Alk at 15/16

[JMM744]

sps tank. Apex is messed up. Can I leave the alk drop naturally or water change right away or? Mag is 1450 and Calc. is 430.
Thanks , Jim

 

[JimWelsh]

You can bring the alk down quickly and easily with *very* small amounts of muriatic acid (you didn't say what the volume of your system is), but you must be able to monitor tank pH closely and accurately while you do this, and don't let the pH drop too low. Stay above pH 7.7.

 

[JMM744]

Thank you Jim. Good to know that. My next question would be will dropping the alk quickly harm my sps corals ? Am thinking about the problems encountered by others due to alk swings.

 

[JimWelsh]

Well, that is a matter subject to debate, and a very good question. I'm assuming from your thread title and original question that you wanted advice about how to return to the pre-event dKH level. I suggested one way to do that. That's all.

 

[JMM744]

Jim I very much appreciate your advice. I would have never thought about adding acid to lower it. Hopefully many others will learn from this thread as I have.
Jim

 

[JMM744]

Got my alk down to 10. I tried the acid, 4 drops in a 70 system with sump. Got it down to 13. After that the ph dropped. I ended up changing out 30 gal. with fresh mix and then I pumped about 40 gal. out and into my 400 gal. system. It’s fish only and the alk was at 5 in it. Let the system run about 15 min. and then refilled the 70. Going to monitor and let it drop on its own for now. Watching my sps for signs of stn.

 

[SeaDweller]

Got my alk down to 10. I tried the acid, 4 drops in a 70 system with sump. Got it down to 13. After that the ph dropped. I ended up changing out 30 gal. with fresh mix and then I pumped about 40 gal. out and into my 400 gal. system. It’s fish only and the alk was at 5 in it. Let the system run about 15 min. and then refilled the 70. Going to monitor and let it drop on its own for now. Watching my sps for signs of stn.

Good luck. I hope that huge drop doesn’t do anything to your coral. Rootin for you.

 

[Saveafish]

You can bring the alk down quickly and easily with *very* small amounts of muriatic acid (you didn't say what the volume of your system is), but you must be able to monitor tank pH closely and accurately while you do this, and don't let the pH drop too low. Stay above pH 7.7.

muriatic acid NOT vinegar, vinegar will lower for a short term and than it'll go back up on its own.

 

[laverda]

I would expect you corals to suffer more from the high alk than the decrease. I have used muritac acid in the past myself. Another way to decrease it is to lower your salinity a little. I read some where it is the prefered way to do it quickly. I have not tried it myself.

 

[SeaDweller]

I would expect you corals to suffer more from the high alk than the decrease. I have used muritac acid in the past myself. Another way to decrease it is to lower your salinity a little. I read some where it is the prefered way to do it quickly. I have not tried it myself.

I think the sudden drop may be a concerns right? Anyway, by lowering salinity you're talking about using straight up RODI to replace what you take out, in essence diluting the tank?