New tank high alkalinity

[basile]

I'm not sure why.


PH 8.0
grav 1.0235
Amonia 0
Nitrates 0.2
Nitrites undetectable.
KH 14.4


Stocking;


6 chromis
3 urchins
nassarius snails
7 hermiths


bubble coral
zoos
GSP patches
some macro algaes ( cheato- caulerpa, red algae) In starfire display refugium
Recent algae diatom bloom, because i fed the zoos which i'm told i should of done.


2 Dc pumps 950gph running to both the display refugiums and starfire tank
Reef Octopus 3000 working not really skimming anything.
Running GFO and carbon reactors
Lights 12 h cycles with including 3 h of actinics
Powerheads 5 controlable Tunze 6095 and 6055 in both tanks.


Display refugium feeding Reef by gravity.


Both tanks 2 " sand bed. Last water change 2 days ago.


How do i deal with this high alkalinity? Thanks for your time.​

​

 

[ritter6788]

Are you dosing anything? pH buffers? What brand of salt are you using?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Gotta know what salt your using bro. Its probably that, but what is your Cal readings also?

 

[JMSKI333]

It's got to be your salt. I would start by checking your salt mix and report back.

We will also need your calc reading.

 

[basile]

Ok thanks guys it Instant Ovean by the way will do a calcium test.

 

[mike007]

You might also double check your test results with a different test kit. If your calcium is within range i would do nothing and let it come down on its own.

 

[Reefing Madness]

WOW. If its Instant Ocean, then its not the salt. You using RO/DI water? I know you are, but just gotta double check sir. Instant Ocean doesn't come out that high. Bad batch maybe? Cal comes out low with that also. You dosing already?

 

[Eienna]

The alk on my IO came out to 11 or so. It only came up to 14 when I accidentally let it evaporate too much, and my pH would usually sit at 7.8 (might have been 7.6 - having a brain fart) after adding it to the tank - which brings me to a question - what are you using to read your salinity? If it's a hydrometer, take three readings and (after making sure there were no bubbles on the swing arm in any of them) average the readings. If it's a refractometer, make sure it's calibrated PROPERLY, per manufacturer's instructions; do not use distilled or RO if it calls for calibration solution, or vice versa. It may be that your salt mix concentration in the water is higher than you think.

 

[basile]

I guess i have some work to do. I use of course RODI, and a refractometer. one thing is sure the KH must be high, my toad stool, leather and bubble coral are shrunk . I didn't have distill water so the calcium test didn't work, i used the whole seringe and it didn't change color, either its above 500 or the fact that i used RODI water spoiled the test. I'll take my refractometer to be calibrated to my buddy who owns a store and a water sample so he can check it with his digital PH, refractometer, and his calcium set. I'll aslo check my calcium and the MG came to

MG 1395 ppm/ 0.7ml so i don't know what to make of it or maybe i do; facts;

- I did some sculpting using marco's rock cement; leaching who knows....its not suppose too
- Some cement residu from my renovation whent into the tanks and is still in the water , thats why its still milky and the socks can't pick it up, the skimmer is barely skimming it.
- tweeking with my ATO system some over filling happened a few times playing havock with my salinity. I had to add salt.
- The ceramic panel are suppose to be inert and not leaching anything, unkown.
- Using the prodibio product to jumpstart the tank does not have any effect on parameters its affect are on microbes and baterias not chemistry.

The bioload is still alive, chromis, the inverts, and urchins are doing fine for now.

Question is their a way to lower the KH a bit .

 

[Eienna]

Water changes are the best way, if not the only.

I wouldn't touch it until you know your readings are correct :/ even if you just took your water to a store for a second opinion, it would be better than nothing.

Mixing up some fresh SW and changing out the yucky stuff would be a good idea in any case, but if you're not sure of your salinity readings...

Well, I use 1/2 cup IO per gallon to get 1.025 salinity. That should get you close enough if you feel you need to change water right away.

 

[duke4130]

Did you add any new rock by any chance???

 

[basile]

Water changes are the best way, if not the only.

I wouldn't touch it until you know your readings are correct :/ even if you just took your water to a store for a second opinion, it would be better than nothing.

Mixing up some fresh SW and changing out the yucky stuff would be a good idea in any case, but if you're not sure of your salinity readings...

Well, I use 1/2 cup IO per gallon to get 1.025 salinity. That should get you close enough if you feel you need to change water right away.

Did you add any new rock by any chance???

This is the thing; with a normal cycle 6-8 weeks your rocks , specialy dry rock will leach its things in the water and you'll get rid of it through water changes. But in my case i used a bio product to jumpstart the tanks with 24 h i could put live stuff in it. The rocks although full of bacterias haven't leach their loads of chemicals yet and i'm stuck with it now with live things in the tanks...... that could be it. Yep i did it be cause my seeding fuge was dying and the stuff in it too and i was affraid for the chromis too they ahd already did their quarantine and well i had waited since june for this ... i thought i was getting ahaed, maybe not. Hopefully it won't kill anything yet. Thanks guys. Very plausible cause. Yes and lets not forget the $ 3500 worth of ceramic panels for the wall at the back of that tank, that too could make it.

you want to know more;
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...vity-my-150g-starfire-reef-tank-build-up.html

 

[Reefing Madness]

14dKH is not super high, im suprised your corals are giving you issues with it. Alk can be lowered using Muriatic Acid, dosing by the MLS.

"So adding 1/11,000 of the water volume as this acid will drop alkalinity by 1 meq/l (2.8 dKH).

You want a drop of 13-7 = 6 dKH, or 2.1 times that amount, so you'd add 1/5,100th of the water volume.

13 gallons ~ 49 L

1/5100 of 49 L = 9.6 mL

So I'd add 5 ml and stir well for a few minutes and see what alkalinity you get. Then dose again assuming it seems on the right track.

You'll need to aerate well after adding the acid to blow off the excess CO2 and bring up the pH"
Randal Holmes-Farley

 

[Eienna]

14dKH is not super high, im suprised your corals are giving you issues with it. Alk can be lowered using Muriatic Acid, dosing by the MLS.

14 knocked out one of my acan lords, although it may have been the swing more than the value itself. :/

 

[basile]

new readings

Ok well this tank sure has its mood swings; my fresh sw has a 12.1 KH , and this afternoon i took another reading because my stool was out and fully extended, reading 11.5 KH so the tank is making adjustment by itself, and the fact that my skimmers is taking out stuff might have something to do with it, someone mentioned the breakdown of of nutrients who knows, i might of caught a spike in the process. very interesting anyway thank you all..

 

[Eienna]

Let your new salt water sit and aerate before use. I let mine go overnight, though some brands (such as red sea) advocate a shorter period. This allows it to equalize a bit and fully dissolve before it's added to the tank.