I honestly dont know what to do (high alk)

[Tornado92]

For the past couple weeks I have noticed that my tank was climbing to an extremely high level of alk (>300 ppm / 16.8 dkh) I had a considerable amount of nitrates (>20). Over the past weeks to try to lower my alkalinity, I did a couple water changes ranging from 30 - 50% of my system (which is about 40 gallons). Of course from my research in the forums I saw some that said a 50% water change is necessary for alk that high, unfortunately I saw another post too late saying that you should never do a 50% water change bc the alk will drop too quick and the change could have massive coral die off. Well a couple water changes later I was able to get:
Alk 245
Calc 380
Nitrate 5
Phosphate 0

Unfortunately after those changes I saw some massive coral die off from my chalices, monti, candy cane and some stylos. Somehow my mushrooms, hammer corals, Duncan's, and some candy cane dont even seem to realize the change in params. The params did not last long bc my alk rose after 2 weeks from 245 to over 300 again. As of today:

Alk 300
Calc 400
Nitrate 2.5
Phosphate 0-.25 (erring on the high side bc it's an API test kit)
Magnesium 1050

Additional notes, I ended up switching buckets of instant ocean, was using the orange lid reef version, but went to the purple top basic salt mix bc I was reading there really isn't too much a difference between the two. I also was concerned perhaps maybe it was my RODI system that was failing, which in turn might be adding additional alk to my system, I checked my RODI today and it came back 0.

At this point my hands are up and I have no clue what to do. I see that it seems like some remaining stylos are starting to bleach, I imagine to the extreme levels of alk in my tank but everything else is hunky dory. Why should I do? How is it possible that my tank was likely fine with this level of alk, and what should I do to lower it to the 8-11 dkh range?

 

[Saltyreef]

For the past couple weeks I have noticed that my tank was climbing to an extremely high level of alk (>300 ppm / 16.8 dkh) I had a considerable amount of nitrates (>20). Over the past weeks to try to lower my alkalinity, I did a couple water changes ranging from 30 - 50% of my system (which is about 40 gallons). Of course from my research in the forums I saw some that said a 50% water change is necessary for alk that high, unfortunately I saw another post too late saying that you should never do a 50% water change bc the alk will drop too quick and the change could have massive coral die off. Well a couple water changes later I was able to get:
Alk 245
Calc 380
Nitrate 5
Phosphate 0

Unfortunately after those changes I saw some massive coral die off from my chalices, monti, candy cane and some stylos. Somehow my mushrooms, hammer corals, Duncan's, and some candy cane dont even seem to realize the change in params. The params did not last long bc my alk rose after 2 weeks from 245 to over 300 again. As of today:

Alk 300
Calc 400
Nitrate 2.5
Phosphate 0-.25 (erring on the high side bc it's an API test kit)
Magnesium 1050

Additional notes, I ended up switching buckets of instant ocean, was using the orange lid reef version, but went to the purple top basic salt mix bc I was reading there really isn't too much a difference between the two. I also was concerned perhaps maybe it was my RODI system that was failing, which in turn might be adding additional alk to my system, I checked my RODI today and it came back 0.

At this point my hands are up and I have no clue what to do. I see that it seems like some remaining stylos are starting to bleach, I imagine to the extreme levels of alk in my tank but everything else is hunky dory. Why should I do? How is it possible that my tank was likely fine with this level of alk, and what should I do to lower it to the 8-11 dkh range?

Regular instant ocean mixes up at a much lower alk than reef crystals.

Keep up with water changes using that and your macros should fall into line much better than before.

Also, based on your macro numbers, i have reason to believe you might have an inaccurate salinity.

What are you using to measure salinity?

 

[Tornado92]

Regular instant ocean mixes up at a much lower alk than reef crystals.

Keep up with water changes using that and your macros should fall into line much better than before.

Also, based on your macro numbers, i have reason to believe you might have an inaccurate salinity.

What are you using to measure salinity?

I am using a salinity refractometer currently. Haven't calibrated it for a while and I don't appear to have any calibration fluid so I will have to see once I get some in. I just tested it with RODI, it was measuring at 1.004

 

[GARRIGA]

Seachem acid buffer will reduce alkalinity although pH will rise temporarily. Has solved my issue a couple of times.

 

[Adrian Em]

I am using a salinity refractometer currently. Haven't calibrated it for a while and I don't appear to have any calibration fluid so I will have to see once I get some in. I just tested it with RODI, it was measuring at 1.004

Shouldn't it read zero with RODI water if even in the range of proper calibration?

