Alkalinity out of wack

[randomfishdude]

Hello,
I have a 5 month old 75gallon reef tank and last night the alkalinity jumped from 9.8 to 15.7.
I don't have any dosing I don't do any dosing.
All corals and fish are completely fine and happy swimming around and eating.
I don't understand this and would like to figure out what's going on
Thanks,

Peramaters:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp:77.5
Nitrate: 0(I think)
Nitrite:0 - 0.1
Amonia:0
Phosphate:0
Calcium:360(waterchange due tmr)
Ph: 8.1

I say I think for nitrate because we have alot of fish and corals and we feed a decent bit but our regular liquid test says 0 while a little dip in strip says around 7

 

[ryanjohn1]

Run test again to be sure

 

[Salty_Northerner]

what test kit are you using for the alkalinity?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello,
I have a 5 month old 75gallon reef tank and last night the alkalinity jumped from 9.8 to 15.7.
I don't have any dosing I don't do any dosing.
All corals and fish are completely fine and happy swimming around and eating.
I don't understand this and would like to figure out what's going on
Thanks,

Peramaters:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp:77.5
Nitrate: 0(I think)
Nitrite:0 - 0.1
Amonia:0
Phosphate:0
Calcium:360(waterchange due tmr)
Ph: 8.1

I say I think for nitrate because we have alot of fish and corals and we feed a decent bit but our regular liquid test says 0 while a little dip in strip says around 7

If you have not dosed anything nor changed water, it is impossible for the Alk to jump like that.

Run the test again with a different test kit.

 

[randomfishdude]

what test kit are you using for the alkalinity?

Hanna checker
Also I did run ot again both were spot on

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hanna checker
Also I did run ot again both were spot on

Use new reagent or a different test kit.

 

[randomfishdude]

Hanna checker
Also I did run ot again both were spot on

The only thang that had changed was the addition of 2 clownfish and 4 corals

 

[ryanjohn1]

Was the reagent refrigerated and is it expired

 

[randomfishdude]

I did test with something else and it was 13.
It also turns out that there was dosing of neophos and neonitro but I didn't dose it.
It's not expired the kit is new.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I did test with something else and it was 13.
It also turns out that there was dosing of neophos and neonitro but I didn't dose it.
It's not expired the kit is new.

What else did you test with?

As I have said, it is impossible for the Alk to climb like that overnight unless you have dosed it.

Either the previous test result was incorrect or this one is.

 

[randomfishdude]

What else did you test with?

As I have said, it is impossible for the Alk to climb like that overnight unless you have dosed it.

Either the previous test result was incorrect or this one is.

API reef master test kit

Does NeoPhos and NeoNitro count as dosing
I just learned from the other person who also takes care of the reef that she did put that in there

Nevermind just discovered it does put alk up.
Now it's the thang to how do I get the alk down but be able to get my Nitrate up

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,
I have a 5 month old 75gallon reef tank and last night the alkalinity jumped from 9.8 to 15.7.
I don't have any dosing I don't do any dosing.
All corals and fish are completely fine and happy swimming around and eating.
I don't understand this and would like to figure out what's going on
Thanks,

Peramaters:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp:77.5
Nitrate: 0(I think)
Nitrite:0 - 0.1
Amonia:0
Phosphate:0
Calcium:360(waterchange due tmr)
Ph: 8.1

I say I think for nitrate because we have alot of fish and corals and we feed a decent bit but our regular liquid test says 0 while a little dip in strip says around 7

I suspect false test readings especially if testing was done right after a water change. Additionally, I suspect you are using API kits and getting false readings in which levels are higher than shown.
With corals happy, likely false readings.
CA is low and shouldnt wait until tomorrow if true reading and Disregard Nitrite unless sky high (above 100)
Temp while acceptable can even go to 78.5 but leave it as this time of the year, houses will start warming up and tank will follow

 

[randomfishdude]

I suspect false test readings especially if testing was done right after a water change. Additionally, I suspect you are using API kits and getting false readings in which levels are higher than shown.
With corals happy, likely false readings.
CA is low and shouldnt wait until tomorrow if true reading and Disregard Nitrite unless sky high (above 100)
Temp while acceptable can even go to 78.5 but leave it as this time of the year, houses will start warming up and tank will follow

Well then CA is probobly also false read.
Almost all testing is done by api test kits so I guess I need to switch to something more accurate.
And fast
I also don't really do too much with that tank as I have my other 2 tanks.
So I'm not 100% knowing of when the last test was that sort of stuff was dosed/added when the last top off was.
I really just help with water changes, some testing and fish and coral adding.

 

[gbroadbridge]

API reef master test kit

Does NeoPhos and NeoNitro count as dosing
I just learned from the other person who also takes care of the reef that she did put that in there

Nevermind just discovered it does put alk up.
Now it's the thang to how do I get the alk down but be able to get my Nitrate up

Neither of those products directly affect Alkalinity.

Your tests are wrong.

 

[randomfishdude]

Alright then.
What do yall recommend as test kits then?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well then CA is probobly also false read.
Almost all testing is done by api test kits so I guess I need to switch to something more accurate.
And fast
I also don't really do too much with that tank as I have my other 2 tanks.
So I'm not 100% knowing of when the last test was that sort of stuff was dosed/added when the last top off was.
I really just help with water changes, some testing and fish and coral adding.

Until you can get better kits (Hanna or Salifert more reliable), you can take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels likely are at

 

[randomfishdude]

Until you can get better kits (Hanna or Salifert more reliable), you can take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels likely are at

Alright I can do that tomorrow as our nearest fish store is located 30 minutes away.
But it's not a bad drive on a sunday.

 

[mike550]

@randomfishdude I got suckered into a similar situation with my Hanna Alk. The values kept going down even though I was dosing soda ash. Finally retested with a Salifert titration test and yep .. 2dKH higher.

Tossed the Hanna reagent and opened a new bottle. Hanna read same as Salifert.

I can’t find it but there was a thread all about how long Hanna Alk reagent lasts or doesn’t last. For example my last bottle was kept refrigerated and only open to draw reagent then closed up. Lasted 60 days before the measurements started drifting down.

 

[randomfishdude]

@randomfishdude I got suckered into a similar situation with my Hanna Alk. The values kept going down even though I was dosing soda ash. Finally retested with a Salifert titration test and yep .. 2dKH higher.

Tossed the Hanna reagent and opened a new bottle. Hanna read same as Salifert.

I can’t find it but there was a thread all about how long Hanna Alk reagent lasts or doesn’t last. For example my last bottle was kept refrigerated and only open to draw reagent then closed up. Lasted 60 days before the measurements started drifting down.

I think mine are drifting...
Well
Up
But it turns out the expiration date on the bottle says 4/23 soil guess it expired overnight

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree the jump is impossible unless you massively dosed an alk supplement by mistake.

It may be hard to determine the mistake now, if the recent value is near correct and its the old one that was wrong.