Alkalinity too high!!!!

[gibec]

So far corals look like they are soing fine if not thriving..

Dont underatand difference between dkh and kh but kh reads 180ppm from api test kit and dkh [alkalinity] hanna checker reads 13.5 after a 15 percent water change.. red sea pro salt was used..
When mixing salt i measured it so salinity is 1.025.. not sure if ghats good or bad.

Searching google and cant find a for sure way to lower alk... help!!

 

[Koh23]

Red sea coral pro salt fresh mixed had alk of 12dkh.....

Also, for example, af reef salt also has high alkalinity, same as probably all of salts labeled "reef".

On the other hand, salts labeled "sea" have more natural alk levels, 6-8dkh.

How to lower it? Well, if nothing is impacted due to high alk, your best friend is time. Depends of size, coral type and quantity, light, etc, dkh consumption can be 0.5, 1, or even more per day, so, test today, then test again in 3 days.

Divide difference in alk levels by 3 and you will see daily consumption.

Dont do water changes, by doing this, you only raising alk levels. Either switch to lower alk salt, or try dosing vinegar.

But it all depends on calcium levels, and what is your desired target alk, there is really no point in lowering and again raising it with every water change...

 

[jayke]

So far corals look like they are soing fine if not thriving..

Dont underatand difference between dkh and kh but kh reads 180ppm from api test kit and dkh [alkalinity] hanna checker reads 13.5 after a 15 percent water change.. red sea pro salt was used..
When mixing salt i measured it so salinity is 1.025.. not sure if ghats good or bad.

Searching google and cant find a for sure way to lower alk... help!!

I agree with the following above post. Unless you are doing water changes with lower dKH saltwater, I wouldn’t keep doing water changes. Also, just keep in mind, doing big water changes can significantly drop you dKH and that can shock your corals and fish. Anything in the reef hobby has to be done very slow to maintain stable parameters. If nothing is showing signs of distress in your tank, just let the dKh ride it out and test it again in a few days. You’re tank should be consuming dKh, so just watch it closely. Best of luck.

 

[Garf]

I seem to remember that dosing vinegar only temporarily reduces Alk, but you could google that.

 

[homer1475]

I seem to remember that dosing vinegar only temporarily reduces Alk, but you could google that.

This +1

We dose vinegar as a carbon source. It does lower ALK slightly, but once the carbon is used up the ALk rises back up to where it was. Not a way to lower ALK long term.

To lower ALK it has to be a mineral acid(like muratic), but should not be dosed to the tank as it will significantly lower O2 and significantly raise CO2.

 

[gibec]

Ok.. i guess ill just let it be and dose mag and calcium a bit with all for reef. Mag at 1320 and calcium at 420 right now

 

[Koh23]

Why dose?

I mean, what is your daily consumption of ca and mg?

Is there a need to dose, corals taking ca and mg, or is it just chasing numbers?

 

[gibec]

Why dose?

I mean, what is your daily consumption of ca and mg?

Is there a need to dose, corals taking ca and mg, or is it just chasing numbers?

Chasing numbers. Want mag closer to 1400ish and calcium 450

 

[Koh23]

Got it, not sure how u dose if u dont know daily consumption, but if it works....

 

[gibec]

Got it, not sure how u dose if u dont know daily consumption, but if it works....

Well if corals are "consuming" and my mag and calcium arent at the levels i want it to be... more reason to dose to pull them higher..???
‍

 

[Koh23]

Of course, that's the point...

Just wanted to ask how u know how much to dose?

For now my tank is low on ca/mg demand, so i don't dose, for softies this is not super important, but back in days, i learned that is very important to know how much of what tank is consuming on daily basis, so that u can dose exactly the same during day, to avoid swings.

But, it's been years.....

 

[gibec]

Of course, that's the point...

Just wanted to ask how u know how much to dose?

