Alkalinity issues

Johnny bass07 · Jan 8, 2020

I lowered my light intensity a month or so ago and when I did I noticed my sps stop growing (encrusting) I have about 20 frags. My alkalinity was locked in at 8.4 for several months. When I checked it was 8.7 and I started getting some burnt tips. I stopped dosing kalkwasser about five days ago and I haven't done any water changes or add anything else. Why is my alk not dropping? 5 days ago my alk was 8.7 my calcium was 500 and magnesium was 1350. Now alk is the same calcium dropped to 460 and magnesium dropped to 1260. My corals seem to be growing again also which is why I'm confused why everything is dropping but my alk. I use a hanna checker. I tested a new batch of water and it tested where it should have so I dont feel it's the hanna checker. Anyone have any idea why it's not dropping?

Drysea · Jan 8, 2020

It will drop as your growth continues I wouldn’t chase it yet

Fugepower · Jan 9, 2020

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe the reason it isn't dropping right away is because the OPs calcium was so high

Johnny bass07 · Jan 9, 2020

So when the calcium drops to a certain point the alk should start dropping?

Fugepower · Jan 9, 2020

I believe so once your calcium levels get back to normal range things should start buffering properly again I've had this issue in the past I've been out of the hobby for a couple years and I'm just getting back in so hopefully someone with more experience can chime in here as well

Johnny bass07 · Jan 9, 2020

That's what I'm hoping. Time will tell

dadnjesse · Jan 9, 2020

My calcium is 560 and my Alkalinity drops every day, I seem to be opposite you as my Alk drops but my Calcium rises, I don't dose but run a Calcium reactor.

ca1ore · Jan 9, 2020

High calcium usually results in low alkalinity, not high, due to precipitation issues?

Fugepower · Jan 10, 2020

Dadandjesse what's your mag level at

Fugepower · Jan 10, 2020

as far as you go Johnny I would follow drysea's advice don't chase it once or straightens out then go back to normal levels but in the mean time I would try and retrace the steps that led to the problem.

dadnjesse · Jan 13, 2020

Fugepower said:
Dadandjesse what's your mag level at

1475 per triton

Johnny bass07 · Jan 13, 2020

Here it is almost another week later and my alkalinity hasn't dropped a bit. I can see growth on the base of most of the frags. I don't get it but I guess I will keep waiting.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 13, 2020

Fugepower said:
Correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe the reason it isn't dropping right away is because the OPs calcium was so high

I can’t see that being an explanation for alk not dropping. If anything, higher calcium will increase to depletion of alk.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 13, 2020

Johnny bass07 said:
Here it is almost another week later and my alkalinity hasn't dropped a bit. I can see growth on the base of most of the frags. I don't get it but I guess I will keep waiting.

I’d wait and the calcium and magnesium changes are either test error or from salinity changes or water changes. They cannot rise or fall if alk is steady.

Johnny bass07 · Jan 13, 2020

Everything has been stable. I haven't done any water changes. I'm going to check calcium and magnesium again tonight. The same acros keep getting tip burn.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 13, 2020

The tip burn may be due to excessively low nutrients for your alk level.

Johnny bass07 · Jan 13, 2020

That's what I was thinking so in the last 4 days I have been dosing kno3 and phosphates. Right now nitrates are 3 and po4 are 0.04. Should I get the nitrates higher?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 13, 2020

Johnny bass07 said:
That's what I was thinking so in the last 4 days I have been dosing kno3 and phosphates. Right now nitrates are 3 and po4 are 0.04. Should I get the nitrates higher?

No, that level seems fine.

Fishingandreefing · Jan 13, 2020

Johnny bass07 said:
I lowered my light intensity a month or so ago and when I did I noticed my sps stop growing (encrusting) I have about 20 frags. My alkalinity was locked in at 8.4 for several months. When I checked it was 8.7 and I started getting some burnt tips. I stopped dosing kalkwasser about five days ago and I haven't done any water changes or add anything else. Why is my alk not dropping? 5 days ago my alk was 8.7 my calcium was 500 and magnesium was 1350. Now alk is the same calcium dropped to 460 and magnesium dropped to 1260. My corals seem to be growing again also which is why I'm confused why everything is dropping but my alk. I use a hanna checker. I tested a new batch of water and it tested where it should have so I dont feel it's the hanna checker. Anyone have any idea why it's not dropping?

If the corals are not growing, alk remains

aquaticcentral · Jan 13, 2020

do you guys even remember the time when dosing "impurities, aka PO4 and kNO3" happened ? lol.
but yeah doing nothing should see a fall of Ca, kH, and Mg no ? patience daniel-son