 

[Tornado92]

Shouldn't it read zero with RODI water if even in the range of proper calibration? I believe it should read zero

I believe it should read zero with RODI, but I have never really had problems with this tank for the past 3 years. I have always followed the half cup per gallon measurement for IO salt mix. I'm curious how salinity would affect the alkalinity in my tank?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I believe it should read zero with RODI, but I have never really had problems with this tank for the past 3 years. I have always followed the half cup per gallon measurement for IO salt mix. I'm curious how salinity would affect the alkalinity in my tank?

Salinity affects just about all the parameters of the water in your tank.

The first thing you need to get right is salinity before measuring other parameters.

You can very easily make a DIY calibration solution for a refractometer if you have an accurate set of scales.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

Having said that, if you zero the refractometer based on RODI and test the water in your tank, what is the salinity?

 

[Adrian Em]

I believe it should read zero with RODI, but I have never really had problems with this tank for the past 3 years. I have always followed the half cup per gallon measurement for IO salt mix. I'm curious how salinity would affect the alkalinity in my tank?

The salt mix alkalinity given by the manufacturer is based on the mixture. If you make it less salty, you will have lower alkalinity and vice versa. If your refractometer is reading high when its supposed to be at zero, that should make your mixture less salty so maybe your refractometer is completely useless.

What was the specific gravity of your last salt mixture as tested with your refractometer?

Are you toping off with salt water or fresh water?

 

[Tornado92]

The salt mix alkalinity given by the manufacturer is based on the mixture. If you make it less salty, you will have lower alkalinity and vice versa. If your refractometer is reading high when its supposed to be at zero, that should make your mixture less salty so maybe your refractometer is completely useless.

What was the specific gravity of your last salt mixture as tested with your refractometer?

Are you toping off with salt water or fresh water?

I have tested salinity every couple of weeks which are at 1.026, have tried to always keep it at that level. I top off with RODI

 

[Tornado92]

Salinity affects just about all the parameters of the water in your tank.

The first thing you need to get right is salinity before measuring other parameters.

You can very easily make a DIY calibration solution for a refractometer if you have an accurate set of scales.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

Having said that, if you zero the refractometer based on RODI and test the water in your tank, what is the salinity?

So if I see my RODI is at 1.004 with my refractometer and my tank is at 1.026, I assume that would put my tank at about 1.022? With what Adrian Em said, since it is less salty wouldn't that mean my alk should be lower?

 

[gbroadbridge]

So if I see my RODI is at 1.004 with my refractometer and my tank is at 1.026, I assume that would put my tank at about 1.022? With what Adrian Em said, since it is less salty wouldn't that mean my alk should be lower?

Yes it would. Everything would be lower including Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium.

Until you actually know your salinity, you're shooting blind.

If your refractometer is designed for sea water, calibrating it with RODI will get you reasonably close.
If however, it is designed for saline solutions (most cheap refracs from ebay), you really need to either make or buy a calibration solution to ensure reasonable accuracy.

Salinity is the most important measurement in your tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

For the past couple weeks I have noticed that my tank was climbing to an extremely high level of alk (>300 ppm / 16.8 dkh) I had a considerable amount of nitrates (>20). Over the past weeks to try to lower my alkalinity, I did a couple water changes ranging from 30 - 50% of my system (which is about 40 gallons). Of course from my research in the forums I saw some that said a 50% water change is necessary for alk that high, unfortunately I saw another post too late saying that you should never do a 50% water change bc the alk will drop too quick and the change could have massive coral die off. Well a couple water changes later I was able to get:
Alk 245
Calc 380
Nitrate 5
Phosphate 0

Unfortunately after those changes I saw some massive coral die off from my chalices, monti, candy cane and some stylos. Somehow my mushrooms, hammer corals, Duncan's, and some candy cane dont even seem to realize the change in params. The params did not last long bc my alk rose after 2 weeks from 245 to over 300 again. As of today:

Alk 300
Calc 400
Nitrate 2.5
Phosphate 0-.25 (erring on the high side bc it's an API test kit)
Magnesium 1050

Additional notes, I ended up switching buckets of instant ocean, was using the orange lid reef version, but went to the purple top basic salt mix bc I was reading there really isn't too much a difference between the two. I also was concerned perhaps maybe it was my RODI system that was failing, which in turn might be adding additional alk to my system, I checked my RODI today and it came back 0.

