Alkalinity Increasing Without Dosing!?

[AngryOwl]

I don't currently dose anything for the major 3 elements (Alk, Cal, Mag)... and recently began large individual element correction dosages on my tank based on ICP results. These corrections included the following elements: Potassium, Bromine, Strontium, Fluoride, Iodide, Barium, Molybdenum, Nickel, Manganese, Chrome, Cobalt, Iron, Zinc, Rubidium.

Most of these were very depleted. I did these corrections over 10 days and in that span I observed an Alkalinity increase from 10.8 to 11.9. So the big question is why and how?

Correct me if I am mistaken but I've heard in the past that Alkalinity isn't really an element such as most of what we test for. Rather it is a make up of all the available elements (and some sciencey stuff about bi-carbonate). So could the large change to these other elements have contributed to the increase?

 

[rmurken]

If any of your additions included carbonate/bicarb, hydroxide, or borate as the anion, that might explain it. I’ve also had my alkalinity increase without apparent explanation—could at least be partly due to denitrification or other processes as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

None of those elements listed boost alk. Did you do any water changes or top off with tap water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In the future, I wouldn’t waste money on barium and rubidium. Neither has any known role in any known organism.

 

[GoVols]

None of those elements listed boost alk. Did you do any water changes or top off with tap water?

Hello Randy,
If your nitrate levels go down, can't our alk rise, and... Visa versa?

 

[Val Shebeko]

F

 

[AngryOwl]

None of those elements listed boost alk. Did you do any water changes or top off with tap water?

No water changes or tap water lol. I did add about 8 cups of salt to my top off water to help raise salinty.. but that was with tropic marin pro which to my understanding mixes at 7dkh.

 

[GoVols]

No water changes or tap water lol. I did add about 8 cups of salt to my top off water to help raise salinty.. but that was with tropic marin pro which to my understanding mixes at 7dkh.

7 dkh sounds right for TM Pro (at .35ppt), but it could have raised your alk too.

lol
Tagging for Randy's response...

 

[AngryOwl]

7 dkh sound right for TM Pro, but it could have raised your alk too.

Can you help me understand how? Logic tells me if I start with 10dkh and add a solution that is 7dkh.. that doesn't equal 11dkh. Excuse me if that example sounds rude but I don't understand how is all ;Bookworm

 

[GoVols]

Can you help me understand how? Logic tells me if I start with 10dkh and add a solution that is 7dkh.. that doesn't equal 11dkh. Excuse me if that example sounds rude but I don't understand how is all ;Bookworm

Not sure (lol waiting for Randy), have you calibrated your refractometer with a good .35 solution?

Drop in Nitrates?

 

[Val Shebeko]

Not sure (lol waiting for Randy), have you calibrated your refractometer with a good .35 solution?

Tropic Marin will bring it down. I had the sane problem. Water changes with TM did the trick.
Are you running a deep sand bed?

 

[GoVols]

Can you help me understand how? Logic tells me if I start with 10dkh and add a solution that is 7dkh.. that doesn't equal 11dkh. Excuse me if that example sounds rude but I don't understand how is all ;Bookworm

You would have to make a water change at the same salinity with an lower alk mix, to lower your alk.

So, you still added more alk when you raised your salinity.

Kinda in a catch 22. Going to have let your alk slide down once you hit the salinity that your shooting for.

 

[GoVols]

Tropic Marin will bring it down. I had the sane problem. Water changes with TM did the trick.
Are you running a deep sand bed?

Not without an water change, your still adding more alk, cal and mag "without" making a water change.

OP was using top off water with salt mix.

I'm a bare bottom reefer.

 

[AngryOwl]

Not sure (lol waiting for Randy), have you calibrated your refractometer with a good .35 solution?

Drop in Nitrates?

Just got a hanna pen and calibrated it. Also calibrated my refractormeter. I'm currently sitting at 33.5... bringing it up to 35.

Haven't tested for nitrates.

 

[AngryOwl]

Tropic Marin will bring it down. I had the sane problem. Water changes with TM did the trick.
Are you running a deep sand bed?

It blows all over the place and the gobies constantly move it. Deepest would maybe be 1.5 inches... average being 3/4"

 

[GoVols]

No water changes or tap water lol. I did add about 8 cups of salt to my top off water to help raise salinty

That will do it.

 

[AngryOwl]

Not without an water change, your still adding more alk, cal and mag "without" making a water change.

OP was using top off water with salt mix.

I'm a bare bottom reefer.

You should try reefing with pants...

 

[Val Shebeko]

Not without an water change, your still adding more alk, cal and mag "without" making a water change.

OP was using top off water with salt mix.

I'm a bare bottom reefer.

You are correct. He js adding TM to his ATO water and adding that.
He should be mixing TM at whatever salinity and doing a water change with that. Then his dKH would come down as his salinity went up over the course if several water changes.

 

[GoVols]

He should be mixing TM at whatever salinity and doing a water change with that. Then his dKH would come down as his salinity went up over the course if several water changes.

Totally agree!!

 

[AngryOwl]

You are correct. He js adding TM to his ATO water and adding that.
He should be mixing TM at whatever salinity and doing a water change with that. Then his dKH would come down as his salinity went up over the course if several water changes.

This was the lightbulb moment for me, thank you