Why is my alkalinity dropping?

[aaron186]

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out why my alkalinity keeps dropping and hoping someone smarter than me can figure this out.
I have a Reefer 425 xxl that has marco rock and ocean direct sand. The lights have been off and theres no coraline in the tank yet. Im using Tropic Marin Pro Salt mixed to 35 ppt which in my storage bin is mixed. My alk in the bin is 8.4 and the pH is 8.1 stored in garage. This stays consistent 1-2 weeks into mixing. Im doing 1.5 gal water change daily through my DOS. My tank though my Alk is dropping to 7.9 and my pH struggles to stay above 7.7. I added a CO2 scrubber to my skimmer. My pH is now at 7.9. Opening a window isn't really possible as I live in Florida. I started dosing the tank with 20 ml of BRS soda ash mixed per instructions. My pH has barely moved and my alk is stable at 8.4. Why though do I need to dose alk into the tank without anything presumably using it? Is it just the lower pH from high CO2? Is there any better way to fix my pH?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Your tank sounds very new. I'm not sure why you're testing alk in the first place...?

 

[aaron186]

Your tank sounds very new. I'm not sure why you're testing alk in the first place...?

I did a prolonged cycle. It’s 4 months old. Waiting on my tangs to finish quarantine to turn on the lights

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I did a prolonged cycle. It’s 4 months old. Waiting on my tangs to finish quarantine to turn on the lights

Still doesn't explain the need to test for alk. I'd wait until you add coral before worrying about all/cal/mag

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Also, if your lights aren't on, nothing is photosynthesizing so your pH will be lower...

 

[Reef Devils]

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out why my alkalinity keeps dropping and hoping someone smarter than me can figure this out.
I have a Reefer 425 xxl that has marco rock and ocean direct sand. The lights have been off and theres no coraline in the tank yet. Im using Tropic Marin Pro Salt mixed to 35 ppt which in my storage bin is mixed. My alk in the bin is 8.4 and the pH is 8.1 stored in garage. This stays consistent 1-2 weeks into mixing. Im doing 1.5 gal water change daily through my DOS. My tank though my Alk is dropping to 7.9 and my pH struggles to stay above 7.7. I added a CO2 scrubber to my skimmer. My pH is now at 7.9. Opening a window isn't really possible as I live in Florida. I started dosing the tank with 20 ml of BRS soda ash mixed per instructions. My pH has barely moved and my alk is stable at 8.4. Why though do I need to dose alk into the tank without anything presumably using it? Is it just the lower pH from high CO2? Is there any better way to fix my pH?

If you don’t have coral there is no need to be worried about alk.

 

[aaron186]

If you don’t have coral there is no need to be worried about alk.

I disagree. I’m not going to add corals if my numbers aren’t stable.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I disagree. I’m not going to add corals if my numbers aren’t stable.

Turn. On. Your. Lights.

 

[aaron186]

Turn. On. Your. Lights.

How is that going to stabilize my alkalinity? If you can’t help answer the questions I asked I don’t really need your help and would appreciate letting someone who can answer help me out.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

How is that going to stabilize my alkalinity? If you can’t help answer the questions I asked I don’t really need your help and would appreciate letting someone who can answer help me out.

I answered this earlier. PH and alkalinity are closely related. Low pH usually means lower alk.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

How is that going to stabilize my alkalinity? If you can’t help answer the questions I asked I don’t really need your help and would appreciate letting someone who can answer help me out.

Right now your tank is so new it doesn't even have the lights on
You're a while away from adding coral. Get some algae growing, go through the "uglies" and then your system will be more mature and have some stability. Right now you're trying to adjust things artificially that might take care of themselves naturally.

 

[aaron186]

I answered this earlier. PH and alkalinity are closely related. Low pH usually means lower alk.

I don’t think that is true. Higher pH results in higher alkalinity demand from coral. But my understanding of chemistry is that pH/CO2 levels don’t alter the ammount of alkalinity in the tank directly. Without uptake there shouldn’t be any change in Alk from the tank. Something is causing it to precipitate out

 

[aaron186]

Right now your tank is so new it doesn't even have the lights on
You're a while away from adding coral. Get some algae growing, go through the "uglies" and then your system will be more mature and have some stability. Right now you're trying to adjust things artificially that might take care of themselves naturally.

I’m waiting on tangs to turn on lights

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I’m waiting on tangs to turn on lights

You're rushing things. You need to let the tank start to mature.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don’t think that is true. Higher pH results in higher alkalinity demand from coral. But my understanding of chemistry is that pH/CO2 levels don’t alter the ammount of alkalinity in the tank directly. Without uptake there shouldn’t be any change in Alk from the tank. Something is causing it to precipitate out

Post in thread 'dkh drops way to much' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dkh-drops-way-to-much.223946/post-2586882

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Is it just the lower pH from high CO2? Is there any better way to fix my pH?

^^This is what you asked, and thus my answers geared toward raising pH (get some algae!!!)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

@Pickle_soup , laughing with or laughing at?

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Keep in mind that the pro reef version of tropic marin salt mixes to a lower alk value as it is assumed an additive such as 2-part mixes will be uses to adjust cal/mag/alk for growing corals. I am keenly aware of this as it is the salt I use.
I agree that your tank is too early to "worry" about alk yet. PH and Alk are directly related, once the tank is settled you can look at dosing kalk or a 2-part or whatever the tank shows you it needs that will up your alk and give a ph boost. At this point you should turn the lights on and leave the tank alone to do it's thing. You're going to go through a bunch of ups and downs before the tank stabilizes.
If a low alk reading is you're only "issue" right now the tank is doing well. You really should have some algae growing in there if you are adding tangs though....don't want the tang police showing up!! LOL
Keep it up and hope it all goes well

 

[gbroadbridge]

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out why my alkalinity keeps dropping and hoping someone smarter than me can figure this out.
I have a Reefer 425 xxl that has marco rock and ocean direct sand. The lights have been off and theres no coraline in the tank yet. Im using Tropic Marin Pro Salt mixed to 35 ppt which in my storage bin is mixed. My alk in the bin is 8.4 and the pH is 8.1 stored in garage. This stays consistent 1-2 weeks into mixing. Im doing 1.5 gal water change daily through my DOS. My tank though my Alk is dropping to 7.9 and my pH struggles to stay above 7.7. I added a CO2 scrubber to my skimmer. My pH is now at 7.9. Opening a window isn't really possible as I live in Florida. I started dosing the tank with 20 ml of BRS soda ash mixed per instructions. My pH has barely moved and my alk is stable at 8.4. Why though do I need to dose alk into the tank without anything presumably using it? Is it just the lower pH from high CO2? Is there any better way to fix my pH?

As others have said there is no need to waste time and effort measuring Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium at this point.

Until you have fish and other animals in the tank there is nothing you need to adjust other than maintaining salinity. Ignore pH - it will sort itself out.

 

[Reef Devils]

I disagree. I’m not going to add corals if my numbers aren’t stable.

There is no need to test for alk, cal, and mag if you don’t have corals.

You need to get your lights on and get fish in there. You need to get through the ugly stage before you start adding corals.

Don’t rush I made the same mistake and I lost 4 corals.