At this point my hands are up and I have no clue what to do. I see that it seems like some remaining stylos are starting to bleach, I imagine to the extreme levels of alk in my tank but everything else is hunky dory. Why should I do? How is it possible that my tank was likely fine with this level of alk, and what should I do to lower it to the 8-11 dkh range?

Adjust salinity to 1.024-1.025 and vinegar dosing will reduce alk but do it slowly.= as it will affect Ph levels. Doing 20% water changes with salt mix with lower alk content will also help

 

[00W]

Shooting blind causes headaches.
You need to know exactly.
Have someone else measure and then see where you're at.
I have been using the same IO plastic hydrometer my whole life.
You can laugh.
I also have an expensive refractometer as well. You'd be amazed at how close they are.
1/2 cup IO in a gallon of water mixes to 1.023 . I use a 5 gallon bucket with 2 3/4 cups and it mixes to 1.026. I use my stupid plastic one.
Salinity is super important for I can't test accuracy if Salinity is all over the place all the time.

 

[Tornado92]

Yes it would. Everything would be lower including Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium.

Until you actually know your salinity, you're shooting blind.

If your refractometer is designed for sea water, calibrating it with RODI will get you reasonably close.
If however, it is designed for saline solutions (most cheap refracs from ebay), you really need to either make or buy a calibration solution to ensure reasonable accuracy.

Salinity is the most important measurement in your tank.

Im following, unfortunately I don't have any iodized salt, my house is a big sea salt/ kosher salt consumer, so I will have to check it tomorrow and try to calibrate it

 

[Tornado92]

Shooting blind causes headaches.
You need to know exactly.
Have someone else measure and then see where you're at.
I have been using the same IO plastic hydrometer my whole life.
You can laugh.
I also have an expensive refractometer as well. You'd be amazed at how close they are.
1/2 cup IO in a gallon of water mixes to 1.023 . I use a 5 gallon bucket with 2 3/4 cups and it mixes to 1.026. I use my stupid plastic one.
Salinity is super important for I can't test accuracy if Salinity is all over the place all the time.

I was able to calibrate my refractometer using some Morton's iodized salt. But I found was my refrigerator was at about 40 PPT versus 35 PPT so I have turned that down to match. However, now when I'm looking at my tank water, it only appears to be at 1.024, so with this next water change I will try to balance that out.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I was able to calibrate my refractometer using some Morton's iodized salt. But I found was my refrigerator was at about 40 PPT versus 35 PPT so I have turned that down to match. However, now when I'm looking at my tank water, it only appears to be at 1.024, so with this next water change I will try to balance that out.

Don't adjust it too fast - give the animals time to acclimatise.

 

[Tornado92]

Update: I was able to recalibrate my refracto with the salt method but was suspicious if it calibrated correctly (mainly if I did it right) so I also grabbed some calibration fluid. Turns out the salt method was right on point with the calibration method, so I have been slowly increasing my salinity up to 1.026 from 1.024. My current parameters are:
- Alk > 300ppm (getting a dkh monitor bc I just need to know the actually #)
- Calcium - 460
- Nitrate - 0
- Phosphate - .25
- Salinity - 1.026
- Magnesium 1260

Going back to my high alk question, should I be changing water more frequently than just the 10% weekly to help push it down or what advice do yall have?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Update: I was able to recalibrate my refracto with the salt method but was suspicious if it calibrated correctly (mainly if I did it right) so I also grabbed some calibration fluid. Turns out the salt method was right on point with the calibration method, so I have been slowly increasing my salinity up to 1.026 from 1.024. My current parameters are:
- Alk > 300ppm (getting a dkh monitor bc I just need to know the actually #)
- Calcium - 460
- Nitrate - 0
- Phosphate - .25
- Salinity - 1.026
- Magnesium 1260

Going back to my high alk question, should I be changing water more frequently than just the 10% weekly to help push it down or what advice do yall have?

I would simply let it come down with your water changes and tank consumption.
Have you checked the Alk of freshly mix salt water?

If you rush it, the coral are simply going to get more distressed.

 

[uninformed]

Sure, your alk was high, but was there a visible problem in your tank that made you want to change it on such an emergency basis?

 

[Cristy17]

I had the same thing happen but it was because I let the Mg get low. Once I got the Mg to 1450..slowly..my Alk leveled off. At the same time, one side of my DOS (Ca) stopped working and the dosage of alk took off.