For now my tank is low on ca/mg demand, so i don't dose, for softies this is not super important, but back in days, i learned that is very important to know how much of what tank is consuming on daily basis, so that u can dose exactly the same during day, to avoid swings.

But, it's been years.....

ohh i just follow the instruction on the bottle. im at work, but it says to does a certain amount until desired levels are aquired, then to increase dose of additional 2ml or so, but not to exceed daily dose of 25ml per 100L.

TBH I can probably be okay with the levels i have right now, but i bought the darn bottle and i dont want it to go to waste. LOL

 

[Koh23]

Ah, modern reefing....

 

[nereefpat]

Dont underatand difference between dkh and kh but kh reads 180ppm from api test kit and dkh [alkalinity] hanna checker reads 13.5

dKH = degrees carbonate hardness = KH
The 180 is in ppm calcium carbonate, which equals about 10 dKH.

Here's a chart to convert at post #2: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/low-alkalinity-and-ph.658856/

 

[gibec]

dKH = degrees carbonate hardness = KH
The 180 is in ppm calcium carbonate, which equals about 10 dKH.

Here's a chart to convert at post #2: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/low-alkalinity-and-ph.658856/

so does this mean either my ati or the hanna checker is way off?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

so does this mean either my ati or the hanna checker is way off?

This can go 2 ways.

API can be off, as API sometimes is off. Or the "drops" were not a consistent volume.

Hanna can be off if reagent bottle is low or has been open a long time. I store my hanna alk reagent in the fridge now, as once it got to about half full, it would read some whacky numbers. Since doing that, it stays more in line all the way to the last drop. It could also be off if there is small fingerprint or water drop on the vial.

As a second check to your testing, you could use a tritiation test like Salifert or Red Sea. You could even carry some tank water to the LFS to be tested.

 

[gibec]

This can go 2 ways.

API can be off, as API sometimes is off. Or the "drops" were not a consistent volume.

Hanna can be off if reagent bottle is low or has been open a long time. I store my hanna alk reagent in the fridge now, as once it got to about half full, it would read some whacky numbers. Since doing that, it stays more in line all the way to the last drop. It could also be off if there is small fingerprint or water drop on the vial.

As a second check to your testing, you could use a tritiation test like Salifert or Red Sea. You could even carry some tank water to the LFS to be tested.

Hmmm told my wife the hanna checkers would be my last "equipment" upgrades I would need... I guess i lied.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Hmmm told my wife the hanna checkers would be my last "equipment" upgrades I would need... I guess i lied.

they work fine. I manage over 2k gallons with mine.

Trick is to put the alk reagent bottle in the fridge and use a nice microfiber towel to clean the vial. It also helps to rinse out the vial with RODI after each use. If you do this, then the alk reading accurate to the margin of error.

If you can pick up a fresh bottle of reagent, you can also test with that and then test with the old reagent to see if the old is off. Just make sure the vial is clean and wiped off before you put it in for the second reading.

Also, I try to line the vials up in the same spot when I do the plain water reference test and then the actual alk reading test. I just put the "10 ml" facing the front of the meter every time. This ensures a small scratch or something does not skew the results.

 

[o2manyfish]

Alk and Calc don't go hand in hand - You can't have both high Alk and High Calc. Trying to add to your Calc while your Alk is high is going to just create more issues for you and could end up with a snow event where either the Alk or Calc precipitates out of the water and snows the tank.

Let the corals naturally consumer what is there. You will see that as the Alk is consumed the Calc will maintain the same value and not drop at a similar rate.

Patience to let it settle out without any major tweaks is the safest thing for your corals.

Dave B

 

[nereefpat]

so does this mean either my ati or the hanna checker is way off?

It looks like you measured with one kit before a water change and used another after the water change. It might be worth measuring with each using the same water sample. They should be within 2 or so dKH. I hesitate to call one right and one wrong, when there isn't a known standard. I personally like any titration kit (including API) over a color comparison kit for alkalinity, because alk is by definition a titration. Not everyone will agree, I'm sure.