Elevated readings on Apex

[MnFish1]

Alkalinity has been around 13.25-14. Since I’m gone for 2 weeks at a time for work, trident is what I use to monitor. I have a Hanna alk checker that i will test with today now that I’m home.

I meant - before you started using teh Trident - what had your alkalinity been runnin>

 

[ReeferJay86]

Alkalinity

Calcium

Magnesium

 

[ReeferJay86]

I meant - before you started using teh Trident - what had your alkalinity been runnin>

Last test with Hanna was 11.2

 

[MnFish1]

How does your tank/coral/fish look?

 

[MnFish1]

Last test with Hanna was 11.2

So does that mean that your 'usual' alkalinity before the trident was 11.2 and now its in the 13-14 range?

 

[ReeferJay86]

Can you post a graph of your alkalinity and Ca and Mg?
How do the things in your tank look?
Alkalinity can change based on time of day - how close is where you're putting the stuff you're dosing to where the trident is sampling?
Lastly - if your tank looks fine - I would talk to Neptune support tomorrow - and rely on whatever testing you were using before - i.e. dont rush into a 90 percent water change (or anything else 'rash') - but IMHO - the key point is 'how does your tank look'? And confirming the tests with another method (even with a cheap API test) - if the API says your alkalinity is 8 - the trident is probably wrong. for example.

Dosing ports are on the opposite side of the sample tube. It goes into the last chamber on the left side and straight to the return. Sample tube is in the far right chamber with the overflow. I stopped dosing right away once I saw the high readings. Have not dosed since. Tank looks fine, no precipitant on my substrate or other equipment. My hammer looks more full. Kenya tree and Xenia look great. I have 2 of 3 Acans that receded back but are still holding on. The third acan is fluffy but you can tell it pulled back some. My purple stylo is what took the hit. Bleached and no polyps on one side. Other side is half and half. Inverts are good as well as the rest of the live stock. I have a salifert test as well as Hanna checker. I will perform test using both units and compare.

 

[MnFish1]

Dosing ports are on the opposite side of the sample tube. It goes into the last chamber on the left side and straight to the return. Sample tube is in the far right chamber with the overflow. I stopped dosing right away once I saw the high readings. Have not dosed since. Tank looks fine, no precipitant on my substrate or other equipment. My hammer looks more full. Kenya tree and Xenia look great. I have 2 of 3 Acans that receded back but are still holding on. The third acan is fluffy but you can tell it pulled back some. My purple stylo is what took the hit. Bleached and no polyps on one side. Other side is half and half. Inverts are good as well as the rest of the live stock. I have a salifert test as well as Hanna checker. I will perform test using both units and compare.

I guess the only other thing I thought about is - could your dosing be off for some reason? Sorry to ask so many questions

 

[ReeferJay86]

So does that mean that your 'usual' alkalinity before the trident was 11.2 and now its in the 13-14 range?

Test prior to that was 8.4

 

[ReeferJay86]

I guess the only other thing I thought about is - could your dosing be off for some reason? Sorry to ask so many questions

It’s ok, I don’t mind at all. This just helps me get better. I even though for some reason my dozer was still going. Had my wife check it while I was gone, it was unplugged.

 

[MnFish1]

It’s ok, I don’t mind at all. This just helps me get better. I even though for some reason my dozer was still going. Had my wife check it while I was gone, it was unplugged.

It will be interesting to see what the other tests show - The thing is - the coral 'changes' - (to me) suggest that maybe the alkalinity is really a little 'higher' - as compared to an error with the Trident. I'm sure others will have suggestions as well

 

[ReeferJay86]

It will be interesting to see what the other tests show - The thing is - the coral 'changes' - (to me) suggest that maybe the alkalinity is really a little 'higher' - as compared to an error with the Trident. I'm sure others will have suggestions as well

I’ve been searching around through the forum to find anything similar to my situation. That’s when I would come across some people suggesting to do a series of small water changes to dilute the macro nutrients. I gathered up all my titration kits and will test the water. I will post my findings compared to the trident. Good timing cause my trident is performing a test right now as I’m typing

 

[ReeferJay86]

Well results are in for the 3 tests.

Trident

Hanna/Salifert test

 

[MnFish1]

So it seems the trident is 'right' about the alkalinity - which also supports the changes in your corals?

 

[ReeferJay86]

So it seems the trident is 'right' about the alkalinity - which also supports the changes in your corals?

That’s what worries me more now. So is it best to let the alkalinity come down on its own, or keep doing a series of water changes? I was even thinking about taking out a gallon from the dt and putting in a gallon of RODI water in its place. See if that bring it down just slightly. I can continue to monitor it until Tuesday when I head back to work. Especially my salinity, if I see it starts to drop and can stop the water change and let it ride until it can rise. Hhhmmm, I also wonder about mixing in a very low salt mix so it can still provide some salt and macro nutrients.

 

[MnFish1]

I think in the past - @Randy Holmes-Farley has recommended letting it fall on its own

 

[ReeferJay86]

Just woke up to my hammer looking like this.

It was doing so well yesterday. Granted it is only 1 head but dang man. Now I know why so many people that start in the saltwater hobby get out. It so frustrating to see living animals die before your eyes and knowing that you’ve tried everything that you can to keep them alive.

 

[ReeferJay86]

It’s the head on the left side.

 

[MERKEY]

What salt mix are you using and have you tested the dkh in it to see what it is mixing to?

 

[ReeferJay86]

Fritz RPM blue box, 8.6 dkh

What salt mix are you using and have you tested the dkh in it to see what it is mixing to?

 

[ReeferJay86]

@Randy Holmes-Farley, do you think it would be best to do a large volume of water change vs just waiting for the alkalinity to come down on its own? I feel like I hit a road block