HIGH ALK AND HIGH PHOS ?

vince2xreefer · May 4, 2020

so I recently tested my water and my pH read 7.6 when I usually run it about 8.4. I dosed my tank throughout the day to get it back around that range and it eventually read 8.3 , so I left it alone. Then I tested my alk and ur read 14.7 and I’m not sure if that WAY too high or not. But when i does my pH solution I guess it raised my alk too because when I tested after the dosing it read 20.0 . And my phosphate is reading 0.22. I jus need some help on what to do . I also added a new ligh ( AI Prime HD ) and new flow ( Nero 5 ) maybe they could be getting used to that ? most of my corals are closed my zoas , leathers , my torch is a tad but shrunken but it doesn’t look like it’s dying . But my gonis are doing perfectly fine . I’m jus confused.

John Smith · May 4, 2020

I would retest to double/triple check and do a water change right away.

PHXReefguy · May 4, 2020

What did you dose to try and raise ph?

Boxofpurplerocks · May 4, 2020

In general you should never dose to alter pH. The only thing you should be doing to raise pH is decreasing CO2 levels near the tank, hooking your skimmer up to a CO2 scrubber, or dosing supplemental kalk (as a way to match all demand, not solely to raise pH). You likely spiked the alkalinity with whatever buffer you used, and you will either need time, or a few water changes, to bring it back within a normal range.

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

PHXReefguy said:
What did you dose to try and raise ph?

I used the aqua vitro eight.four

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

this is what I used to dose . Is it bad ?

nereefpat · May 5, 2020

Not bad, it just isn't needed, and it doesn't permanently work...and it raises alk.

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

nereefpat said:
Not bad, it just isn't needed, and it doesn't permanently work...and it raises alk.

So what can I use to try and raise my pH

PHXReefguy · May 5, 2020

vince2xreefer said:
this is what I used to dose . Is it bad ?

It isn’t bad to need to dose that. If you check out the bottle it says raises carbonate alkalinity, this is why your alk is 14 and spiked.

I don’t like how this product says it’s primary use is “Safe ph buffer“... the primary use is when you have tested alk and need to raise it a few points (ex. Going from 7 to 8.5 to maintain alk levels) and the secondary effect is safely raising ph a little.

by using it backwards chasing ph you have dangerously raised and spiked alk to high levels causing some concern for your reef.

if you have any questions feel free to ask. I would recommend a %30 water change.

-Phil

PHXReefguy · May 5, 2020

My PH is low because I have pets and live in Arizona and can’t open windows (high co2 lowers ph) I run 7.80-8.1 daily swings with no issue. PH is the last test number i worry about so long as tank is happy I don’t buffer this parameter.
-Phil

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

PHXReefguy said:
It isn’t bad to need to dose that. If you check out the bottle it says raises carbonate alkalinity, this is why your alk is 14 and spiked.

I don’t like how this product says it’s primary use is “Safe ph buffer“... the primary use is when you have tested alk and need to raise it a few points (ex. Going from 7 to 8.5 to maintain alk levels) and the secondary effect is safely raising ph a little.

by using it backwards chasing ph you have dangerously raised and spiked alk to high levels causing some concern for your reef.

if you have any questions feel free to ask. I would recommend a %30 water change.

-Phil

Thanks so much . I have another question. What should I try and maintain my phosphate levels at bc right now all my corals are ticked along with the whole alk problem .

PHXReefguy · May 5, 2020

What corals are you keeping? I prefer around .10 I keep sps only. If you are LPS/mixed I like .10-.20 range. Also make sure you maintain some nitrogen in the 2-10ppm range these two are important to be watched closely together. I like an alk in the range of 7.5-9 and find my sweet spot is 8-8.5
-Phil

vince2xreefer · May 5, 2020

PHXReefguy said:
What corals are you keeping? I prefer around .10 I keep sps only. If you are LPS/mixed I like .10-.20 range. Also make sure you maintain some nitrogen in the 2-10ppm range these two are important to be watched closely together. I like an alk in the range of 7.5-9 and find my sweet spot is 8-8.5
-Phil

Im keeping one monti and the rest is softies and lps . And you’re saying I should focus more on keeping a stable alk then going for a higher pH right ?