Low Alkalinity

[Adriifu]

Hi, I just got my Aquaforest alkalinity test kit, and the results seemed to be between 6.2-6.4 dKH. My next water change is on Sunday. Last week, I performed only a 10% water changed compared to my usual 30% (made a recent thread about it) because I was concerned that I was shocking my acros with IO Reef Crystal’s high alkalinity. I just double checked my phosphates with the Salifert test kit, and they were reading between 0.1-0.25 ppm. Here’s the problem: my acros aren’t really extending their polyps and one of them turned from green to brown. Also, my Monti’s colors are becoming more dull, but it’s polyps are extending. Then there’s my birdsnest, which was growing well for about a week and now only ever has its polyps halfway extended. My torch is doing okay, but I feel like its a bit darker and smaller than usual. It’s still open and eating. Everything else in the tank is fine: Duncans, green star polyps, favias, BTA, pulsing Xenia, and palys. This is my first time ever keeping acros and I want to try my best to help them thrive. I got them about a month ago. I’m switching from the IO Reef Crystals to Red Sea in the hopes to fix my alkalinity issue. I don’t know what else to do at this point. Are the phosphates too high? Is my lighting enough? I use USA Current Marine Orbit. Please help.
The last picture is of the birdsnest when it was happy and the acro when it was green.

 

[lapin]

Your Po4 could be a little high at 0.2. After reading your other post I understand why you are switching salt mix.
What is the Alk of your tank?
What is the Alk of the blue bucket salt mix?

 

[Adriifu]

Your Po4 could be a little high at 0.2. After reading your other post I understand why you are switching salt mix.
What is the Alk of your tank?
What is the Alk of the blue bucket salt mix?

The alkalinity of the tank right now is 6.2-6.4 dKH, and I have yet to test the alkalinity of the new salt mix; however, it claims to mix at 8 dKH.

 

[lapin]

If you were using reef crystals I would be a bit suspect that your alk number is 6.4. Doing regular water changes with RC should make it over 9 at the least. Unless you have a lot of SPS.
The blue bucket should be around 8

 

[Adriifu]

If you were using reef crystals I would be a bit suspect that your alk number is 6.4. Doing regular water changes with RC should make it over 9 at the least.
The blue bucket should be around 8

That’s why I’m so surprised. I expected it to be high, not low. I even did the test twice and the results were the same. I don’t know what to do about that. If the results are accurate, then are they too low?

 

[lapin]

At 6.4 calcium will start to dissolve. Corals will not be able to make their skeletons.
I would do a few water changes to try to bring that number up.
After you get it up, we need to figure out your consumption rate.
You do that by measuring the change from day to day.

 

[Adriifu]

At 6.4 calcium will start to dissolve. Corals will not be able to make their skeletons.
I would do a few water changes to try to bring that number up.
After you get it up, we need to figure out your consumption rate.
You do that by measuring the change from day to day.

Okay, thank you. Would low alkalinity explain why my torch has been so unhappy? I’ve heard that they prefer it to be higher. And how big should the water changes be? I can start mixing some salt for tomorrow. Maybe 20% on Saturday and another on Sunday?

 

[lapin]

Ya try 20% and 20%,. That will also help with the high Po4
AT 6.4 LPS and SPS should not be real happy

 

[Adriifu]

Ya try 20% and 20%,. That will also help with the high Po4
AT 6.4 LPS and SPS should not be real happy

Okay, I will go for that. Thank you so much!! I will update after the water changes.

 

[hyprc]

At 6.4 calcium will start to dissolve. Corals will not be able to make their skeletons.
I would do a few water changes to try to bring that number up.
After you get it up, we need to figure out your consumption rate.
You do that by measuring the change from day to day.

I was down to 5.6 for a couple weeks, all my montis still growing, acros still growing... I wouldn't panic, OP steady as she goes, just bring it up over the next 3 or so weeks, nothing drastic.

 

[X-37B]

At 6.4 calcium will start to dissolve. Corals will not be able to make their skeletons.
I would do a few water changes to try to bring that number up.
After you get it up, we need to figure out your consumption rate.
You do that by measuring the change from day to day.

A dkh of 6.4 wont dissolve calcium. A ph of 6.4 will.

 

[Adriifu]

I was down to 5.6 for a couple weeks, all my montis still growing, acros still growing... I wouldn't panic, OP steady as she goes, just bring it up over the next 3 or so weeks, nothing drastic.

Thank you )

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Okay, thank you. Would low alkalinity explain why my torch has been so unhappy? I’ve heard that they prefer it to be higher. And how big should the water changes be? I can start mixing some salt for tomorrow. Maybe 20% on Saturday and another on Sunday?

I don’t think the low alk is the issue, but switching to a lower alk salt mix will only make that problem worse. I think you need to plan to start dosing calcium and alkalinity. A two part is a good way to go.

have you measured nitrate? You want to make sure it isn’t too low.

 

[lapin]

A dkh of 6.4 wont dissolve calcium. A ph of 6.4 will.

Senior moment

 

[X-37B]

Senior moment

No problem.
At 62 myself I understand, lol.

 

[Adriifu]

I don’t think the low alk is the issue, but switching to a lower alk salt mix will only make that problem worse. I think you need to plan to start dosing calcium and alkalinity. A two part is a good way to go.

have you measured nitrate? You want to make sure it isn’t too low.

If alkalinity isn’t the issue, what else could it be? My nitrates usually measure at 5-10 ppm with API, but I can double check today. Should I stick with Reef Crystals then? I’ve never dosed my tank before. Are there any brands you’d recommend? Would baking soda work for alkalinity?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Lots of folks have coral problems for reasons that are not apparent. Flow, light, bacterial pathogens, temps, problem fish etc all can cause issues. Nutrients too low can also be an issue.

 

[dwest]

If alkalinity isn’t the issue, what else could it be? My nitrates usually measure at 5-10 ppm with API, but I can double check today. Should I stick with Reef Crystals then? I’ve never dosed my tank before. Are there any brands you’d recommend? Would baking soda work for alkalinity?

I’d check out BRS. Great videos and 2 part.

 

[Adriifu]

Lots of folks have coral problems for reasons that are not apparent. Flow, light, bacterial pathogens, temps, problem fish etc all can cause issues. Nutrients too low can also be an issue.

My nitrates are not as low as they were previously. Something caused them to go from the 5-10 ppm range to around 20 ppm if I’m looking at this right. I no longer have my color charts, and this is a freshwater API kit, but all of the chemicals should be the same as the saltwater version. I looked up the color charts for API saltwater and they look a lot closer to 20 ppm than 10 ppm. Here they are. I don’t really know what could have caused this. Could this explain something, especially the browning?

 

[Adriifu]

I’ve been doing some more research, and it looks like the sweet spot for a mixed reef is 11.5 dKH, 1-2 ppm nitrates, and <0.1 ppm phosphates. Is it possible to mix two different salt brands (Reef Crystals and Red Sea)? I’d like to see if maybe that could get me a higher alkalinity. I’m going to do the 20% water change tomorrow with just Red Sea and test alkalinity every day after that. I purchased a nitrate absorbing pad because they are definitely over 20 ppm. I am also going to get the two part alk/calc supplements, plus phosphate removing pearls. I guess the goal is to get alkalinity up and nitrates/phosphates down. My LPS and softies are mostly happy with me; it’s the SPS I’m trying to please. I just have to find the parameters where everyone is happy and try my best to keep them there. I might try to switch the coral placement around so my acros get more flow and lighting as well. Is there anything else I should or shouldn’t do? Thank you!