Super high Alk spike... how to lower it.

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

Hi I am having a problem with high Alk. I have not had this situation before and see many ways to raise it but no way to lower it. My Ca is at 480 so adding more to bring it down I don't believe is the right move. I just changed a huge amount of water in the tank also. (50g in a 120 TWV) To attempt t fix it but instead it seemed to rise more. At first I thought it was due to red slime treatment (thus water change) now I am unsure.

So, anhttps://www.reef2reef.com/forums/members/revhtree.htmly ideas?

Alk 16dkh
Ca 480
PH 8.5
No3 0
Po4 0

I think this is why my green birdsnest is whiting out at the base all of a sudden also

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

I forgot to mention, I use reef crystals salt... I am not dosing alk (because it has always been stable between 11 and 12 dkh with Ca at 480)

ermartin · May 10, 2012

i would start by testing your water source amd follow up by testing your test kit

CalmSeasQuest · May 10, 2012

+1 on checking the test kit, it seems improbably high without dosing. At 8.5pH, 480 Ca and 16 dKh, I'd expect you'd be seeing a calcium snowstorm.

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

CalmSeasQuest said:
+1 on checking the test kit, it seems improbably high without dosing. At 8.5pH, 480 Ca and 16 dKh, I'd expect you'd be seeing a calcium snowstorm.

Maybe I am seeing that... I see what looks like fine sand floating around.. kinda clouding in there but not too bad. I also have fine sand in my tank and moved the power heads a bit. I thought it may have been due to that. I did test the test an it's correct. I think it may be my water that I made the saltwater up with.

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

..... water supply tests at 11 dkh

VegasRick · May 10, 2012

Not using RODI?

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

I am thinking this was a series of things that happened.... I treated the tank for cyano. The morning I was to do a water change (30g planned) I accidentally put an eyedroppers worth of coral rx pro dip in the tank that was supposed to be the bottle of AA (they're identical looking and someone put it on the table next to each other). So Instead of a 30g water change I did a 50g. Do you think that this could have caused the rise in Alk?

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

VegasRick said:
Not using RODI?

No, wish I was

Mine kicked the bucket as well as a 150g glass tank in November. I was lucky to get a new tank... I know my well water isn't perfect but we do have a softner system on it as well as an iron and metals filter as well as UV on it. So it is better than most softner set ups. I have phosban running as well as bio pellets w/ microbactor7 and carbon and a small sump fuge w/ cheato

CalmSeasQuest · May 10, 2012

prsnlty said:
I am thinking this was a series of things that happened.... I treated the tank for cyano. The morning I was to do a water change (30g planned) I accidentally put an eyedroppers worth of coral rx pro dip in the tank that was supposed to be the bottle of AA (they're identical looking and someone put it on the table next to each other). So Instead of a 30g water change I did a 50g. Do you think that this could have caused the rise in Alk?

The fine sand you're seeing is likely most of the calcium in your water column that has precipitated out. Do a quick Calcium test and you should see the drop. While not recommended, I doubt the Coral Rx is responsible for your Alk spike (nor the Cyano treatment.) If you start with 11 dKh water (get an RO/DI) and use it to makeup RC which is already high in Alk, it's conceivable it could result in 16 dKh saltwater. Easy enough to confirm - just test it....then get an RO/DI (especially since you're dosing carbon.) I'd hold off any any more water changes until you resolve your source water issue and good luck with your Bird, I've killed quite a few over the years with Alk spikes as they are the Alk equivalent of a "canary in a coal mine".

CalmSeasQuest · May 10, 2012

For reference, 0 TDS RO/DO is ~7pH - Even lower if your well water has higher levels of CO2 (pretty common.)

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

I see what you mean. That makes a lot of sense too

I had forgotten about the Alk in the salt. I don't have $200+ right now for RO/DI but I was considering this one 0PPM Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis RO+DI Filtration | eBay off ebay temporarily. Do you think it will suffice in the meantime for RO/DI water?

Yeah, I love my BN I've been told to frag what's left that is healthy but the water isn't good enough for placing the frags back into

CalmSeasQuest · May 10, 2012

It's certainly better than nothing, but expect to blow through the Di resin with those smaller, horizontal filters. In the long run, it will cost you more in DI resin than paying a bit more up front for a better unit - but it would get you back up and running.

You might want to check the forums and Craigs List for a used RO/Di as well.

prsnlty · May 10, 2012

Okay, good idea

I can look on Craigs list... not sure how to look to buy on forums though. Problem here is people in Fl are really in bad shape. When the economy crashed people left in a hurry, selling what they had. Now, no one is buying and not much is selling that is within reach anyway.

Thank you Tom, you have been a super help and I want you to know I appreciate it

aherre07 · May 10, 2012

If buying your own RO/DI is not an option what about lugging water from a local water place. It will be a pain but it will help you as well in the long run. Good luck with it.