high alk

[sergifed91]

I got home tonight and noticed all corals were fine except for one of my hammers. So I decided to test
alk. I couldn't believe what it was reading. 15.7 did 3 tests and all 15.7. all with salifert alk.
Ca was at 450
mag - was low at 1140
I wasn't to concern about the mg and ca levels.

but with alk being that high. I did a 4 gallon wc and brought it down to 14.1. planning on doing another wc tomorrow after work.
I monitor it when i'm slow at work. and Ph has never gotten passed 8.2 PPM. today all of the blue it drastically jumped to 8.3 in no time. there is no dosing and no one is around to accidently dose alk or anything at all during the day tim.
I hope to get alk down to 12 in another 2 to 3 days.
any advice. I do not dose at all.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I wouldn't worry at all about the pH change from 8.2 to 8.3.

But if you aren't dosing anything, how did the alk get up to 15.7? BTW, what is it when things are 'normal' in your tank?

How do you keep Ca, alk and Mg up if you aren't dosing?

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

What salt mix are you using? Did you switch recently?

 

[sergifed91]

What salt mix are you using? Did you switch recently?

I switched back to IO Reef crystals.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

from what?

I switched back to IO Reef crystals.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I switched back to IO Reef crystals.

IORC mixes to about 13 at 1.026 sg.

and as @The Camaro Show mentioned, what salt were you using previously? Although even if you were going from a low alk salt to a high alk salt, should not justify your alk being at 15.7. I would suggest to have a local reefer or an LFS test your water as a secondary test, just to make sure your test kit is not wanky.

 

[Bob Weigant]

to me that is very strange to have alk that high with no dosing

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

id invest in hanna checkers they make life easy and no reading colors lol

 

[Leadfooted]

Well, I raised my calcium accidentally above 500 and it sucked my ALK away. Raining my CA to 500 never hurt, it's been up to 560+. I'm not sure its the best way to go but I learned after much reading that high CA burns away ALK.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I got home tonight and noticed all corals were fine except for one of my hammers. So I decided to test
alk. I couldn't believe what it was reading. 15.7 did 3 tests and all 15.7. all with salifert alk.
Ca was at 450
mag - was low at 1140
I wasn't to concern about the mg and ca levels.

but with alk being that high. I did a 4 gallon wc and brought it down to 14.1. planning on doing another wc tomorrow after work.
I monitor it when i'm slow at work. and Ph has never gotten passed 8.2 PPM. today all of the blue it drastically jumped to 8.3 in no time. there is no dosing and no one is around to accidently dose alk or anything at all during the day tim.
I hope to get alk down to 12 in another 2 to 3 days.
any advice. I do not dose at all.

Probably either testing error, or a change in the CO2 level (maybe you opened windows more, etc.). It's not a concern in either case.