Super high Alk-16.3!

[Flippers4pups]

You can use vinegar to reduce pH, like the article says, but not to reduce alkalinity. Alkalinity and pH are not the same thing. You would need a strong acid to reduce alkalinity (and would need to monitor pH while doing so, to make sure pH doesn't drop too low).

Not knowing his PH at the time, if it was sky high would have been a good to, but it wasn't. So the recommendation to do water changes and stop dosing 2 part till corrected.

 

[Urbanknight]

You've been given some solid advice. I can attest to the "small water changes." I tested mine a while ago and it was 15! The difference for me is I immediately knew what the culprit was. I was having issues with low PH. I added a kalk reactor and failed to check the ALK for two days. DUH! Five days of 15 gallon water changes brought it back to norm.

 

[Alexreefer]

Sorry it took this long but mixing a 50 gal tote takes some time lol. I Think I found my problem. My freshly mixed sw mixed at 1.025 comes in at 14.1 dkh! How can I lower this?

 

[wesman42]

Sorry it took this long but mixing a 50 gal tote takes some time lol. I Think I found my problem. My freshly mixed sw mixed at 1.025 comes in at 14.1 dkh! How can I lower this?

Switching salt mixes is usually the most common approach.

 

[Alexreefer]

Does anyone know what alk omega premium reef salt has? This problem has also been happening from when I used red sea coral pro.

 

[Alexreefer]

@Crabs Mcjones or @Flippers4pups is there any way my fresh water has a high alk

 

[Crabs McJones]

@Crabs Mcjones or @Flippers4pups is there any way my fresh water has a high alk

Are you using ro di? Rodi water should contain literally nothing except H2O

 

[Alexreefer]

Yes using the brs 6 stage ro/di tds is 0. How can this be? is there a way to test for alk in a freshwater? Can't I still just use my salifert test kit?

 

[ajhudson15]

ACORDING TO THEIR SITE IT HAS AN ALK OF 180PPM WHICH ONLY COMES OUT TO ABOUT 10.5 TO 11 DKH. STIL NOT SURE HOW TI GOT THAT HIGH.

 

[MikeW9788]

I know brs recommends mixing the salt mix prior to use just in case any settling occured in transit. Perhaps some settling occured and your getting concentrated scoops at the top of the bucket.

 

[SeaDweller]

What’s your PH at? Depending where your ph is at and the alkalinity is true you can use vinegar:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/

But I would do a series of water changes to lower it. And idea how it got so high? I, as others, believe it’s got to be a faulty test, unless your dosing alkalinity.

I think randy says vinegar is transient, once it gets consumed then the Alk raises again. You'd have to use HCl or something like seachem acid buffer

 

[Alexreefer]

Will mix around my salt bucket today. Plan on getting another salt mix today as well. Any reccomendations? Also will seachem acid buffer help longe term with the water or will it go back to a high alk?

 

[Alexreefer]

I think randy says vinegar is transient, once it gets consumed then the Alk raises again. You'd have to use HCl or something like seachem acid buffer

Do you know if seachem acid buffer is reef safe? It says it is used for freshwater. Will this affect my tank?

 

[SeaDweller]

Do you know if seachem acid buffer is reef safe? It says it is used for freshwater. Will this affect my tank?

I use it in my water change water, it DOES drop the ph though. You can aerate the water to offset it, so if you use it in your reef, I think you'd better go slowly. One 1/4 tsp/20 gallons drops dkh 0.6 so I'd maybe start off that much per day, and watch the ph. You just have to off gas the CO2 that's produced.

Muriatic acid/HCl can be used to lower Alk too.

The safest solution is probably a series of water changes with lower Alk in it.

 

[Alexreefer]

Ok so I should put seachem acid buffer in my w/c water and oxygenate the water. Monitor the ph and the alk should drop every w/c. Should I add a airstone the the water or a pump?

 

[vetteguy53081]

That seems sky high.
BEFORE ASSUMING THIS IS TRUE, TAKE A WATER SAMPLE TOP A TRUSTED LFS AND SEE IF THEY ARE GETTING THE SAME READING.
If so, you can act on reduction after that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you know if seachem acid buffer is reef safe? It says it is used for freshwater. Will this affect my tank?

I assume it is. The chemical itself is, only question is impurities that may be in it. I assume they use a quality material.

 

[JDnKY]

Could the Alk Test kit reagent be bad? Have you used the same test kit all along?

 

[Alexreefer]

No I have had the same results with my red sea test as well

 

[Alexreefer]

I assume it is. The chemical itself is, only question is impurities that may be in it. I assume they use a quality material.

Do you know any other way to reduce alk? @Randy Holmes-Farley