Alk consumption increased

[reefndude]

I cut around 25 sps frags that are sitting in display tank. Don't have a frag tank.

Since cutting alkalinity consumption has increased considerably. I'm guessing this is because frags and colonies both went through healing period and frags are encrusting. Am I right to think this is the reason? Few new frags we're also introduced.

 

[Tahoe61]

So the only change is newly cut frags? No clam additions, explosion of coralline algae?

My personal experience with cutting frags is that some corals are a lot like plants, you prune them and they go on growing spurts, horizontal and vertical growth.

Consumption in my tank is not consistent but it's a newer tank. Are you using a dosing pump.

 

[hybridazn]

Im not sure if the newly cut frags have anything to do with it but the new additions def did. How many did you add? Also, how big of an increase in consumption did you have exactly?

 

[twilliard]

Check your calcium
Unless you added a ton of new coral your ALK shouldn't swing
Chemistry imbalance

 

[reefndude]

Just the frags. Coraline covers back glass and overflows but no explosion in growth. Very little on rocks.
I am using dosing pumps...Before cutting I was dosing 41 ml a day. I have bumped it up to 56 ml a day. Just added another 10 secs to timer tonight.

7.6 last night, tonight 7.5
Almost have dialed back in.

 

[reefndude]

Check your calcium
Unless you added a ton of new coral your ALK shouldn't swing
Chemistry imbalance

4 new frags. I checked calcium 4 days ago and it hasn't moved...470 ppm

New frags are encrusting and coloring up

 

[twilliard]

If you let the calcium drop a little your ALK will increase
Happy reefing!

 

[reefndude]

Will the consumption decrease? What do you recommend dropping calcium to?

 

[bknapp]

What's your magnesium?

 

[reefndude]

Mag is 1570...bit on the high side. Increased it to fight bryopsis. Haven't dosed easily 6 months, just doesn't drop. May have now since I've done a ton of water changes this weekend.

 

[twilliard]

Magnesium is just the net for cal and alk
Its like this.. decrease ALK and Cal will rise
Decrease cal and alk will rise
I think it in your dosing schedule.
An increase of demand requires human input of tank inhabitants OR massive growth but at the same time with growth you will see a higher demand of cal

 

[reefndude]

So should I back calcium dose off some to let it decrease? Will this actually make my alk rise or consumption is decreased?

I've been increasing calcium dosage along with alk.

 

[twilliard]

I don't think it has anything to do with consumption
If you back off your calcium to around 440 you will see a higher ALK
Back off of calcium and keep adding ALK
It will come back around

 

[reefndude]

Ok, thanks for the help

 

[twilliard]

No problem!

 

[reefndude]

This turned out to be more of a reef chemistry topic. This just come to my attention...I drop alk in my salt mix to match my tank. So doing that, I am raising calcium.

 

[bknapp]

This turned out to be more of a reef chemistry topic. This just come to my attention...I drop alk in my salt mix to match my tank. So doing that, I am raising calcium.

Raising your alkalinity will never raise your calcium, its the opposite. And any time you adjust your Doser you need to adjust them equally.

 

[reefndude]

I have added a total of 2 mins to my doser for alk and it looks as if I'm still not dosing enough. Is it normal for consumption to increase like this without adding more sps?

Was at 41 ml a day now I'm dosing 78.

 

[bknapp]

Are things growing? I would look for signs of precipitation. Something is out of balance, what are your parameters?

 

[jcdeng]

I have added a total of 2 mins to my doser for alk and it looks as if I'm still not dosing enough. Is it normal for consumption to increase like this without adding more sps?

Was at 41 ml a day now I'm dosing 78.

what is the total volume of you tank? If all the stone corals are growing, expanding, you should be seeing a alk drop. Time to increase dosage, but 78ml seems a big much, unless your tank is 200 gallons and very stocked.