Parameters rising without dosing

[MONTANTK]

Chicken liver sponge? That's one I have in a lot of my tanks though they usually stay in the cryptic areas and I've always considered them beneficial. There is a black photosynthetic sponge that is invasive and will encrust over corals I'd avoid

I think it’s the photosynthetic one. I think I only have one left in there which I can easily remove. I do also have the chicken liver sponge though

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think it’s the photosynthetic one. I think I only have one left in there which I can easily remove. I do also have the chicken liver sponge though

In the grand scheme of things, worrying about sponges boring into rock and releasing alk is going too far, IMO.

Yes, it can happen, but no, it is not likely a major source of alk in any tank. Sand dissolving is a known issue. Rarely does alk rise since the demand usually is much greater, but folks who keep sand a long time have had to periodically replace some of it, and all of it that dissolved added to the alkalinity.

 

[MONTANTK]

In the grand scheme of things, worrying about sponges boring into rock and releasing alk is going too far, IMO.

Yes, it can happen, but no, it is not likely a major source of alk in any tank. Sand dissolving is a known issue. Rarely does alk rise since the demand usually is much greater, but folks who keep sand a long time have had to periodically replace some of it, and all of it that dissolved added to the alkalinity.

I was more concerned about it being invasive. Interestingly enough, I tested again today and Alk went down to 8.6 and Mg returned to 1410. I still feel something unknown was contributing to it but I’m not too worried since it went back down

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was more concerned about it being invasive. Interestingly enough, I tested again today and Alk went down to 8.6 and Mg returned to 1410. I still feel something unknown was contributing to it but I’m not too worried since it went back down

Might just be testing variability, rather than true ups and downs. Actual alk rising steadily is quite unusual.

 

[Vet reef]

Why you never jump the gun on adding or dissolving elements to the tank. Heck my salinity was at 1.024 and I added some salt to a dosing container and brought it up the mag raises aswell from 1505 to 1560 I just leave it and it goes down. Why I love having consistency in the reef tank. My tank is LPs and a few milliporas.