SPS burnt tips...water change or ride it out?

[zippykat]

So I recently had a dip in my all/pH and have attempted to increase it using Reef Builder. I dosed 1/2 the recommended amount over the past two days expecting and increase of ~o.1 pH. PH increased by the tinyest amount the first day so I dosed a second day and now it jumped from 7.8 to 7.86 to 8.25 on the third day. A couple of my SPS burnt tips now.

From what I have read this is from over optimal Ca/Alk balance resulting in fast growth of the skeleton where the skin has difficulty keeping up. This being the case should I do a water change? Or ride it out?

I normally do a 5gal change weekly and just did one prior to dosing the Reef Builder. 25gal IM lagoon tank

 

[GoVols]

Are you dosing Seachem / Reef Builder for alk or PH?

Trapped in CO2 in ones home, is an ph killer.

 

[BoomCorals]

Sounds more like alk burn. What did your alk do in this time frame?

 

[zippykat]

Are you dosing Seachem / Reef Builder for alk or PH?

Trapped in CO2 in ones home, is an ph killer.

pH and a little bit for alk

 

[zippykat]

Sounds more like alk burn. What did your alk do in this time frame?

Alk mildly increased from 9.8 to 10.4

 

[BoomCorals]

Alk mildly increased from 9.8 to 10.4

That all is pretty high. What are your nutrients at?

You should never dose for PH by the way. Don’t chase ph numbers.

 

[GoVols]

pH and a little bit for alk

I would not dose anything for ph.

And stay away from Reef Buffer. It has Borate in that product.

It's most likely trapped in CO2.

Have you tried opening your windows or an CO2 scrubber that attaches to your skimmer?

 

[GoVols]

DP...

 

[GoVols]

That all is pretty high. What are your nutrients at?

+1
And at low nutrients (while) carbon dosing would sure make matters worse, at those alk levels.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Good advice all! Spot on.

 

[zippykat]

I would not dose anything for ph.

And stay away from Reef Buffer. It has Borate in that product.

It's most likely trapped in CO2.

Have you tried opening your windows or an CO2 scrubber that attaches to your skimmer?

I'll try open windows. Thanks!
It's Reef Builder, not buffer.

 

[zippykat]

That all is pretty high. What are your nutrients at?

You should never dose for PH by the way. Don’t chase ph numbers.

Thank you! What do you keep your alk at? (since I should basically now ignore pH)

 

[zippykat]

Thank you all for your advice! I did a 5gal water change and plan to just let it settle out. And I'm going to try the open windows to help with the CO2. As far as a CO2 scrubber goes, I don't think I'll be able to add that on...my tank is an AIO and has little room for additional equipment.

 

[Scorpius]

I see burnt Acropora tips above 8.0 dkh. You need to lower your alkalinity very slowly.

 

[BoomCorals]

Thank you! What do you keep your alk at? (since I should basically now ignore pH)

Very slowly try to get to 7-8.

 

[HB AL]

I'll try open windows. Thanks!
It's Reef Builder, not buffer.

Reef builder is for raising alk, that’s what I use to maintain alk. I wouldn’t sweat ph, haven’t tested in years.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk burn it is. Alk affects PH so do not raise PH or try to for now and water changes if done regularly will alleviate need to add buffers or other supplements

 

[Hans-Werner]

If you want to raise pH I can only recommend Kalkwasser/calcium hydroxide solution. Everything else elevates KH in an unbalanced ratio to calcium. Do not raise pH with products that permanently elevate KH unless you want to elevate KH and you are sure it is safe to do so.