New tank stuck around 5ppm Alk

[redseanewbie]

Hello,

So my tank has been stuck around 5ppm Alk despite it being new and me only having 2 LPS frags, and a handful of softies (65 gallon tank). I do weakly 5 gallon water changes (my nutrients are very low). i have been dosing coralife 2 part but it doesn't seem to do anything at all. I am using API drops which i have gathered sucks. but I still find it hard to believe it is that off especially with consistent readings. I am going through some ugly stages so I assume whatever is causing that could be pulling Alk?

is it normal in a new tank to be going through this? What else should I do? All my corals seem happy, but I would feel a lot better having my Alk at 7-8ish.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So let's back up. It isn't 5 ppm alk. 5 ppm in what units? dKH? meq/L?

How are you deciding how much two part to add? How much is that? You may just not be adding enough.

 

[redseanewbie]

So let's back up. It isn't 5 ppm alk. 5 ppm in what units? dKH? meq/L?

How are you deciding how much two part to add? How much is that? You may just not be adding enough.

So let's back up. It isn't 5 ppm alk. 5 ppm in what units? dKH? meq/L?

How are you deciding how much two part to add? How much is that? You may just not be adding enough.

5 dKH. I am following the instructions on the two part which says to add 15 mL a day into a tank of my size. I break it up into 3 doses a day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

5 dKH. I am following the instructions on the two part which says to add 15 mL a day into a tank of my size. I break it up into 3 doses a day.

Can you post a picture of the tank?

Any signs of sand hardening, which comes from precipitating calcium carbonate?

 

[redseanewbie]

Can you post a picture of the tank?

Any signs of sand hardening, which comes from precipitating calcium carbonate?

First of all, thank you for the quick replies. I really appreciate it.

Sand seems fine to me. no clumping and when I gravel vac everything feels soft. Hard to see in photo but i do have diatoms growing on the sand bed though it seems like it is dying down now. all of my other parameters are consistent and at decent levels.

 

[rishma]

Hello,

So my tank has been stuck around 5ppm Alk despite it being new and me only having 2 LPS frags, and a handful of softies (65 gallon tank). I do weakly 5 gallon water changes (my nutrients are very low). i have been dosing coralife 2 part but it doesn't seem to do anything at all. I am using API drops which i have gathered sucks. but I still find it hard to believe it is that off especially with consistent readings. I am going through some ugly stages so I assume whatever is causing that could be pulling Alk?

is it normal in a new tank to be going through this? What else should I do? All my corals seem happy, but I would feel a lot better having my Alk at 7-8ish.

How are you measuring alkalinity?

 

[redseanewbie]

How are you measuring alkalinity?

API liquid drop test kit

 

[rishma]

API liquid drop test kit

I used that one for years, because it was simple and easy to read. However, I do not know how accurate it is.

DKH of 5 would be exceptionally low. I would eliminate test error before taking any drastic actions.

 

[redseanewbie]

I used that one for years, because it was simple and easy to read. However, I do not know how accurate it is.

DKH of 5 would be exceptionally low. I would eliminate test error before taking any drastic actions.

agreed, I got a salifert test coming in tomorrow. Hopefully I become like everyone else and realize that this API test has been screwing me and it was never low Alk lol

 

[redseanewbie]

alright so update for my own ego. API and Salifert did match up around 5-6 dKH. Take that rich people . That being said i see the immediate upgrade in salifert tests lol. Salifert is saying 5.6 (better than 5). In case someone sees this down the road, I am gonna try something. Will start using red sea black bucket vs blue which i am using right now. Black bucket has a way higher Alk level (11 dKH) so I will start using that in my small water changes and will monitor. everything looks happy but I want to follow the hobby standard of 8+ dKH. I think this will solve my problems but who knows....

 

[rishma]

alright so update for my own ego. API and Salifert did match up around 5-6 dKH. Take that rich people . That being said i see the immediate upgrade in salifert tests lol. Salifert is saying 5.6 (better than 5). In case someone sees this down the road, I am gonna try something. Will start using red sea black bucket vs blue which i am using right now. Black bucket has a way higher Alk level (11 dKH) so I will start using that in my small water changes and will monitor. everything looks happy but I want to follow the hobby standard of 8+ dKH. I think this will solve my problems but who knows....

Take that rich people :) lol

You can safely raise your alkalinity using baking soda. It’s a good alkalinity supplement that you probably already own

 

[rishma]

One more thought, your tank looks new. When my current tank was new, I had unexplained alkalinity consumption. It was probably precipitation or related to the nitrogen cycle. Either way it settled down after a few months and became predictable, driven by coral and coraline growth.

My point is, baking soda:). That’s what I would do

 

[redseanewbie]

One more thought, your tank looks new. When my current tank was new, I had unexplained alkalinity consumption. It was probably precipitation or related to the nitrogen cycle. Either way it settled down after a few months and became predictable, driven by coral and coraline growth.

My point is, baking soda:). That’s what I would do

I think you are right. Lot of googling drove me to the same thought but with my run in with locals selling nice frags for pennies I have now put myself in a rookie move of trying to figure this out with some intervention. Hence very small water changes with the Black bucket and I will watch from there. I do have an auto doser so I am going to switch from expensive 2 part to wholesale chemicals IE sodium bicarbonate. Will plan to bake it because the internet gods have said it is the better way.

 

[rishma]

I think you are right. Lot of googling drove me to the same thought but with my run in with locals selling nice frags for pennies I have now put myself in a rookie move of trying to figure this out with some intervention. Hence very small water changes with the Black bucket and I will watch from there. I do have an auto doser so I am going to switch from expensive 2 part to wholesale chemicals IE sodium bicarbonate. Will plan to bake it because the internet gods have said it is the better way.

Expensive 2 part works too.

Baking it gives a pH boost, but it’s not better in any other way. Both are good. I would dose and keep using the salt you have. But either plan is fine.