High alkalinity with low water change alkalinity

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's stable at 7.8, from what I can tell. That's why I haven't bothered with any buffers. I'd like to avoid the swings caused by them. I'm guessing my c02 levels are just too high in my apartment. From what I understand, 7.8 is okay if stable. Only issue is that adding acid should drop pH...

Any other way to drop alkalinity? Looks like a cheapo sps colony is the only hope.

Nope. FWIW, a coral using alkalinity lowers pH as well. People do not think of it this way, but corals take up bicarbonate, spit out acid, and deposit the resulting carbonate in their skeleton.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How do I keep it from rising? Seems pwc drop it to around 8dkh, but then it creeps back up. Funny huh?

I assume it is the plugs. Don't use them.

 

[Vividgraphx]

7.8 is not good for a reef

 

[Mattrg02]

I assume it is the plugs. Don't use them.

Plugs? As in, frag plugs? What about reef safe epoxy? I've only got a few on ceramic plugs. The others are on reef safe epoxy.

As for pH, is 7.8 going to work,
being stable?

I'll try some hydrochloric acid from Home Depot during the next pwc.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any cement in the tank can raise alkalinity, and I'm just assuming it is your cement frag plugs since I don't see any other apparent cause for alk to rise.

 

[Mattrg02]

Any cement in the tank can raise alkalinity, and I'm just assuming it is your cement frag plugs since I don't see any other apparent cause for alk to rise.

I've got a few frags that have encrusted on the cement plugs, so I can't remove them. Acid it is. I'll lower the pwc water so that I can ariate it outside first. Will vinegar work as well as hydrochloric acid?

Any other product that would be easier to use than hydrochloric acid?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've got a few frags that have encrusted on the cement plugs, so I can't remove them. Acid it is. I'll lower the pwc water so that I can ariate it outside first. Will vinegar work as well as hydrochloric acid?

Any other product that would be easier to use than hydrochloric acid?

You can also use certain freshwater buffers. Such as Seachem Acid Buffer:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/AcidBuffer.html

It will lower pH similarly to muriatic acid, however. There's no way around the pH lowering when reducing alkalinity.

 

[Mattrg02]

You can also use certain freshwater buffers. Such as Seachem Acid Buffer:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/AcidBuffer.html

It will lower pH similarly to muriatic acid, however. There's no way around the pH lowering when reducing alkalinity.

I'll be sure to add to pwc water and areate before the water change.

Could this dkh rise be the stn issue? Seems to be going from around 8dkh up passed 9dkh in about a week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Could this dkh rise be the stn issue? Seems to be going from around 8dkh up passed 9dkh in about a week.

That does not seem likely to cause STN, IMO.