I found my ALK a bit high on Sunday. I thought about it for a while and decided to turn off my alk that night. Well, I did the unthinkable. I hit the 'on' switch instead of the 'off' switch on my APEX controller and went on my merry way. My alk is extremely high. I figure I dumped about a 1/2 gallon or more of alk solution in my tank in the first 12-15 hours. Since then I noticed a coral RTN and another frag start to go. I wondered about it but didn't think much about it, it happens. I tested my alk tonight to see where I was and found it very high...I didn't even finish testing I realized right away what I had done. I figure I will lose all of my SPS once again. I just restoked a ton of corals this past 4 months after recovering from a crash due to extreme high levels of tin in my tank. Such a rookie mistake, I am extremely upset. I don't even have any water made to do a water change. I am getting it going now but its kind of cold so it wont be ready tonight. I figure the damage is way done at this point adn I can only imagine how the next few months are going to go for me. Any suggestions other than letting the alk drop on its own over the next few weeks. I am going to test the alk right now again but I suspect I am in the major uh-oh range...shedding some tears at my complete insane mistake. Not sure I am going to come back from this one.
Emergency-Help Please
- Thread starter slojmn
- Start date
- Tagged users None
OP
OP
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction score
- 243
alk was at 9.5 dKh on Sunday and currently at 14 dKh. I suspect it was higher yesterday. Ph is up to 8.65 when it usually runs around 8.2-8.3. I usually like to keep my tank around 8.0 dKh so when I found it up around 9.5 I wanted to lower it a bit. It always looks best at the 8.0 levels. Ugggg, I suppose I will see the effects of this for the next 4-5 months. I wonder if any of my SPS will survive.
I think unfortunately the best way to proceed is to let it drift down on it's own. Seems like adding an acid would be stressful. You can do a water change, but again you have to weigh the amount of stress. Oh look a Randy thread below.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1530419
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1530419
I wish I could give you a yes or no but I have no experience but if you can safely bring it back down and they still look OK, I think you might make it
Oscaror
Back In It
Did you get it back? Do that and hope for the best, Alk swings are extremely harmful and the best you can do is fix it and wait IMO
OP
OP
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction score
- 243
I backed them and was bummed to see it didn't fund
. Although I don't think it would have helped me. I hit the switch to on before going to bed. I wouldn't have known anything until 10-12 hours later and I am sure a lot of the Alk would have already been dumped into the system. But I am looking forward to the Mindstream-aquarium-monitor. If I am still in the hobby after this!!!
If everything is going to die anyway, and you want a last resort go to gas station or store and get some lemons. Squize a few into the tank. Your alk will go down. No idea how many it will take. As an organic acid though it should be safe, and break down quickly. So no long term effects.
I tested this just now with a lemon I had in fridge. Alk went down in 4oz of salt water from my tank. with 1 tbs of squeezed lemon. You have a test kit, you may have lemon juice in your house, try it yourself. (not sure if juice is same as real lemon)
I should add nitrate will go up... you will get a mini cycle. It might save it though until a water change.
I tested this just now with a lemon I had in fridge. Alk went down in 4oz of salt water from my tank. with 1 tbs of squeezed lemon. You have a test kit, you may have lemon juice in your house, try it yourself. (not sure if juice is same as real lemon)
I should add nitrate will go up... you will get a mini cycle. It might save it though until a water change.
Last edited:
Oscaror
Back In It
I'm pretty sure it texts your phone so that can probably wake a person up at night, I hope they relaunch the kickstarterI backed them and was bummed to see it didn't fund
OP
OP
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction score
- 243
Oscaror, I just found it at 14 dKH tonight. My plan is to do a small water change tomorrow evening and let it drift down naturally. I figure that is what Randy will suggest and it is what my gut is telling me is best. Better not to add more stress.
Thanks Shep, Alk swings are the WORST, especially something like this, super fast and sudden. I want to hold onto some hope so hearing of folks that have actually had SPS make it through something like this will certainly help the Hope Factor!!!
Oh I am not on board with everything is going to die. Yes you were right you'll see some STN probably for weeks to come. It's a very unfortunate accident but I would not declare everything toast just yet. Really hoping it does as little damage as possible. Please follow up regardless of the outcome.
Best of luck to you and your sps, I would be sooooo frustrated.
Best of luck to you and your sps, I would be sooooo frustrated.
OP
OP
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction score
- 243
Thanks, the is like salt in a huge wound since I just went through a slow tank crash, 18 months, and had finally gotten everything back to normal. It's only been a few months of restocking and getting some good growth. I am glad to hear you think I have a chance of saving some of my collection. I am not looking forward to the next few months.
kschweer
Moderator
I wouldn't say that everything is going to die either. I have heard of tanks bouncing back from Alk swings. I would get in a water change as planned and keep an eye on everything. Best of luck!
luxauterna
A softy who loves softies
Don't count your chickens yet. I agree with others and your opinion of letting it lower slowly. There is plenty of hope left, and definitely don't let it pull you from the hobby. So sorry that you are dealing with this now though after the previous crash
Hi. I am new to saltwater life. So are you saying that PH is less important sometimes then how rapidly the PH changes? How do you decide how fast is too fast or too slow? I know it is off topic a bit I am sorry. I wish you the best of luck also slojmn.
kschweer
Moderator
Just about everything in the hobby relies on consistency. Too fast is normally not a good thing. I was referring to Alk in my post. Quick Alk swings can be devastating to sps corals. As far as ph goes I never chase ph numbers. Again consistency is key as opposed to "perfect" numbers
