HELP! I OVERDOSED ALKALINITY!

[AydenLincoln]

Too much chasing numbers, and throwing stuff into tanks here....

Generaly speaking....

Btw, up to 2 (some say 3) point increase in day is ok, so, even if you raise alk from 8-11, beside little shock, everything will be fine.....

I know it’s bad sometimes but it’s because I need to increase my pH for my starfish! His little spikes are not happy and it’s from my lower pH. I say this because the rest of my levels are fine and I’ve been talking with marine biologists and other people who study this about it.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Carbon reactor?
D

I mean carbon dioxide scrubber!!

 

[AydenLincoln]

This is the question that needs to be asked.

It’s for my starfish and inverts. See my other posts. I’m planning on a C02 scrubber which is what I meant not a carbon reactor.

 

[Lavey29]

Do not sweat over “alk swings”. My alk swings all over the place in my sps dominant. I’ve never had any issues.

You don't have anough corals in there Charlie

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Seems like you're just gonna end up spending either a fair bit of money or a good bit of time trying to adjust your pH by a tiny bit and keep it stable at a specific number...doesn't seem like the most sensible idea since you can't even be 100% sure your starfish is suffering from that...there could be many factors at play and I'd think a pH that stayed close but stable would be better than having to adjust it every however often because everytime you adjust it, the starfish is also put through stress

 

[AydenLincoln]

Seems like you're just gonna end up spending either a fair bit of money or a good bit of time trying to adjust your pH by a tiny bit and keep it stable at a specific number...doesn't seem like the most sensible idea since you can't even be 100% sure your starfish is suffering from that...there could be many factors at play and I'd think a pH that stayed close but stable would be better than having to adjust it every however often because everytime you adjust it, the starfish is also put through stress

Either way increasing my pH is a good thing to do and then maintaining it. Slow and steady. I do want to see what happens when I do too. The other thing I can suspect causing it which I can’t do anything about it elevation and current pressure. These stars are found deeper down in the ocean where pressure is higher.

 

[Dburr1014]

Seems like you're just gonna end up spending either a fair bit of money or a good bit of time trying to adjust your pH by a tiny bit and keep it stable at a specific number...doesn't seem like the most sensible idea since you can't even be 100% sure your starfish is suffering from that...there could be many factors at play and I'd think a pH that stayed close but stable would be better than having to adjust it every however often because everytime you adjust it, the starfish is also put through stress

100‰

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Either way increasing my pH is a good thing to do.

I mean most people don't even test for it but you seem set on it being important so I won't try to change your mind...have you at least tried simple non chemical ways to increase pH before you invest that money?

 

[AydenLincoln]

I mean most people don't even test for it but you seem set on it being important so I won't try to change your mind...have you at least tried simple non chemical ways to increase pH before you invest that money?

I mean I don’t consider attaching a reactor to my skimmer a chemical way in the same sense of dosing products to achieve a level over a period of time. Opening windows right now is not exactly feasible due to the weather near me. And as for macroalgae I was worried it would deplete my nutrients so I went with carbon dosing which is working and because my tank is an AIO.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

You don't have anough corals in there Charlie

You’ll be happy to know that another coral is arriving Thursday.

 

[Dburr1014]

I mean I don’t consider attaching a reactor to my skimmer a chemical way in the same sense of dosing products to achieve a level over a period of time. Opening windows right now is not exactly feasible due to the weather near me.

Can you run an airline outside? Or at least to a drafty window?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I mean I don’t consider attaching a reactor to my skimmer a chemical way in the same sense of dosing products to achieve a level over a period of time. Opening windows right now is not exactly feasible due to the weather near me.

I mean a simple solution like just running an airstone...and I was referring to the dosing you just did when I said chemical

 

[AydenLincoln]

I mean a simple solution like just running an airstone...and I was referring to the dosing you just did when I said chemical

Oh I did that because I had it on hand and it was a not well thought out impulse decision at 2 am lol. It was the first time I dosed Red Sea alkalinity. But the Reef Buffer I did add to see what would happen and after reading reviews which were good so I wanted to see what would happen but I know it’s not a natural approach. I’ve only added it a few times so far.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Oh I did that because I had it on hand and it was a not well thought out impulse decision at 2 am lol. It was the first time I dosed Red Sea alkalinity. But the Reef Buffer I did add to see what would happen and after reading reviews which were good so I wanted to see what would happen but I know it’s not a natural approach. I’ve only added it a few times so far.

Have you just tried a simple airstone or two?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Have you just tried a simple airstone or two?

No but my flow is fairly strong and I’d have to get more. Also I know they dissolve/fall apart with time and cause little particles to be in the tank. Well I had it happen before in my bucket of saltwater which is why I’m cautious of adding it directly to my tank and but I know they should be replaced. But I’m not sure if that’s normal or not and could be because they are typically meant for freshwater.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

It’s for my starfish and inverts. See my other posts. I’m planning on a C02 scrubber which is what I meant not a carbon reactor.

You don't have enough coral to bother with a scrubber (to boost ph) and the media is expensive. Stop chasing numbers, your gonna burn yourself in the end.

P.S. that buffer is utter trash, don't use it as it causes more problems than it fixes.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Also what's your PH now, not what the apex is showing you, but with a alternative testing kit, like salifert?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I either made a fatal mistake and I wasn’t thinking that they both raise pH and alkalinity when I dosed reef buffer followed by Red Sea alkalinity. I either should do a water change or I’m freaking out over nothing and I know sometimes water changes may shock everything and I don’t have it heated currently and my starfish doesn’t like that. It’s 1:30 am and it was dark and I didn’t realize how much I dosed. I added Seachmen pH buffer probably a teaspoon or two followed by 5 ml or more of Red Sea Alkalinity instead of less than 1 ml in my 20 gallon reef tank. I immediately noticed my pH spike a little well 7.8-8.0 according to my apex and adjusted my skimmer my alkalinity is still 8.7 and there’s no cloudiness I tested about 10-15 minutes after. I don’t have enough water on hand within the next hour to do a large water change and frankly don’t want to if it’s not needed because I just did one today. Will someone tell me I didn’t overdose too much? And someone else made this mistake before and everything was okay? I know most of us have overthought something or accidentally overdosed something.

it's okay.

Don't stress.

If you dosed 150ml it may be a problem for coral not fish.


Chill and measure the Alk

 

[AydenLincoln]

Also what's your PH now, not what the apex is showing you, but with a alternative testing kit, like salifert?

It’s always been a 7.7-7.9 never higher based on Aquaspins and I only really rely on my Apex for my pH and Aquaspins match up from getting my water tested at the fish store. API which sucks I know matches the same…and I don’t use it often but I don’t feel as if another pH test kit is needed to have another variable when the current test are very similar if not the same.

 

[AydenLincoln]

As for trying to increase pH for my starfish and the eroding spikes they do vary by different specimens when looking at photos…some have none and some are full of super pointy spikes mine are a bit more dull when I got him! And by deep down I mean 50-400+ feet down! If not more on average where the pressure is a lot higher and may be a contributing factor. It’s worth noting it was happening at the fish store. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/255639-Goniaster-tessellatus/browse_photos