EMERGENCY!!! ALK off the scales

[Neon_reefboi]

This is where I'm at today

 

[Gtinnel]

I'd reccomend testing the alkalinity of newly mixed saltwater before doing the water change. Regular instant ocean should mix up to somewhere around 11dkh. Test the new water and see if you get something close to that value. That could help rule out testing issues.

It seems unlikely to me that your alkalinity is that high if you don't add anything to raise it. I still think there is a good chance that this is testing error.

 

[Neon_reefboi]

I got premixed salt water from my lfs with alk content at 8.1. I'm not testing wrong

 

[Neon_reefboi]

I did the low resolution mode twice and got the same results.

 

[Neon_reefboi]

So I guess the answer is water changes.

 

[T-J]

Since you're sure you are testing properly, something else is causing your Alk to be so high. So either you dosed something that did this, or it's something already in the tank. Your numbers are really off. What's your calcium at today? I see you have 1ppm Ammonia as well. Has something died? Have you added anything?

I noticed you are using lava rock in your sump. I know lava rock (not pumice) contains heavy metals and can effect pH and alk. I'm not sure in what direction it can make those numbers go though.

 

[Neon_reefboi]

I dosed to raise alk with baking soda and I guess I made a mistake. To my knowledge nothing has died I noticed that too. So I should remove the rock then as well just to be safe

 

[Neon_reefboi]

Calcium is at 300 ppm

 

[Neon_reefboi]

Probably should've led with that lol sorry

 

[Gtinnel]

Since you know what caused your elevated levels then it does seem like the best solution is to do water changes to bring the alk down to something reasonable. It should also help raise your calcium. Just don't do too much at one time, it could be hard on corals to have the alkalinity quickly decrease too much.

Sorry, I wouldn't have been pushing that it is a testing issues so much if I'd known you added baking soda to the tank. If you don't have a lot of stony corals or a lot of coralline algea growing in the tank you probably don't need to dose any alkalinity anyway. If/when you do need to start adding it, baking the baking soda in the oven and then making a solution with the resulting soda ash and rodi water is much easier to dose (I'm just guessing you added the dry powder).

 

[Jekyl]

I did the low resolution mode twice and got the same results.

Don't use low resolution

 

[ChaosAquaculture]

I recommend red seas test kit, its the most accurate one ive ever used. Your mag is on the higher end, do you dose anything? - kali

 

[Tamberav]

Test the salt mix you are buying. If the Alk is in an appropriate range. Do water changes.

 

[Neon_reefboi]

How much and how often

 

[Jekyl]

Wouldn't do more than a 30% change every 3 or 4 days.

 

[Neon_reefboi]

After a 60 percent water change over 5 days iv brought alk down to 16.6. I'm hoping one more and I'll be equalized. Then dosing should even out the other big two right

 

[elysics]

Instead of using low resolution, you can just draw up the 1ml syringe a second time once it's empty and keep dropping stuff in until the color changes

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you recall how much baking soda you added? Simply assuming an overdose may not solve the issue if that wasn't the cause.

Are you using tap water?

Have you measured the alk of the new salt water with that same kit?

 

[Neon_reefboi]

Do you recall how much baking soda you added? Simply assuming an overdose may not solve the issue if that wasn't the cause.

Are you using tap water?

Have you measured the alk of the new salt water with that same kit?

I added 7 tablespoons every day for three days. I am using tap treated with aquasafe to top off. And yeah it registers low

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I added 7 tablespoons every day for three days. I am using tap treated with aquasafe to top off. And yeah it registers low

7 tablespoons of dry baking soda to what size tank?

Have you measured the alkalinity of the tap water?

That may be the ongoing source. Some water supplies have quite high alkalinity. "Low" is not good enough for top off water, if that is what you mean.