Need Help With Alkalinity

Braveheart!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 6, 2022
Messages
153
Reaction score
34
Location
North Carolina
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My Current Numbers

Alkalinity - 14.7 dkh (reef tank is two years old. My Alkalinity was around 9.7 forever)
Calcium - 420 ppm
PH - 7.8 (alway around 7.8)
Salinity - 1.025
Phosphate - .06 (normally .04-.09)
Nitrate - 5 ppm

In the past I added Red sea KH/Alkalinity, but not for a few months

I have dosed Red Sea ab+, but not for several weeks

I run a Carbon bag. (I haven't change in about a month)

I run GFO and change as needed. I do over feed a little

Everything looks good. I do have some white fuzz on my rocks. attached file

Thanks for the help

fuzz.png
 

crazyfishmom

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Messages
1,310
Reaction score
1,761
Location
North Andover
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How do you test for alkalinity?

First suggestion would be to test a fresh batch of salt water and see what you get. Will help us understand where the differential is coming from.

I am going to assume for now that there’s testing error at play because I am sure your corals would be fairly unhappy with alkalinity that high.
 
OP
OP
B

Braveheart!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 6, 2022
Messages
153
Reaction score
34
Location
North Carolina
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also test new sample of hanna HI772S it was lower but not by much. I did a 15 gallon water change a few days ago and it dropped, bur went back up. FYI, I used a toothbrush to clean my rocks. Hmmmmm
 

crazyfishmom

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Messages
1,310
Reaction score
1,761
Location
North Andover
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also test new sample of hanna HI772S it was lower but not by much. I did a 15 gallon water change a few days ago and it dropped, bur went back up. FYI, I used a toothbrush to clean my rocks. Hmmmmm
Odd. I would say do multiple water changes until back to normal; not sure at all what to think!
 

gbroadbridge

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 25, 2021
Messages
4,032
Reaction score
4,201
Location
Sydney, Australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My Current Numbers

Alkalinity - 14.7 dkh (reef tank is two years old. My Alkalinity was around 9.7 forever)
Calcium - 420 ppm
PH - 7.8 (alway around 7.8)
Salinity - 1.025
Phosphate - .06 (normally .04-.09)
Nitrate - 5 ppm

In the past I added Red sea KH/Alkalinity, but not for a few months

I have dosed Red Sea ab+, but not for several weeks

I run a Carbon bag. (I haven't change in about a month)

I run GFO and change as needed. I do over feed a little

Everything looks good. I do have some white fuzz on my rocks. attached file

Thanks for the help

fuzz.png
If you're not dosing anything to the tank, alkalinity could be increasing because of biological consumption of Nitrate.

Perform water changes to lower it - or add more coral to consume it :)
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,438
Reaction score
63,827
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I tested a new batch it was 9.6

You tested that now with the same exact test kit you used on the tank?

Do you use tap water for anything? It can have more alk than seawater.
 

Freenow54

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Messages
1,624
Reaction score
1,292
Location
Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How do you test for alkalinity?

First suggestion would be to test a fresh batch of salt water and see what you get. Will help us understand where the differential is coming from.

I am going to assume for now that there’s testing error at play because I am sure your corals would be fairly unhappy with alkalinity that high.
Like that suggestion They make high alk salt maybe the problem
 

Looking for the spotlight: Do your fish notice the lighting in your reef tank?

  • My fish seem to regularly respond to the lighting in my reef tank.

    Votes: 73 75.3%
  • My fish seem to occasionally respond to the lighting in my tank.

    Votes: 11 11.3%
  • My fish seem to rarely respond to the lighting in my tank.

    Votes: 7 7.2%
  • My fish seem to never respond to the lighting in my tank.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I don’t pay enough attention to my fish to notice if they respond to the lighting.

    Votes: 2 2.1%
  • I don’t have any fish in my tank.

    Votes: 2 2.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 2.1%
Back
Top