High dkh with dosing!!!!

[cozzietrade78]

THREAD TYPO Rising DKH Without Dosing!!!!


I have 79gallon display 30 gallon sump.
My system is 3 years old in september...
I do biweekly 20gallon water changes.

My alk is continuously rising .35dkh per day with No Dosing!!!!

I've read about ph pockets in the sand bed bla bla...

My parameters are as follows via TRIDENT RELECENTLY CALIBRATED AND REPLACED ALK SOLUTION EARLY!

dkh 13.33
SAL 1.24
CAL 453
PH 8.26 WITH DAILY SWING TO 8.1
MAG 1330
NITRATES 5PPM


I'm not loosing any livestock

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And the sand dissolution you mention can be it. It happens in most tanks but goes unnoticed when demand is higher.

Are you using tap water?

Dosing nothing at all?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Have you validated the alk rise with a kit? Controllers sometimes have issues when reagent levels drop.

 

[Uncle99]

Nice tank!
Doesn’t make sense that test.
Get a second test.
Would not want to upset that beautiful glass box.

 

[cozzietrade78]

Hi thanks for the response Randy!

As I mentioned I'm not Dosing anything.
I use rodi water for my top off from my local reef store Blue line coral. I also use there salt water...

If I'm getting sand dissolution in pockets
How do I remedy that.? I vacuum gravel everything other water change. I have power heads in the upper and lower corners of tank. I'm not seeing any low gfow areas.

 

[cozzietrade78]

Have you validated the alk rise with a kit? Controllers sometimes have issues when reagent levels drop.

Yes I've compared dkh via Hanna and trident and had my local reef store test on there Hanna. All with 1 dkh Hanna was actually higher

 

[Uncle99]

You use their saltwater.
Have you tested that?

And RODI…..tested it?

Somehow, the “dose” is getting in if the tests are correct which you’ve completed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi thanks for the response Randy!

As I mentioned I'm not Dosing anything.
I use rodi water for my top off from my local reef store Blue line coral. I also use there salt water...

If I'm getting sand dissolution in pockets
How do I remedy that.? I vacuum gravel everything other water change. I have power heads in the upper and lower corners of tank. I'm not seeing any low gfow areas.

You generally cannot easily prevent sand dissolution, though frequently vacuuming it might. Easier is to drop the alk in new salt water as low as you want.

I’d double check the store water for alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sodium Bisulfate to Reduce Alkalinity in New Salt Water or in Display Tanks

I just want to record these calculations in their own thread to refer back to in other threads. When alkalinity is too high in new salt water or in a display tank, acid can be used to lower the alkalinity. You can easily use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or sodium bifulfate (e.g...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Miami Reef]

A standard titration kit like Red Sea Alkalinity Pro can test their freshwater to see if the alkalinity comes from there (the Hanna won’t work in freshwater).

You need to test their saltwater, too.

Please report back with those results. I am skeptical that dissolution can cause alk to reach 13dKH if you start near 8dKH. I haven’t heard of a daily 0.35dKH increase just from sand.

In any case, you can use acid to drop the alk in new water. Make sure to heavily aerate the water about 1 day prior to using it.

 

[cozzietrade78]

I have NOT tested the Rodi water. I will get a fresh water Hanna checker and check that.

As for the salt water I checked that was 9.0
I did a 20gal water change oon7/28/24 it brought my dkh down to 12.77dkh from 14.5dkh see chart. It's been slow creeping back up everyday. This has been on going issue for about 6 weeks now. Same pattern

 

[Miami Reef]

I have NOT tested the Rodi water. I will get a fresh water Hanna checker and check that.

As for the salt water I checked that was 9.0
I did a 20gal water change oon7/28/24 it brought my dkh down to 12.77dkh from 14.5dkh see chart. It's been slow creeping back up everyday. This has been on going issue for about 6 weeks now. Same pattern

I don’t think you need to test the RO/DI water. If your saltwater made with the same RO/DI is testing at 9dKH, it’s likely that the RO/DI is free from additional alk.

I would just use acid that Randy suggested to lower the alk in the mix. You can bring the alk in the water to near 0 and use that to change the water. It should help you.

Just don’t forget to heavily aerate the water for a day before using it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d still check the ro/di since the store may not use the same water for both. TDS of the fresh water would be a good first step if you have the tools.

 

[cozzietrade78]

Thanks!!!
Is there any trick or particular brand of acid you would suggest. What is the moxing ratio?

 

[cozzietrade78]

I’d still check the ro/di since the store may not use the same water for both. TDS of the fresh water would be a good first step if you have the tools.

Thanks Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks!!!
Is there any trick or particular brand of acid you would suggest. What is the moxing ratio?

I gave the recipe thread above.

 

[Miami Reef]

Let us know the TDS or Alk of the freshwater when you get the chance.

I’m curious.