Alk was a little low last night

[PacoPetty]

Basic set up run down:
Bio Cube 32
InTank Media Basket with filter floss, two bags of Marine Pure gems, ChemiPure Elite on bottom shelf
InTank Fuge Basket with Chaeto, Fuge light on 12 hours opposite DT lights

PH 8.3
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5
Ammonia 2.5
Cal 460

My dKH is usually 8-9 but last night when I checked it was 6. My Chaeto has doubled in size over the last two weeks and can be harvested. My PH stayed at 7.8 until I added the fuge basket with Chaeto now it stays at 8.2. If I harvest half of my Chaeto will this have an adverse effect on my other parameters? The only coral I have is a small frag of 4 clove polyps that I put in Saturday but have yet to open up. (The tank is only 7 weeks old.)

 

[W1ngz]

As promised here's my answer

Higher pH will increase the growth, which would easily explain the alk drop. In your case, the growth may be coralline algae since you don't have much by way of corals. If you cut your chaeto in half, you may see a pH drop and less alkalinity consumption. Halving the chaeto could also start the nitrates and phosphates to start to climb until the chaeto starts to build up again.

I would remove only 1/4 of the chaeto and observe the results.

 

[PacoPetty]

As promised here's my answer

Higher pH will increase the growth, which would easily explain the alk drop. In your case, the growth may be coralline algae since you don't have much by way of corals. If you cut your chaeto in half, you may see a pH drop and less alkalinity consumption. Halving the chaeto could also start the nitrates and phosphates to start to climb until the chaeto starts to build up again.

I would remove only 1/4 of the chaeto and observe the results.

I don’t have any Coraline growth yet but I have this bright green algae that started appearing about two weeks ago. It now covers all of my rocks that the lights touch.

 

[W1ngz]

Hard to say from a photo, that could be film algae but young coralline algae is sometimes that colour also.

 

[PacoPetty]

Hard to say from a photo, that could be film algae but young coralline algae is sometimes that colour also.

I'm going to go with "the glass is half full" and says it's Coraline!

 

[W1ngz]

Hope so! I'd still suggest going easy on the chaeto removal. I over-harvested mine in January and I'm just now getting all my parameters to behave themselves again.

 

[PacoPetty]

Hope so! I'd still suggest going easy on the chaeto removal. I over-harvested mine in January and I'm just now getting all my parameters to behave themselves again.

I will leave it alone for now bc the tank looks really good and I don't want to constantly chase numbers.

 

[dadnjesse]

If it rubs off the rocks easily its not Coralline Algae.

 

[PacoPetty]

I did a 10 gallon water change and everything is back to normal

 

[PacoPetty]

Alk is 9.

 

[PacoPetty]

If it rubs off the rocks easily its not Coralline Algae.

It does not rub off but you can chip it off in flakes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If alk declines slowly, it is fine to give it a boost with some baking soda. Cheaper than water changes.

 

[PacoPetty]

If alk declines slowly, it is fine to give it a boost with some baking soda. Cheaper than water changes.

Thanks Randy!