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- Feb 25, 2015
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I've been struggling to get a grip on a low alkalinity problem in both my tanks. I've got a 20g reef only tank with a few beginners corals (zoas, acans, etc.) and two SPS corals (purple birdsnest and a green pavona). They all seem fine, the birdsnest is doing well, but my pavona is starting to show some signs of struggle. I've also got a 120g tank that just has a yellow tang and one anthias (plus snails) for now. New members TBD after QT.
The best I've ever been able to keep my reef at for alk is 8.1 - I generally hovered around low 7's, high 6's. I just tested my FOWLR tank and the alk was at 4.47 and my reef was at 5.2!!! I'm using a Hannah Alk Checker to monitor alk in both tanks and check my parameters every Saturday morning. Calcium and Magnesium are rarely an issue for me - pH generally stays around 8.0 with fluctuation between 7.8 - 8.2. When Ca/Mg drops I add some Prime Reef Fusion and I'm good to go.
I started trying to correct these issues by using the Reef Chemistry Calculator and making a concentrated solution of baked baking soda and RODI water that I would slowly titrate into my tanks until they reached the correct alk levels, while monitoring my pH to prevent severe swings while I raised alk. I tried to see if being more religious about water changes would also help stabilize and maintain correct alk levels - I've now comet to discover, in fact, it made the situation WORSE.
I'm currently using Instant Ocean's Reef Crystals. I finally decided to figure out what the heck the baseline was after making RODI water (from city tap water using my AquaFx Barracuda system) and mixing reef crystals in. The water mixed for about 12 hours (excessive, I know. I had lost track of time and forgot about it and went to bed - results are from the AM). The alk results were disappointing to say the least:
Salinity: 1.024
Magnesium: 1380
Calcium: 480
pH: 8.1
Alkalinity: 5.768!?
I always wash my cuvettes with DI water when I am done with them. I also "prime" the cuvette by filling it up with the test water, shaking it up, and dumping it out, prior to filling it with the official test vial. My alk testing solution is probably only one month old and doesn't expire until 2022 or 2024.
Has anyone else had experience with reef crystals and low alkalinity? I've been compensating by adding my baked baking soda to my mix but it's a PITA to wait for the CO2 exchange to bring the pH down to safe levels again. What the heck do I do in the meantime? I'm itching for some new corals for my tank but I don't want to add any inhabitants until this gets straightened out.
The best I've ever been able to keep my reef at for alk is 8.1 - I generally hovered around low 7's, high 6's. I just tested my FOWLR tank and the alk was at 4.47 and my reef was at 5.2!!! I'm using a Hannah Alk Checker to monitor alk in both tanks and check my parameters every Saturday morning. Calcium and Magnesium are rarely an issue for me - pH generally stays around 8.0 with fluctuation between 7.8 - 8.2. When Ca/Mg drops I add some Prime Reef Fusion and I'm good to go.
I started trying to correct these issues by using the Reef Chemistry Calculator and making a concentrated solution of baked baking soda and RODI water that I would slowly titrate into my tanks until they reached the correct alk levels, while monitoring my pH to prevent severe swings while I raised alk. I tried to see if being more religious about water changes would also help stabilize and maintain correct alk levels - I've now comet to discover, in fact, it made the situation WORSE.
I'm currently using Instant Ocean's Reef Crystals. I finally decided to figure out what the heck the baseline was after making RODI water (from city tap water using my AquaFx Barracuda system) and mixing reef crystals in. The water mixed for about 12 hours (excessive, I know. I had lost track of time and forgot about it and went to bed - results are from the AM). The alk results were disappointing to say the least:
Salinity: 1.024
Magnesium: 1380
Calcium: 480
pH: 8.1
Alkalinity: 5.768!?
I always wash my cuvettes with DI water when I am done with them. I also "prime" the cuvette by filling it up with the test water, shaking it up, and dumping it out, prior to filling it with the official test vial. My alk testing solution is probably only one month old and doesn't expire until 2022 or 2024.
Has anyone else had experience with reef crystals and low alkalinity? I've been compensating by adding my baked baking soda to my mix but it's a PITA to wait for the CO2 exchange to bring the pH down to safe levels again. What the heck do I do in the meantime? I'm itching for some new corals for my tank but I don't want to add any inhabitants until this gets straightened out.