- Joined
- Nov 16, 2019
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I was directed to post here from one of the other threads by a member with one of my questions. The first question was about RTN/STN which led to my rising alkalinity levels. The system is 9 months old. Started on dry rock. Seeded and a 8 week lightless cycle. I then added fish and started ramping up lights. I initially had some algae and Dino issues so I waited to add coral. Once those issues were resolved, I added coral at about 5 months. Through that 5 months I was having to dose Po4 and No3 to keep levels up. It finally started to settle in and I didn’t have to dose. Started with some lps and they did fine. Then added a green slimer and Millie, those did good. Now that I’ve started to add some more picky sps I’m having trouble with burnt tips and then totally dying. Which led to this alk issue. I’m testing alk, calc, and mag with trident (also Red Sea to verify results). Po4 with Hannah and No3 with salifert. I’m using fritz blue box salt. For example, it will raise from 9.7 to 9.8 in a 24 hr period. Which isn’t bad but it consistently rises day after day. I’d prefer to be around 8. I have 4 hydra 64’s for lighting. 360 par at the top of my rocks. 200 on the sand bed. I have an 8 stage RODI system and make sure water is always 0 TDS. I have well water so I don’t condition the water. I have never dosed alk, cal or mag. I have sent in an ATI icp and things looked good other than some elevated metals. Have a fresh ATI icp on the way to Germany right now.
Water changes every 3 weeks. 180g and change 50g.
Ph- 7.95 - 8.2
Salinity- 1.025
Alk- 9.98
Calc- 454
Mag- 1330
No3- 5
Po4- .15
Temp- 78
All of these parameters are staying very stable accept alk. I’ve done a lot of searching and reading on the issue and seen a reply of a similar post from Randy Holmes Farley. I didn’t want to reply and highjack the thread tho. The 4 options were-
1) water changes with a lower alk mix (you can make it as low as you want)
2) slowly adding acid
3) increase organisms in the tank that consume calcium and alkalinity.
4) try removing the sand or replacing it with something else.
Option 1 seems the most viable to me, although I don’t know how to do a water change with a lower alk mix making it as low as I want. That may lower the alk but not getting to the root of the problem and why it’s rising? And I’d rather not add more coral with the chance it will die. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. I will attach a few pics of coral problems.
Water changes every 3 weeks. 180g and change 50g.
Ph- 7.95 - 8.2
Salinity- 1.025
Alk- 9.98
Calc- 454
Mag- 1330
No3- 5
Po4- .15
Temp- 78
All of these parameters are staying very stable accept alk. I’ve done a lot of searching and reading on the issue and seen a reply of a similar post from Randy Holmes Farley. I didn’t want to reply and highjack the thread tho. The 4 options were-
1) water changes with a lower alk mix (you can make it as low as you want)
2) slowly adding acid
3) increase organisms in the tank that consume calcium and alkalinity.
4) try removing the sand or replacing it with something else.
Option 1 seems the most viable to me, although I don’t know how to do a water change with a lower alk mix making it as low as I want. That may lower the alk but not getting to the root of the problem and why it’s rising? And I’d rather not add more coral with the chance it will die. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. I will attach a few pics of coral problems.