High PH, can’t keep alk up

[Aubers]

Hey guys!

Trying to catch a problem before it gets out of hand but not sure this is a problem or not.

Last month I added quite a bit of mixed livestock and have noticed since then PH has been through the roof (8.4 and going up daily) and I cannot seem to dose enough Alk to keep up with the demand. Currently I’m around 8.3-8.6 would like it closer to 9 so I’m dosing right now 400ml per day which is double what I used too and it still hasn’t moved much. I feel like if I dose more it’ll just make PH keep going up. Am I wrong?

Livestock looks better than it ever has so no ill effects just would like to keep them happy.

Currently my apex has my system set so it quits dosing alk if ph gets over 8.4 but I can’t have that so I took that configuration off. Is that correct? Also if ph is over 8.4 it alarms all day….how do I remove that alarm?

The husband is out on deployment so I’m left to babysit this thing and keep it from crashing which would result in imminent divorce LOL

Thanks in advance!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to reef2reef!

What product are you adding to boost alk? What do you estimate the water volume to be?

 

[Dburr1014]

Is there a reason to peg it at 9dkh?
IMO, 8 is a sweet spot.

 

[GARRIGA]

I wish I had your problems.

 

[Aubers]

Welcome to reef2reef!

What product are you adding to boost alk? What do you estimate the water volume to be?

That’s important info…
around 200 with displacement. Soda ash….I think I answered my question…..

Problem is it’s my husbands choice to use it and we have an butt ton of it he bought before he left. ‍

Is there a reason to peg it at 9dkh?
IMO, 8 is a sweet spot.

is it? I’ve always heard 8 is on the lower end, 9 leaves room for error on both ends.

Also worth noting we have an co2 scrubber, should I disconnect that?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That’s important info…
around 200 with displacement. Soda ash….I think I answered my question…..

Problem is it’s my husbands choice to use it and we have an butt ton of it he bought before he left. ‍

is it? I’ve always heard 8 is on the lower end, 9 leaves room for error on both ends.

Also worth noting we have an co2 scrubber, should I disconnect that?

Assuming you are using my recipe (such as BRS employs), then 400 mL per day in 200 gallons is about 2.8 dKH per day, which is on the high side and might indicate substantial abiotic precipitation in your tank.

IS the sand hardening? Excessive deposits on heaters or pump impellers?

The high pH is not by itself a problem, but it does encourage precipitation, as well as increased coral uptake.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I suspect the ph probe may need calibrating. I had a similar issue, only to find out my real ph was 8.2, not 8.4. I had to manually calibrate it in the Apex fusion app.

 

[Aubers]

IS the sand hardening? Excessive deposits on heaters or pump impellers?

The high pH is not by itself a problem, but it does encourage precipitation, as well as increased coral uptake.

I have noticed there are spots where the sand has hardened in places yes….

And yes I believe there is buildup in the sump. Here’s a pic because I don’t know what I’m doing lol!

I suspect the ph probe may need calibrating. I had a similar issue, only to find out my real ph was 8.2, not 8.4. I had to manually calibrate it in the Apex fusion app.

Also assumed that, except it reads a little higher cross testing….

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This is my generic advice for such situations:

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

 

[Aubers]

This is my generic advice for such situations:

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

Understand to quit dosing yet I worry that will cause a considerable drop in alk? Don’t want to harm my tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Understand to quit dosing yet I worry that will cause a considerable drop in alk? Don’t want to harm my tank.

Yes, it will. pH and alk will drop, reducing precipitation so you can break the cycle. Allowing time for organics, phosphate and magnesium to get onto the bare calcium carbonate surfaces, and prevent them from acting as seed crystals to induce more precipitation. There's no better way to break this cycle.

FWIW, an alk of 6.5-7 dKH is fine. That's about what corals see in the ocean.

 

[lubeck]

I always wanted Alk on the higher side so my corals would grow faster,8-9 but they never looked healthy.

I stay low 7.0- 7.2 and they colored up nice and still get steady growth. Right now the Alk Is 6.8 at the end of the photoperiod.

each tank has its sweet spot, find what works best for you /your corals.

 

[Aubers]

Sooo….I didn’t listen. Because I’m worried about crashing this tank before the husband gets home. But the issue is getting worse so I have to do something unfortunately.

Ph is steadily dropping at this point

And I’m now dosing an insane amount of crap just to keep things stable. Which it was but now alk is dropping.

Currently dosing

600ml soda ash
700ml calcium

Alk is at 7.5 so I can’t dose anymore morally at this point. I’ve gotta shut it off.

So I did. Now I wait 48 hours? Also bought a cheap power head for the return.

My worry is I have precious sps colonies that won’t be able to tolerate the drop that’s about to happen in the next 48 hours.

At what low point do I start dosing alk again. 6.5? I’m not even going to make it the 48 hours before it hits that.

Also how do I configure the dos to do the 1.1ml per minute?

Thanks everyone, I’m having a mini panic attack and on my own here.

 

[Dburr1014]

Lights off would help coral stop consuming.

But I think @Randy Holmes-Farley is your best bet here.

 

[lubeck]

I would keep your Alk steady and not worry about your ph. Are your windows open during the day/night?

 

[Aubers]

I would keep your Alk steady and not worry about your ph. Are your windows open during the day/night?

Yes they are

 

[Aubers]

Didn’t even make it 12 hours before alk dropped to 6.2 so I had to turn my doser back on. But I was able to get a decent reading on what my system uses during the day. It dropped 1.3dkh which equates to 185ml soda ash so times that by two and that’s my estimate daily? Understand that they don’t use as much during the night but it gives me something to go off of.

 

[HomebroodExotics]

Didn’t even make it 12 hours before alk dropped to 6.2 so I had to turn my doser back on. But I was able to get a decent reading on what my system uses during the day. It dropped 1.3dkh which equates to 185ml soda ash so times that by two and that’s my estimate daily? Understand that they don’t use as much during the night but it gives me something to go off of.

I think ive read that it's possible for corals to calcify more at night. Not 100% sure on that though maybe someone else knows more.

 

[Dburr1014]

I think ive read that it's possible for corals to calcify more at night. Not 100% sure on that though maybe someone else knows more.

I don't think so.
Light is the driver for more calcification.

Contrasting Changes in Diel Variations of Net Community Calcification Support That Carbonate Dissolution Can Be More Sensitive to Ocean Acidification Than Coral Calcification

Previous studies have found that calcification in coral reefs is generally stronger during the day, whereas dissolution is prevalent at night. On the basis of these contrasting patterns, the diel variations of net community calcification (NCC) were monitored to examine the relative sensitivity...

www.frontiersin.org

 

[Dburr1014]

Didn’t even make it 12 hours before alk dropped to 6.2 so I had to turn my doser back on. But I was able to get a decent reading on what my system uses during the day. It dropped 1.3dkh which equates to 185ml soda ash so times that by two and that’s my estimate daily? Understand that they don’t use as much during the night but it gives me something to go off of.

As I said in a previous post, it possible to turn the light off for a day or to with no harm on the coral. Use this tool to stop and break the cycle that RFH layed out.
Yesterday was father's day so hopefully he will be on today.