Alk too high...?
- Thread starter Leslie88
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chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
15 dKh is a bit high, but higher alkalinity is usually more of a problem in tanks that contain stony corals. It appears that your tank is mostly soft corals.
How are you testing alkalinity? What salt mix do you use? What do you dose? How high is the alkalinity in your newly-mixed saltwater?
How are you testing alkalinity? What salt mix do you use? What do you dose? How high is the alkalinity in your newly-mixed saltwater?
Alk is a bit high, normally you would shoot for between 7-12. Are you dosing alk everyday? I would stop dosing and let it fall slowly and calculate how much alk is being consumed. Once you get to where you want alk level at, Adjust your dosing.
OP
OP
Leslie88
Active Member
It’s salifert test kits, using coral pro salt. I haven’t dosed in awhile. Was using BRS. I did use brightwell 8.3 to raise the ph though.
erky
Active Member
there is your problem, buffers shouldn't be used they cause spikes and probably do more harm than good.
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
What @madweazl said. Your alkalinity is high because you've been dosing the Brightwell supplement.
There are only two reliable ways to affect pH in reef aquaria. The first is to control the carbonate alkalinity. At a given CO2 level, higher alkalinity yields a higher pH, while lower alkalinity yields lower pH. The second is by controlling CO2, but the relationship is inverse to pH levels. At a given alkalinity, higher CO2 yields lower pH, while lower CO2 yields higher pH. The way the Brightwell supplement raises your pH is by raising your alkalinity.
Keeping pH high can be beneficial, but it's not strictly speaking necessary. Especially in your situation where your tank is full of mostly soft corals. Stop dosing the Brightwell supplement and stop dosing any BRS additives and your alkalinity will drop over time.
There are only two reliable ways to affect pH in reef aquaria. The first is to control the carbonate alkalinity. At a given CO2 level, higher alkalinity yields a higher pH, while lower alkalinity yields lower pH. The second is by controlling CO2, but the relationship is inverse to pH levels. At a given alkalinity, higher CO2 yields lower pH, while lower CO2 yields higher pH. The way the Brightwell supplement raises your pH is by raising your alkalinity.
Keeping pH high can be beneficial, but it's not strictly speaking necessary. Especially in your situation where your tank is full of mostly soft corals. Stop dosing the Brightwell supplement and stop dosing any BRS additives and your alkalinity will drop over time.
