Alk burn question

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

I have been using red sea salt and doing 15% water changes weekly.(30gAIO) I have noticed alk burn to most of my sps(Digis, acros, Birdsnest and montis) could this be from the high alk in the salt?

My alk stays around 148ppm Hanna checker
and cal stays around 400ppm Red sea test
Temp within 1 degree of 78.2
Ph 8.2 API test
nitrates 0 API test
phosphates 0 API test

So my question is since the salt has 12dkh and i'm at 8.2 when I do a water change thats bringing my alk up but I haven't tested before and after water change yet.

mike007 · Feb 16, 2014

EW_Fish said:
I have been using red sea salt and doing 15% water changes weekly.(30gAIO) I have noticed alk burn to most of my sps(Digis, acros, Birdsnest and montis) could this be from the high alk in the salt?

My alk stays around 148ppm Hanna checker
and cal stays around 400ppm Red sea test
Temp within 1 degree of 78.2
Ph 8.2 API test
nitrates 0 API test
phosphates 0 API test

So my question is since the salt has 12dkh and i'm at 8.2 when I do a water change thats bringing my alk up but I haven't tested before and after water change yet.

I doubt that a water change would bring up the alk to 12 but it would be a good idea to check before and after results.There may be other issues.

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

I didn't think it would go t twelve but more then 1dkh could be a problem

mike007 · Feb 16, 2014

1 dkh in a day will not cause a problem.

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

Nitrate-0
Nitrite-0
Phosphates-0
Ammonia -0
Cal-400
Alk-148
Mag-1320
Temp 78.2 1 + or -

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

I've had this problem ever since I used the brs reef saver rock. I cycled the tank and now when I put sps in it I get alk burn Then bleaches out. Haven't changed anything and always have done things the same.

mike007 · Feb 16, 2014

Can you post pics?

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

Give me 5 min

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

Heres an older picture I'll get you one of now but its the birdsnest in the middle of the rock

mike007 · Feb 16, 2014

If this a smaller tank you may be correct. Sps corals do not like swings In parameters. You need to try to keep parameters as stable as possible. Many people use a dosing regiment each day to keeps these levels stable. Also you need good lighting to maintain sps.

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

Using leds. I use to dose alk but since I switched to red sea its been stable

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

EW_Fish · Feb 16, 2014

Alk drops 5ppm a week
Temp stays 78.2 with 1 degree + -
Have ATO so salinity stays at 1.026
ph is 8.2-8.4
Rodi filters are new.
I'm pretty stumped

FL_Reefer · Feb 17, 2014

I'm assuming that your using Red Sea pro. Maybe try the Red Sea regular salt, I know it mixes at a lower dkh.

mcarroll · Feb 17, 2014

It's not clear to me, did you add rock to an established tank? If so, I'd check for ammonia. The other factors may be coincidental.

-Matt

EW_Fish · Feb 17, 2014

I cycled the rock and added it to a new system and let the system cycle then moved my main system to the new system. I have tested multiple times for ammonia and get 0 each time. LFS also has tested becuase I thought I was going crazy and trying to figure out whats going on. I have kept a full blown sps tank with no problems and now this.

lakeviewink · Feb 18, 2014

Do you feed your tank? I find that no nutrients showing is a bad recipe IMO. I would try to bump up your No3 and PO4 a bit and see what happens. I know it seems unrelated but I had a similar issue recently. Also try smaller water changes but more often- more stability IME

ChuckFu · Feb 19, 2014

Are you dosing vodka or any carbon based additive to reduce phosphate? If so, your question is answered. Dosing vodka with high Alk will cause tip burn. Switch to Red Sea regular or another neutral salt.