alk/ph problems with kalk

dsmooth · Feb 18, 2015

I have a 40g breeder with sps . My parameters were ph 8.3 , calcium 400, and alk 10 prior to my oversize skimmer upgrade , it went up to 8.4 to 8.5 afterwards but would correct itself with vinegar dosing. The last 2 weeks I started dripping kalk +2 with vinegar, at a dose 15ml of vinegar, 1 tsp of kalk in a gallon of water. My ph fluctuates from 8.5 to 8.6, alk went up to 12.2, and calcium 455. Do I need to skim a night only, stop kalk, and dose 2 part or add more vinegar. Pease help me trouble shoot.

Chris Adams · Feb 18, 2015

Have those #'s been stable at all with the kalk and vinegar?

#'s are on the higher end... are you seeing issues?

So you dose nothing else correct

Chris Adams · Feb 18, 2015

Your original #'s seem pretty good why did you start the kalk and vinegar

dsmooth · Feb 18, 2015

I am a heavy feeder so I originaly had algea issues but it went away after i started vinegar dosing. I have great growth and polyp extension still but I stopped dripping kalk untill my levels come back down. I started dripping kalk due to the set it and forget convenience of dripping kalk.

dsmooth · Feb 18, 2015

Correct I dose nothing else.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 19, 2015

First I'd double check the pH measurement (recalibrate).

I'd also keep the alkalinity lower than the 12 dKH.

At 12 dKH, seawater in equilibrium with normal air will ahve a pH around 8.43. Seawater with an alkalinity of 7 will have a pH of 8.2 when similarly equilibrated.

FWIW, pH 8.5 is not a problem, but as you get higher than that, you'll get more and more precipitation of calcium carbonate on heaters and pumps.

Chris Adams · Feb 19, 2015

How quickly(what amount and time) can you reduce ALK without it being an issue

Chris Adams · Feb 19, 2015

Well I think I should have thought about the question before I asked it. I guess the best way is to let the tank take care of reduction. I mean how else would you reduce it? Should have had more coffee.

Robert_ellis · Feb 19, 2015

Chris Adams said:
How quickly(what amount and time) can you reduce ALK without it being an issue

Just stop dosing anything that would raise alk and let it naturally come down.dont lower anything faster then ~.5 a day. It's a safe number. Some people say 1 dkh is safe but I've seen some tank struggle a bit with lowering it that fast.

Chris Adams · Feb 19, 2015

I think I should start my own thread as I too have some questions and sorry for partial hijack

dsmooth · Feb 19, 2015

Chris Adams said:
I think I should start my own thread as I too have some questions and sorry for partial hijack

No please keep the questions coming I'm learning from your questions, thx

dsmooth · Feb 19, 2015

I read that vinegar is supposed to raise calcium a little. My purpose of dosing kalk was because once I get my parameters were I wanted them I was under the impression that the kalk will keep my levels constant until my corals demand more. My problem is my alk and calcium levels are going up. I understand why the alk is increasing but not the calcium. Thanks Randy I will recalibrate my ph probe, but I did replace and recalibrate it last month.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 19, 2015

If you are dosing more limewater than the tank needs to meet the demand, then both calcium and alkalinity rise, but on a percentage basis, alkalinity rises much faster.