Alkalinity test

Carguyict

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Location
Ict
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Having some issues with alkalinity. Have a 4 month old reef tank. Alkalinity seems to be at 16 after testing ph is 8.1 how do I lower alkalinity to 11 while maintaining ph
 
you can do water changes to slowly bring it down with a salt that has a NSW level Alk of 7-8 DKH like Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt. I would also suggest double checking to make sure the test is accurate because that is extremely high
 
Tested for a month now the same thing drops a bit n the goes up, not dosing actually calcium is 489 as well. Just switched Sunday to Fritz sea salt
 
If you're not dosing anything, there's no way your alk should be so high. What is your salinity? you might be getting high alk readings if your salinity is high. I would suggest getting another test kit to double check the results, or take a water sample to your LFS and ask them to check it for you to confirm.

If your alk is high, it can be lowered by adding muratic acid to the water. I would not do this to water in the display tank, but can be done to new mixed water to lower it before a water change. Be careful if you do this, muratic acid is pretty nasty stuff, and only need a little bit. I only needed a few mL to drop alk in my 40 gallon brute from 12 to 8.
 
+1 on doublechecking your salinity. That is a high calcium result as well, so it may well be that it is not testing error and that you really do have very high alkalinity and calcium. Like Reefs and Geeks says though, no salt manufacturer sells salt with levels that high. Given time, those levels will kill. The simplest explanation would be that you've mixed in too much bc your salinity testing is off.
 
Are you dosing anything into the tank?

I would test a small batch of freshly made up "Fritz" saltwater but would be surprised if it tested anything over 11-12, what salt were you using BEFORE the switch?

If the fresh saltwater tests at 11-12 and you are not dosing anything that containst alk into your tank then that dkh of 16 reading is probably an error. What are you using to measure ALK?
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top