt do u use as a base?

You’re right I don’t really want to lower alk because I use fritz pro and it mixes between 8.0-9.0. I use an alkatronic to test and maintain my alk. I was running between 8.2-8.4 and everything was ok, but I was getting white tips. My lines clogged up and when I replaced them I accidentally got it up to 8.6. For some reason it has not come back down. I’m thinking it may be because I have been over feeding and now adding nitrate to raise nutrients. I believe there was a thread randy posted about when nitrates are consumed alkalinity can raise. I’m think it could also be because I tried lowering light intensity because of the burning tips and now the sps aren’t growing as fast as they were. I also have some algae issues so there’s definitely some imbalances going on for sure.
I really believe raising the nitrates should help balance things back out though. Ill slowly ramp my lights back up as well.

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Usually tips burn for me tho if it's a nitrate issue... ime ..low nitrate will begin to pale were their is low light on the underside of the acro will appear dull and pearlescent and no pe... if it's high nitrate it will begin to bleach at the tips more but u also want a little discoloration towards the tips as that is the new growth

A mag deficiency will leave the acro we with a brittle peeling look on the mucus membrane

Cal deficents sticks will lighten in color and appear thinner and brittle and secrete less mucus and appear dry to the eye when pulled from the tank


Phosphates will cause the corals to color down in excess brown or purple out

Too much mag will turn tri color specimens single colored and bring out heavy blues and greens


There's alot at play and it will be an up hill battle until
1)daily consumption of alk cal mag and trace are figured out

2)then adjusted accordingly weather its 3 part, kalk reactor then supplements like trace minerals, or if its waterchange

You'll have to figure out your method to replenish 23 ions and what works best for your application

Below 40g daily wc 10 to 35%

40g or above 10 to 35% wc 2 x weekly then dose 3 part by hand or pump in sump

100g or above kalk reactor should be set up in order to provide constant alk supply or depletion will occur 35% wc weekly 3part supplements and aminos


It's all on how far u wanna take it

And what works best for your application with your bioload

 

[UnderseaOddities]

But its sounds to me like u shoulda waited for calcerous coraline algae biofilm to form( outcompete turf and bryopsis which can cause alot of problems in sps systems) ( 12 to 18 month mark) if coraline can survive then sps can too

But also u may wanna try something like polyp labs polypbooster wait for pe then feed phyto and oyster feast

It sounds like hungry coral u may just be feeding them the wrong diet sps font really need larger foods like mysis and spirulina which is traditionally used but instead do better when drawing carbs from water colum that's why aminos are crucial to any sps keeper to boost the color aswell as make sure the coral is eating smaller foods like roe and oyster eggs work better as meaty foods zoo and phyto also are crucial in the diet of sps


I would go with something like coral frenzy over reefroids as the frenzy wont spike p but also has probiotics and other additives that are superfoods and u could feed it every day if u wanted without bombing the system

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

But its sounds to me like u shoulda waited for calcerous coraline algae biofilm to form( outcompete turf and bryopsis which can cause alot of problems in sps systems) ( 12 to 18 month mark) if coraline can survive then sps can too

But also u may wanna try something like polyp labs polypbooster wait for pe then feed phyto and oyster feast

It sounds like hungry coral u may just be feeding them the wrong diet sps font really need larger foods like mysis and spirulina which is traditionally used but instead do better when drawing carbs from water colum that's why aminos are crucial to any sps keeper to boost the color aswell as make sure the coral is eating smaller foods like roe and oyster eggs work better as meaty foods zoo and phyto also are crucial in the diet of sps


I would go with something like coral frenzy over reefroids as the frenzy wont spike p but also has probiotics and other additives that are superfoods and u could feed it every day if u wanted without bombing the sy

But its sounds to me like u shoulda waited for calcerous coraline algae biofilm to form( outcompete turf and bryopsis which can cause alot of problems in sps systems) ( 12 to 18 month mark) if coraline can survive then sps can too

But also u may wanna try something like polyp labs polypbooster wait for pe then feed phyto and oyster feast

It sounds like hungry coral u may just be feeding them the wrong diet sps font really need larger foods like mysis and spirulina which is traditionally used but instead do better when drawing carbs from water colum that's why aminos are crucial to any sps keeper to boost the color aswell as make sure the coral is eating smaller foods like roe and oyster eggs work better as meaty foods zoo and phyto also are crucial in the diet of sps


I would go with something like coral frenzy over reefroids as the frenzy wont spike p but also has probiotics and other additives that are superfoods and u could feed it every day if u wanted without bombing the system

I do have alot of coraline algae growing. However I believe it’s just a slight unbalance with the chemistry. From what I’ve read higher alk can cause the skeleton to grow faster than the tissue. I actually do feed reef roids occasionally and dose phyto. I do plan on dosing some bacteria to seed and help out compete the algaes, but I believe the algae have just started from the imbalances.
once I’m back in balance they may go away on their own?

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

IMO, a few ppm nitrate is probably adequate to prevent burnt tips at 8.6 dKH. I do not think more than 10 ppm is desirabl

IMO, a few ppm nitrate is probably adequate to prevent burnt tips at 8.6 dKH. I do not think more than 10 ppm is desirable.

Just got 8.7 alk reading so it does seem alk wants to climb with the consumption of the nitrates. I’m hoping if I stay steady at the 2ppm a day I should be ok maybe in a week I’ll be looking at 10nitrate and 9.0 alk

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Also is there a substrate substrates like crushed coral and sand can help with mineral depletion in a smaller system

While aragonite sand can very slowly dissolve in a reef system due to low pH down inside it, it is not generally a useful way to try to maintain anything in solution. Too slow.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just got 8.7 alk reading so it does seem alk wants to climb with the consumption of the nitrates. I’m hoping if I stay steady at the 2ppm a day I should be ok maybe in a week I’ll be looking at 10nitrate and 9.0 alk

Sounds good. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Sounds good. Let us know how it turns out.

