Alkalinity around 14-16 dkh

[Joeganja]

I test with the salifert and Red Sea test kits and I'm getting the same results. My coral and fish are fine I don't see any signs polyp closing or rtn. Since I use rodi water for my top off water I add reef buffer by seachem which helps keep my pH stable but didn't expect it to raise my alkalinity so high. Any suggestions?

 

[skim]

Stop adding the buffer and test the rest of your water parameters. I think you may find your pH swing has to do with CO2, Ph swings are not such big thing to worry about I go from 8.0 to 8.3 sometimes at peak lighting. You are on the extreme high side for Alk. so be careful.

 

[Joeganja]

Stop adding the buffer and test the rest of your water parameters. I think you may find your pH swing has to do with CO2, Ph swings are not such big thing to worry about I go from 8.0 to 8.3 sometimes at peak lighting. You are on the extreme high side for Alk. so be careful.

I won't be adding any pH buffer and I'll just top the water rodi water without it. I'm just trying to figure out a way to top off water without lowering pH and keeping it at around 8.0-8.1.

 

[skim]

I do not add anything to my top up RO/DI water. You should try a couple of things to see if it's just CO2 build up. Try opening some windows for a while and see if the pH climbs up or add a air pump with airstone to the sump. A pH of 7.8 is still fine no harm will come to the inhabitants. You could also look into dosing Kalk. which would help with the CO2 and help stabilize your Alk and raise your pH. I used Two little Fishies Kalk. reactor before I got my Cal reactor and it worked quite well, just hooked it up to the auto top off.

 

[Joeganja]

I do not add anything to my top up RO/DI water. You should try a couple of things to see if it's just CO2 build up. Try opening some windows for a while and see if the pH climbs up or add a air pump with airstone to the sump. A pH of 7.8 is still fine no harm will come to the inhabitants. You could also look into dosing Kalk. which would help with the CO2 and help stabilize your Alk and raise your pH. I used Two little Fishies Kalk. reactor before I got my Cal reactor and it worked quite well, just hooked it up to the auto top off.

My pH drops easily around 7.5 it's a 25 gallon innovative marine lagoon so I don't have a whole sump
Or anything so it's a little difficult to dose kalk

 

[skim]

Yes it's not unheard of to go 7.5 and I would really be suspect to CO2. What are you using to test the pH? Do you have a skimmer? Do you use a Filter? Do you use any Filter Media? What is your Salinity? What is your Cal. and Mag.?

 

[Joeganja]

Yes it's not unheard of to go 7.5 and I would really be suspect to CO2. What are you using to test the pH? Do you have a skimmer? Do you use a Filter? Do you use any Filter Media? What is your Salinity? What is your Cal. and Mag.?

I use a skimmer, purigen in the bad, seachem matrix bio media, and then I have an mp10 and then my return pump the nozzles face up for oxygen exchange. Calcium is 470ppm, magnesium 1160. It's an all in one.

 

[skim]

Your Mag. is a bit low you and you may want to bring it up as that may help with your pH. Mag. is actually more important then Cal. is. Since you seem to like Seachem they have Mag. in crystal/powder form you could add this to your top up and they also supply a formula on the container if you know how much you need to increase and how to do it. I would get the big container as it is not easy to raise Mag. it can be a slow process. I would target 1350 - 1400.

 

[Joeganja]

Your Mag. is a bit low you and you may want to bring it up as that may help with your pH. Mag. is actually more important then Cal. is. Since you seem to like Seachem they have Mag. in crystal/powder form you could add this to your top up and they also supply a formula on the container if you know how much you need to increase and how to do it. I would get the big container as it is not easy to raise Mag. it can be a slow process. I would target 1350 - 1400.

I do have ions by aquavitro and I'm slowly adding that so I can get it just right and then based on how that goes might just get either ions and if it doesn't work powder is always gonna be better.

 

[skim]

As far as I know Ions is for when all is in ware you want it and it will help keep it there. Like I said I know it takes a lot of work to raise Mag. You may be better off doing a bunch of water changes in a row until your numbers get more in line. Add nothing until that and then add or use Ions. What Salt do you use?

 

[Joeganja]

As far as I know Ions is for when all is in ware you want it and it will help keep it there. Like I said I know it takes a lot of work to raise Mag. You may be better off doing a bunch of water changes in a row until your numbers get more in line. Add nothing until that and then add or use Ions. What Salt do you use?

Seachem reef.

 

[skim]

Nice Salt I use to use it. I use Salinity if you get a chance you should give it a try I find the stuff just great. OK so Seachem reef usually has a nice high level of Mag. so you would be most likely better off doing a bunch of water changes in a row say 20 gal. 4 days in a row should stabilize things. It seems your system maybe Mag. hungry or the buffer just shot things out a little.

 

[Joeganja]

Nice Salt I use to use it. I use Salinity if you get a chance you should give it a try I find the stuff just great. OK so Seachem reef usually has a nice high level of Mag. so you would be most likely better off doing a bunch of water changes in a row say 20 gal. 4 days in a row should stabilize things. It seems your system maybe Mag. hungry or the buffer just shot things out a little.

Well I'm happy they are coming out with a new seachem reef salt called vibrant sea which is supposed to have more potassium. But I'll give salinity a try next time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Since I use rodi water for my top off water I add reef buffer by seachem which helps keep my pH stable but didn't expect it to raise my alkalinity so high. Any suggestions?

It is an alk supplement. Stop using it. RO/DI is NEVER the cause of low pH and needs no buffering, no matter what you measure it to be.