How Do you Lower Alkalinity? Mine keeps Rising.

[that Reef Guy]

How Do you Lower Alkalinity?

Mine keeps Rising.

The only thing that I have done differently since it has been going up was add GFO for the first time which is odd because everyone says that GFO Lowers Alkalinity.

Alkalinity is supposed to be between 7 and 11

My 10 Gallon was 12 Pre-GFO then after went up to 14 and today it was 15

My 29 Gallon was 10 Pre-GFO then went to 12

Why is it going up?

How do I lower it?

 

[DaveMorris]

How are you measuring it? What is your ph? What is your Calcium level? What is your Mg level? These all work in relationship to each other. You need to look at all of them to help determine whats going on. Also, we need to know about the tank. Size, how long has it been set up, etc.

 

[Vpham]

First , GFO DOES NO AFFECTS TO ALK, it ONLY lowers PHOPHATE . U must get more details about ur tank, like what water u do to top off, any susplement dosing or reactor...ect..
to lower it by doing water change, before changing it , test ur mix water to make sure it has lower alk than ur tank, cause some salt brand intend to have high alk...

 

[that Reef Guy]

First , GFO DOES NO AFFECTS TO ALK, it ONLY lowers PHOPHATE . U must get more details about ur tank, like what water u do to top off, any susplement dosing or reactor...ect..
to lower it by doing water change, before changing it , test ur mix water to make sure it has lower alk than ur tank, cause some salt brand intend to have high alk...

I made posts before about GFO and about a dozen or so people said that it definetly lowers Alkalinity.

Nobody said that that was not the case.

So why do you say that GFO has no effect on Alkalinity?

You are the only person that I have come across to say that.

 

[that Reef Guy]

First , GFO DOES NO AFFECTS TO ALK, it ONLY lowers PHOPHATE . U must get more details about ur tank, like what water u do to top off, any susplement dosing or reactor...ect..
to lower it by doing water change, before changing it , test ur mix water to make sure it has lower alk than ur tank, cause some salt brand intend to have high alk...

I top of with RO/DI Water and I make Salt Water with Instant Ocean Reef crystals like everyone else.

I have no reactors of any kind.

My system is very basic.

 

[CoryC]

what test kits are you using? instant ocean has pretty low levels across the board, meant typically for FOWLR tanks, you'd have to dose all major elements to get it to acceptable element levels. GFO has very little, if any, effect on alkalinity, what they are referring to is precipitation, caused from high levels precipitating out into the gfo, but it's not BECAUSE of the GFO. GFO doesnt affect your alkalinity.

 

[Railcar79]

I question the readings. Kalk is around 10, and lye is 14. I would think at a reading of 14 everything should be dead

 

[Vpham]

I made posts before about GFO and about a dozen or so people said that it definetly lowers Alkalinity.

Nobody said that that was not the case.

So why do you say that GFO has no effect on Alkalinity?

You are the only person that I have come


I donot have enough speaking English to help u understand what I mean , but here is a link that I found online about GFO n what it serve.

Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
next, u google how to low alk to get more infos of what u need to do n I am sure u will find it written from a same author...

 

[beaslbob]

I question the readings. Kalk is around 10, and lye is 14. I would think at a reading of 14 everything should be dead

10 what? 14 what. If dkh those values are way off. If pH it's not a measure of alk.

To the alk I would basically do nothing.

But do the diy 2 part testing and do a rebalance just to make sure.


my .02

 

[Som1else]

Your kits are probably off. What is your CA level, MAG?
If your CA is low you can Add more CA to lower the ALK.

 

[gonpostal]

Can you try a different test kit test kit?
I'm assuming you're not dosing anything?

 

[Swine]

I made posts before about GFO and about a dozen or so people said that it definetly lowers Alkalinity.

Nobody said that that was not the case.

So why do you say that GFO has no effect on Alkalinity?

You are the only person that I have come


I donot have enough speaking English to help u understand what I mean , but here is a link that I found online about GFO n what it serve.

Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
next, u google how to low alk to get more infos of what u need to do n I am sure u will find it written from a same author...

This is in the article you posted about GFO talking about GFO...

This precipitation can also contribute to a drop in alkalinity and possibly pH as it removes carbonate from the water column

Back to OP..
Have tested the salt water mix?

 

[ritter6788]

No way alk can increase on it's own. Something has to be dosed or water changes with a higher alk salt.

I don't believe GFO lowers alk either. It does lower phosphate which can increase stony coral growth which would lead to more alk consumption.

 

[Badfish83]

Is your tank stocked with corals?

 

[Vpham]

This is in the article you posted about GFO talking about GFO...

Since gfo was mentioned in top post to lower alk, I just wanna point it out that gfo does not and to prove my dis-agreement....

 

[Vpham]

This is in the article you posted about GFO talking about GFO...

Since gfo was mentioned in top post to lower alk, I just wanna point it out that gfo does not and to prove my dis-agreement....

oooppss. ..double post.

 

[that Reef Guy]

10 what? 14 what. If dkh those values are way off. If pH it's not a measure of alk.

To the alk I would basically do nothing.

But do the diy 2 part testing and do a rebalance just to make sure.


my .02

When I say 10 and 14 I am referring to my Alkalinity not my PH.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Can you try a different test kit test kit?
I'm assuming you're not dosing anything?

I Dose twice a Week:

Seachem PH Buffer
Seachem Calcium
Seachem Reef Plus Trace Elements and Aminio Acids

I also do Water Changes Twice a Week (about 60 to 70% each time) with RO/DI Water and Reef Crystals Salt - Salinity 1.025).

Sometimes I put in Reef Roids for the Corals but whenever I do I do a Water Change an Hour afterwards so there is less Crap in my System.

I just started GFO a Week Ago.

 

[Tahoe61]

Are you testing before you dose?
You should not need to add any Trace Elements if you're changing that much water and using Reef Crystals.
What are you using to test with?

 

[Reefing Madness]

To answer your question. Muriatic Acid will lower your ALK. I use it in mine. And yes, ALK can and will rise on its own, depending on your MAG and Cal readings. Mine does it all the time, and I don't dose that unless its needed. What you need to do is check what your Cal and Mag are reading. My Cal is 460 and keeps my Alk high, Im waiting for my system to get the Cal down on its own, then the Alk will maintain, I won't have to lower it using Muriatic Acid.