So I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but a little over a week ago I had to explain to the wife how to fill up the ato with r/o and turn it back on to get it to stop beeping. I found out two days ago it never got turned back on. Needless to say that was part of my issue.
However I was having white tips prior to that and I do believe it was from having high alk (8.5)to nitrate levels(3ppm). I started to over feed to raise them and I believe that cause my cyano/brown possible Dino algae issue. I did a half dose of dr Tim’s waste away and than a week later a half dose of mb7. Each time I dosed the bacteria I noticed RTN on the acros that were already pale from my high alk or nutrient imbalance.
now that I have my salinity back to 1.026 and my alk is back to 8.4, nitrate is 11-12 and phos read .11 I’m going to stop dosing bacteria. I’m not sure what effect it is having, if any. Bacteria dosing may not even be irrelevant because I’ve pulled too many levers the past two weeks..
I’m going back to my normal routine and hopefully now that nutrients are higher and balanced the algaes will go away on their own in a few weeks. Thanks for the help!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Things happen!

Thanks for the update.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Things happen!

Thanks for the update.

Do you think letting things ride out is the best course of action as far as the algae goes? I know dr Tim’s and mb7 works I used dr Tim’s waste away around the 3 month mark of my tank. I had a few corals (torches, acans, zoas) no negative side affects. I always went with half the recommended dose. My tank is 7 months now and it seems like when I dosed the bacteria the next 2-3 days resulted in rtn. I can not find any real correlation between mb7 and sps death in my research. I have read a few people mention it with dr Tim’s waste away.

I think the obvious answer is to just let it go without dosing bacteria, however I did just raise nutrient levels (n-11 p.05 as of today) and I know now I am also fueling both the algae and hopefully competing bacteria.

as I said the rtn is probably from already low immune systems from my out of balance nutrients/dkh issues from earlier. Than these other fluctuations were the nail in the coffin.
just wondering what your advice would be in regards to how to handle the bacteria going forward?

 

[dadart2028]

You risk burnt tips at higher alk and low nutrients, but the paleness is more likely from just the low nutrients alone.

I'd personally dose nutrients or feed more and let alk slowly fall, rather than solve only part of the problem by lowering alk fast.

To lower alk, IMO, it is a better plan to lower the alk in water change water using any mix you want (can lower to zero if you want), than to add things to the aquarium to lower alk because of the large pH drop that can be fixed in new salt water but not so easily in the tank.

While increasing nutrients in the reef tank via feeding more, dosing nutrients. Do I need to stop dosing alkalinity until the desired alkalinity is achieved?

 

[dadart2028]

While increasing nutrients in the reef tank via feeding more, dosing nutrients. Do I need to stop dosing alkalinity until the desired alkalinity is achieved?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

While increasing nutrients in the reef tank via feeding more, dosing nutrients. Do I need to stop dosing alkalinity until the desired alkalinity is achieved?

What is the current alk?

 

[nano reef]

You risk burnt tips at higher alk and low nutrients, but the paleness is more likely from just the low nutrients alone.

I'd personally dose nutrients or feed more and let alk slowly fall, rather than solve only part of the problem by lowering alk fast.

To lower alk, IMO, it is a better plan to lower the alk in water change water using any mix you want (can lower to zero if you want), than to add things to the aquarium to lower alk because of the large pH drop that can be fixed in new salt water but not so easily in the tank.

BUMP
I dont get what you are saying that any salt mix can lower to 0. I am having the same problem and just lost my 24kt torch! My alk is at 12. I like to keep at 9.5 but all the lower alk mixes also seem to have lower mag and calcium!

I love Fritz and its a good price. I am thinking of buying some red sea (to mix with it) but has low calcium and mag too!

I cant just let it fall on it own because I keep getting high alk lately from fritz. I did leave the bag open and it got moist. Could that be why I am experiencing high alk. Plus I need to clean my bin. There is a lot of calcium precip in it! I also used to store the dry salt in my Florida garage so maybe thats why! I am baffled although I have read many compliants on here about the same thing!

Do you know of any salt that mixes 9.5 or so with not low calcium and magesium. Icat seem to find a single one!

Also if I add a acid to lower if I add an airstone will that keep it from lowering my ph?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

BUMP
I dont get what you are saying that any salt mix can lower to 0. I am having the same problem and just lost my 24kt torch! My alk is at 12. I like to keep at 9.5 but all the lower alk mixes also seem to have lower mag and calcium!

I love Fritz and its a good price. I am thinking of buying some red sea (to mix with it) but has low calcium and mag too!

I cant just let it fall on it own because I keep getting high alk lately from fritz. I did leave the bag open and it got moist. Could that be why I am experiencing high alk. Plus I need to clean my bin. There is a lot of calcium precip in it! I also used to store the dry salt in my Florida garage so maybe thats why! I am baffled although I have read many compliants on here about the same thing!

Do you know of any salt that mixes 9.5 or so with not low calcium and magesium. Icat seem to find a single one!

Also if I add a acid to lower if I add an airstone will that keep it from lowering my ph?

You can lower the pH in a salt mix as low as you want. You can mostly bring the pH in it back up by aerating it well before use. The pH may still be kiwis but it won’t keep the tank pH down.