Why is my ALK climbing?

[Mr Cypher]

So I woke up this morning checked the tank everything looked happy..... except my Hammer corals and my Scoly so thought to my self why not do a little check whipped out the old test kit and fired away ammonia 0 nitrite 0 ph 8.2 nitrate 15 little high but not too bad so then for giggles I checked my alk 12.2 ? little odd checked my salinity at 35ppm so thought no biggie will check again when I get home.... 12.9 ? tank is a WB 130.4 3mo old temp 78.4 stable clue usually Alk has been around 11.3 just started having this issue not sure why I use red sea coral pro salt

 

[Gtinnel]

Is it safe to assume you're not dosing 2 part/kalk? Also, are you dosing anything at all ecspecially something sold to raise your pH?

 

[Mr Cypher]

the only thing I have been using is microbacter 7 to help lower my nitrates using recommended dose but when I used before never had an issue

 

[ADAM]

Check your PO4. My ALK consumption slows when my phosphate starts creeping up. Id also think PO4 as well due to nitrates being slightly elevated

 

[Mr Cypher]

otherwise nothing just weekly waterchanges on Monday then following Tuesday 10% water volume

 

[Gtinnel]

If nitrates are being reduced because of being consumed in the tank (verses removed from a water change) then that can cause an increase in alkalinity. The only other way that I know of to add alkalinity is through adding it to the tank. How much has your nitrates decreased by?

 

[ADAM]

Oh wait, Im sorry; I misread the postings. (*Check the PO4 anyway )

If you aren't adding any Ca/Alk supplements then there is something else skewing the test. If its a new bucket of salt and you recently did a water change the new bucket could possibly be much higher ALK than your previous however I would doubt that much difference would be seen from only 10% changes. If my math is correct; the "water-change-water" would have to have an ALK around 20.8DKH if it were a true 10% change and the tank was at 11.3DKH prior to adding the newly prepared water... What is the usual salinity when you're getting the test results of 11.3?
Leads me to think the test procedure is likely the key factor in the increase. Have someone else perform the test and see what result they get. Secondly if your using a drip-test test kit where you are relying on seeing a color change in the test vial make sure your ambient room lighting is the same during each test period. May not make a huge difference but natural sunlight versus electric lighting could have a couple drops difference in noticing a slight change in color in some of the kits I've owned over the years for sure.


PS: Thank God for Hanna Checkers, no more red/purple/blue/etc!

 

[Mr Cypher]

Oh wait, Im sorry; I misread the postings. (*Check the PO4 anyway )

If you aren't adding any Ca/Alk supplements then there is something else skewing the test. If its a new bucket of salt and you recently did a water change the new bucket could possibly be much higher ALK than your previous however I would doubt that much difference would be seen from only 10% changes. If my math is correct; the "water-change-water" would have to have an ALK around 20.8DKH if it were a true 10% change and the tank was at 11.3DKH prior to adding the newly prepared water... What is the usual salinity when you're getting the test results of 11.3?
Leads me to think the test procedure is likely the key factor in the increase. Have someone else perform the test and see what result they get. Secondly if your using a drip-test test kit where you are relying on seeing a color change in the test vial make sure your ambient room lighting is the same during each test period. May not make a huge difference but natural sunlight versus electric lighting could have a couple drops difference in noticing a slight change in color in some of the kits I've owned over the years for sure.


PS: Thank God for Hanna Checkers, no more red/purple/blue/etc!

you hit it on the head with the PO4 it was way out of whack added some GFO to my reactor and fingers crossed

 

[Madonia]

you hit it on the head with the PO4 it was way out of whack added some GFO to my reactor and fingers crossed

Careful with this, bring it down slowly over the next couple of weeks to avoid coral death.

 

[Timfish]

Increased dissolution of carbonate substrates? Maybe from a maturing ecosystem? How old is your system?

 

[Mr Cypher]

Increased dissolution of carbonate substrates? Maybe from a maturing ecosystem? How old is your system?

3 mo old

 

[Mr Cypher]

morning update added the GFO about 8 hrs ago already looking better hammers out way more than yesterday thanks for the help yall much appreciated I will keep you posted

 

[Timfish]

morning update added the GFO about 8 hrs ago already looking better hammers out way more than yesterday thanks for the help yall much appreciated I will keep you posted

FWIW your system is just partway through it's maturing process. You should keep an eye out for potentially sudden changes in pH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium as well.

 

[Mr Cypher]

update so far so good

 

[TX_Punisher]

I had those issues when my cal was too high (550).

if it’s high try some water changes with a fish salt like IO. Once I lowered my cal my alk stopped creeping up.

Good luck