SPS Got Burned
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Crabs McJones
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There really isnt a side from taking the high alk water out and putting lower alk water in. Only other way would be let your corals consume it. How much of a jump was it?
mike werner
2500 Club Member
that's not a major problem IMO.i've had it happen with no lasting effects.loss of polyp extention for a few day but that's about it.some may have had more negative experiences but not I.
Crabs McJones
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Normally you dont want to go more then 1.5 alk swing during a 24 hour period. If you dont want to do water changes to bring it down I'd say just observe your corals and see how they do. I think you'll be ok. Remember stability is the key so if you start doing all kinds of things to correct your alk issue it may actually be worse than just letting the corals consume it up.
what kind of salt? How big was the water change? How many gallons is your system volume?
You can use Muratic Acid to lower alk. It is reef safe... mostly... when used as directed. It will significantly lower PH, so it is best to do it outside of the tank.
...so mix up some fresh salt mix. Test the mix. Add Muratic Acid at the formula of: Gallons * dKh drop *.123 = MLs of muratic acid to use. Let this aerate for at least a day or until the PH is back up to the ambient room PH. You can keep the water that you take out of the tank and lower the alk on it and then recycle it into the tank. Go slow.
I have put a single ML of Muratic Acid into my tanks before and the PH lowers a bit on 300 gallons, but nothing significant... this can be risky, especially if your corals are already stressed.
All of this being said, are you actually seeing any issues? Thriving SPS can handle alk swings like this... but there are a lot of SPS nowadays under inferior lighting and in new tanks that an alk swing can be the "last straw." You might be totally fine.
...so mix up some fresh salt mix. Test the mix. Add Muratic Acid at the formula of: Gallons * dKh drop *.123 = MLs of muratic acid to use. Let this aerate for at least a day or until the PH is back up to the ambient room PH. You can keep the water that you take out of the tank and lower the alk on it and then recycle it into the tank. Go slow.
I have put a single ML of Muratic Acid into my tanks before and the PH lowers a bit on 300 gallons, but nothing significant... this can be risky, especially if your corals are already stressed.
All of this being said, are you actually seeing any issues? Thriving SPS can handle alk swings like this... but there are a lot of SPS nowadays under inferior lighting and in new tanks that an alk swing can be the "last straw." You might be totally fine.
OriginalUserName
Valuable Member
Heck, muriatic acid can do a good job at bleaching YOU. 
Oscar Bravo
Active Member
Before my dozer, I did had two swings like that. The second time I did lose a small unknown colony.
DQM5
Active Member
last week my alk was at 7.7 and I forgot to dial in my alk doser and it went up to 9.3! I left it alone for 2 days without dosing and it went back down to 7.9 and then I did a water change. hopefully this help.
ps no coral was harm
ps no coral was harm
