Curious how this is possible...

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hey, so I have two tanks currently...a 10 and 20 gallon and have just started testing the parameter for the 20 gallon a few months ago since I wanted to start adding coral to it only to find the alk is insanely high somehow and i have no idea why...(I'm talking like 13-14 dKH). I use the same water and test kit for both tanks and while the 10 gallon tank tests at about 7 dKH (and i do have to dose it), the other which i don't dose tests ridiculously higher. Thoughts as to how this is possible are greatly appreciated. It doesn't seem to be affecting the LPS in the tank negativity, not the one SPS which is a Porites with Christmas Tree Worms but I'd still like to solve the mystery. Again, I use the same water and salt mix for water changes and the same test kit.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Do you know the Nitrate level in the 20 gal?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Do you know the Nitrate level in the 20 gal?

It's never been over ~20 according to my test kits since i started testing which makes sense since i do frequent water changes due to the needs of the starfish (AF Test Pro Kits)

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Also only fish are 3 clowns so feeding isn't super heavy or anything

 

[Miami Reef]

I‘m not sure if finding the ”mystery” is even worth the effort. Make a large water change with your low alkalinity salt mix to bring it back down.

There could be many reasons why your alkalinity is high, but if you aren’t intentionally dosing it, bringing it back down will usually solve the issue.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I‘m not sure if finding the ”mystery” is even worth the effort. Make a large water change with your low alkalinity salt mix to bring it back down.

There could be many reasons why your alkalinity is high, but if you aren’t intentionally dosing it, bringing it back down will usually solve the issue.

Thats true...i feel like if i dont figure out the "why" though it may just continue to rise for whatever reason brought it so high in the first place

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Either way, i thought it might be an interesting question for Randy

 

[Miami Reef]

Thats true...i feel like if i dont figure out the "why" though it may just continue to rise for whatever reason brought it so high in the first place

Not necessarily. If you used tap water in the past but don’t anymore, your alkalinity won’t rise again.

As I said above, there are just so many reasons alkalinity can accumulate in a reef tank. The slow dissolution of sand can slowly raise alkalinity over time if there isn’t much demand.

If you used rocks or something made of cement, that could also raise alkalinity.

Any liquid pH buffer will raise the alkalinity (despite false claims stating otherwise).

If your salinity is higher, the alkalinity will be as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey, so I have two tanks currently...a 10 and 20 gallon and have just started testing the parameter for the 20 gallon a few months ago since I wanted to start adding coral to it only to find the alk is insanely high somehow and i have no idea why...(I'm talking like 13-14 dKH). I use the same water and test kit for both tanks and while the 10 gallon tank tests at about 7 dKH (and i do have to dose it), the other which i don't dose tests ridiculously higher. Thoughts as to how this is possible are greatly appreciated. It doesn't seem to be affecting the LPS in the tank negativity, not the one SPS which is a Porites with Christmas Tree Worms but I'd still like to solve the mystery. Again, I use the same water and salt mix for water changes and the same test kit.

What is the alkalinity in your new salt water?

Trying to determine if the difference is alk depletion in one of them, or a rise in alk in the other.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

What is the alkalinity in your new salt water?

Trying to determine if the difference is alk depletion in one of them, or a rise in alk in the other.

It's always between 7 and 8...i have tested multiple times and at times have even had to add baking soda to raise the alk in my mix a little since i like it to be around 8-8.5

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What sort of rock and sand is in the high alk tank? (cement can raise alk)

Can you list anything you add to it?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

What sort of rock and sand is in the high alk tank? (cement can raise alk)

Can you list anything you add to it?

Besides food and amino acids nothing is added...it was started with all live ocean rock like my other tank...should i just work on lowering the alk and see if it rises without dosing again? If so, how would you recommend lowering it? Just water changes with my regular salt mix?

 

[chipchipmofo]

I had an issue with a new tank which had high alk..i was wondering why it is rising all the time..
then I bought another bucket of salt which has low alk.. still, the new mixed saltwater had high alk..
then I tested my RODI water and it had 3 dKH.

So also the ATO did raise my alk in that tank.

After chaning all membranes and filters finally my RODI was 0 alk

So, maybe worth checking your RODI?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I had an issue with a new tank which had high alk..i was wondering why it is rising all the time..
then I bought another bucket of salt which has low alk.. still, the new mixed saltwater had high alk..
then I tested my RODI water and it had 3 dKH.

So also the ATO did raise my alk in that tank.

After chaning all membranes and filters finally my RODI was 0 alk

So, maybe worth checking your RODI?

Ok, I'd give that a shot...both tanks are topped off with the same RODI though so i think it's unlikely but who knows?...I'll test it...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Besides food and amino acids nothing is added...it was started with all live ocean rock like my other tank...should i just work on lowering the alk and see if it rises without dosing again? If so, how would you recommend lowering it? Just water changes with my regular salt mix?

Which amino acids exactly? Some will add alkalinity, depending on the chemical form.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Which amino acids exactly? Some will add alkalinity, depending on the chemical form.

AF Aminos Acids

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

AF Aminos Acids

I do not know how they formulate it, or even which amino acids they use.

Some will boost alk. If the pH in the amino acid mix is high, that is one sign, but not the only way it could boost alk.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I do not know how they formulate it, or even which amino acids they use.

Some will boost alk. If the pH in the amino acid mix is high, that is one sign, but not the only way it could boost alk.

I'll cut way back on dosing the aminos then (i don't dose very much and definitely don't overdose) but it's worth a shot...how do you recommend lowering the alk? I don't plan on adding SPS to that tank anytime soon (maybe a few more LPS though). Is it actually even a problem? Regardless, i would like to lower it to reasonable levels...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'll cut way back on dosing the aminos then (i don't dose very much and definitely don't overdose) but it's worth a shot...how do you recommend lowering the alk? I don't plan on adding SPS to that tank anytime soon (maybe a few more LPS though). Is it actually even a problem? Regardless, i would like to lower it to reasonable levels...

If you want the alk lower, and it has been steady high, I'd lower it by water change (you can even drop the alk in the new salt water to use it more effectively if you want; hydrochloric acid and sodium bisulfate both work well for this purpose), then watch it again to see what happens.

if it rises again, I'd spend more effort to figure it out, or just set up a routine water change with a very low alk mix.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

If you want the alk lower, and it has been steady high, I'd lower it by water change (you can even drop the alk in the new salt water to use it more effectively if you want; hydrochloric acid and sodium bisulfate both work well for this purpose), then watch it again to see what happens.

if it rises again, I'd spend more effort to figure it out, or just set up a routine water change with a very low alk mix.

Thanks Randy! I think I'll try to lower it but is really high alk generally a problem with LPS in the first place?