Alk not dropping

Chad3407 · Jul 25, 2018

I have been having an issue where my alk is not dropping and when I say not dropping it’s been almost 2 months and it’s been the same. I have 2 redsea test kits that I measured 8.8-9.0 on both kits. In the last 2 weeks I bought a Hanna checker and it has measured 8.7 for 2 weeks. The redsea still measures 8.8-9.0. Tank is newer but I’m getting good coraline growth and 20 plus frags that are growing. My calcium has maybe dropped 10-20 ppm in the same time frame. I only top off with ro/di water and have not done a water change in over 2 months. Only thing I can contribute it to is a few pieces of shelf life rock. I just find it very odd that calcium and alk have been steady for so long. Is this a problem or just good luck?

Chad3407 · Jul 25, 2018

Tank is also bare bottom is that matters.

Timrpn · Jan 1, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 1, 2019

Timrpn said:
Bump

Is your alk unchanging? What is in the tank?

Timrpn · Jan 1, 2019

For me it is a bunch of softies and a few SPS frags. Small Plate coral. Tank is 75 gal. I used AF reef salt, my ALK hovers at 9.3

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 1, 2019

Timrpn said:
For me it is a bunch of softies and a few SPS frags. Small Plate coral. Tank is 75 gal. I used AF reef salt, my ALK hovers at 9.3

What do you add to the tank?

Timrpn · Jan 1, 2019

Nothing, i do water changes every 2ish weeks using AF salt, which has a lower ALK level. I have comp 1,2,3 from AF, but i have yet to start dosing it. I have GFO running because phosphate was high, but no algae growing, just measured .26 on Hanna checker last week so added GFO and running AF Carbon.

Timrpn · Jan 1, 2019

Timrpn said:
Nothing, i do water changes every 2ish weeks using AF salt, which has a lower ALK level. I have comp 1,2,3 from AF, but i have yet to start dosing it. I have GFO running because phosphate was high, but no algae growing, just measured .26 on Hanna checker last week so added GFO and running AF Carbon.

Feed Frozen Mysis Shrimp every 2-3 days.

Chad3407 · Jan 1, 2019

Just so you know mine started dropping once the tank settled in and after I started noticing coraline growing. I think the rock I was using was buffing the water more than I expected. The only odd issue I have now is the fact I go through more magnesium than I do anything thing else. And it's been like that since day one.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 1, 2019

Timrpn said:
Nothing, i do water changes every 2ish weeks using AF salt, which has a lower ALK level. I have comp 1,2,3 from AF, but i have yet to start dosing it. I have GFO running because phosphate was high, but no algae growing, just measured .26 on Hanna checker last week so added GFO and running AF Carbon.

Do you use tap water for top off? It often has alk in it.

You may be fine and just need to wait for growth to increase.

Timrpn · Jan 1, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you use tap water for top off? It often has alk in it.

You may be fine and just need to wait for growth to increase.

Nope, i use RODI, 0 TDS at end...

Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 1, 2019

Chad3407 said:
Just so you know mine started dropping once the tank settled in and after I started noticing coraline growing. I think the rock I was using was buffing the water more than I expected. The only odd issue I have now is the fact I go through more magnesium than I do anything thing else. And it's been like that since day one.

That can only be from your salt mix. There's no sink for magnesium that does not use more calcium (like 5-10x) and a lot of alk.

Chad3407 · Jan 1, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That can only be from your salt mix. There's no sink for magnesium that does not use more calcium (like 5-10x) and a lot of alk.

This I know and why it never makes since in my tank. I use fritz salt and test ever water change batch for alk, calcium, and mag. Mag is always 1400-1450. I do a 20gallon change once a week on a 100g tank. And I still have a hard time getting mag over 1350. I normally add 1 cup of brs liquid mag solution ever other week just to keep it at 1350.