Too high Alk - Any ideas why?

[Tylenator]

All my levels are pretty good but the Alk lvls will not drop i have done 25%water change drop too 13.96 and iam averaging now 15.07 only thing newly added is Purit and rox 0.8 carbon now mind you everything looks great re calibrated my apex trident to make sure it was not the issue and its correct i used my red sea alk test kit to make sure i was getting proper readings i attached a screen shot of my current readings mind you only thing iam dosing right now is magnesium alk and calcium shut off for last week iam feeding is PE Mysis Pellets 4 oz / 113g (2 mm) - Saltwater Fish Food - Piscine Energetics and Mysis Feast Ready-to-use PE Mysis (6 oz) - Reef Nutrition no new fish or corals added.

any ideas or help greatly appreciated

 

[((FORDTECH))]

All my levels are pretty good but the Alk lvls will not drop i have done 25%water change drop too 13.96 and iam averaging now 15.07 only thing newly added is Purit and rox 0.8 carbon now mind you everything looks great re calibrated my apex trident to make sure it was not the issue and its correct i used my red sea alk test kit to make sure i was getting proper readings i attached a screen shot of my current readings mind you only thing iam dosing right now is magnesium alk and calcium shut off for last week iam feeding is PE Mysis Pellets 4 oz / 113g (2 mm) - Saltwater Fish Food - Piscine Energetics and Mysis Feast Ready-to-use PE Mysis (6 oz) - Reef Nutrition no new fish or corals added.

any ideas or help greatly appreciated

This screen shot shows your alk at 0

 

[((FORDTECH))]

What kind of salt are you using for your water changes ?

 

[Tylenator]

because Trident only reads to 14.99 and then the red sea is where i got accurate reading from

 

[Rmckoy]

What are you dosing other than frequent water changes ?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Salt?

 

[Tylenator]

i use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals using ROI water and mix it for a week and heat it too the correct salinity before use and also i use pacific ocean from petco for emergency purposes such as trying to drop alk

 

[Tylenator]

dosing magnesium presently normally would be alk and calcium but once they hit high levels my apex is set to shut off as not to increase a higher range

 

[((FORDTECH))]

What does your fresh mixed saltwater mix at?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

If your salt is mixing to 13 to 15 and that’s what you’re using for water changes it will never bring it down

 

[((FORDTECH))]

If you’re not adding anything dosing wise the only thing you could do is wait time and let it drop naturally or use a salt mix that is lower in alkalinity

 

[Tylenator]

i never put in what my water was mixing at thats the number i been getting after a water change but when i do test fresh salt water i have made its at 9 for alk and 350 for calcium

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I see that you’re relying on an Apex salinity probe for a reading have you double check that with an actual refractor?

 

[Tylenator]

i use a ATC refractor and i calibrate with Fritz i double check to make sure iam spon or or close to 35 pt /1.025

 

[Tylenator]

Spot*

 

[((FORDTECH))]

So then after all the info I’ve read I cannot give you a reason from such high alk. Of The fluids you are dosing only the alk would raise the alk so high. Like I have already said only way to lower it is time or using lower alk salt mix. I will continue to follow this to see if you find something else to be the issue

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Are you certain the alk dosing has stopped? Not just the controller saying so?

Declining nitrate or nitrate dosign boosts alk.

Top off or salt water mixed with tap water can also raise alk.

Dissolving of sand can slowly raise alk, and that happens in most/all tanks, but is usually buried under larger demand for alk.