Why my ALK/Calcium keeps rising?

[BurgerFish]

I'm not understand what happened.

1y ago my ALK was 9.5. Calcium 415.
5 months ago it becomes 10.5. Calcium 425.
Today it's 12. Calcium 450.

Using Hanna checker. Retested many times.

Using:
RedSea Coral Pro Salt at 1.025.
Acro Power
MicroBacter7
Biomate
RO/DI water
Nothing else.

Refractometer is calibrated with AccuraSea.
Coralline algae grow like a weeds.

In 1y the salinity falls from 1.025 to 1.023 due to skimmer and fish acclimation. I rise it to 1.025 again using the same salt mix. No water changes for 1y.

If it's due to testing issues in the past (ex: incorrectly calibrated refractometer, cleaning the bottles with tap water...), so why alk and calcium rise even with many coralline algaes outbreaks (all glass was covered to 80%, many times).

Why alk rise and not drop?

 

[DC Reefer]

Not sure why they would rise. Are your kits expired? See if your LFS will test and compare to what you are testing and see if they are consistent.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It may be rising because the demand is low and the tank parameters are below the level of the Red Sea Coral pro used for water changes. Some increase can also be expected from slow dissolution of calcium carbonate rock and sand down inside where degrading organics may lower the pH sufficiently.

The other products you are adding (such as the amino acids) may or may not add any alkalinity, depending on the exact formulation used.

 

[BurgerFish]

But 12 alk and 450 Calcium is ok? Or I need to lower it somehow?

Kits are not expired.

I did water change only once, to correct salinity from 1.023 to 1.025. It dropped cause of skimmer and fishes acclimation (they took saltwater from the tank).

 

[KrisReef]

Are you keeping corals or just fish? The coral sea pro salt is designed with elevated ALK that is supposed to be used by coral, or coralline algae. If you just have fish using a lower alk salt mix at your next water change might help to slow the coralline growth. When I was doing fish only I never measured Alk and used Instant Ocean salt that had lower alk back in the day.

 

[BurgerFish]

Are you keeping corals or just fish? The coral sea pro salt is designed with elevated ALK that is supposed to be used by coral, or coralline algae. If you just have fish using a lower alk salt mix at your next water change might help to slow the coralline growth. When I was doing fish only I never measured Alk and used Instant Ocean salt that had lower alk back in the day.

I want a mixed reef with many SPS. But all my SPS died, maybe cause of 0 nitrates and phosphates.

I decided to add more fishes to rise nutriments and wait 6 months. Now phosphates are 0.028 and nitrates still on 0. Chaeto consume everything...

 

[KrisReef]

I had to do the same thing in my reef. The corals were stripping nutrients faster than I could add them at first so my wife got "her fish" and the corals started growing.

After you get fish, you might want to be more active at trimming chaeto (and maybe even remove it?) when you do try corals again. The most difficult part of reef keeping (ime) is to get all of the parameters stable and additions balanced. I have a calc reactor, some people dose two part into their systems to feed alk & calc to balance with tank consumption.

The consumption changes as the corals grow, and as the fish grow, and I had to test daily for a long time to get the phosphate & nitrate consumption inputs and exports to balance at numbers that the corals like. I recently changed out some equipment and moved the set up around and have began testing daily again to keep the parameters near my targets.

Other people automate, I tinker.

 

[BurgerFish]

I had to do the same thing in my reef. The corals were stripping nutrients faster than I could add them at first so my wife got "her fish" and the corals started growing.

After you get fish, you might want to be more active at trimming chaeto (and maybe even remove it?) when you do try corals again. The most difficult part of reef keeping (ime) is to get all of the parameters stable and additions balanced. I have a calc reactor, some people dose two part into their systems to feed alk & calc to balance with tank consumption.

The consumption changes as the corals grow, and as the fish grow, and I had to test daily for a long time to get the phosphate & nitrate consumption inputs and exports to balance at numbers that the corals like. I recently changed out some equipment and moved the set up around and have began testing daily again to keep the parameters near my targets.

Other people automate, I tinker.

What is your phos/nitrates level now?

I'm trying to add more fishes, but the prices are up and availability is down thanks to covid19

Is there a thread for your tank?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

But 12 alk and 450 Calcium is ok? Or I need to lower it somehow?

Kits are not expired.

I did water change only once, to correct salinity from 1.023 to 1.025. It dropped cause of skimmer and fishes acclimation (they took saltwater from the tank).

It is ok, if you have sufficient nutrients, but if you want it lower, use a lower alk salt mix.

 

[KrisReef]

What is your phos/nitrates level now?
I had to go measure
Phos (Hanna ULR) P-36ppb = 0.110 ppm
Nitrates (Tropic Marin Pro) have been measuring between 2-5 ppm, and much of that turns out to be nitrite (Thanks @Lasse)
Ca. I have not measured this in awhile. I have a calcium reactor on the tank and it has been fairly stable at 400ppm.
Magnesium was near 1300ppm when I measured last week. I like to keep it closer to 1350+ so I have been adding Mg and have not retested yet.
SG is 1.025
I just bought an ICP test but I wanted to get my parameters on top of my testing targets before I send it in. The tank has been set up for a few years and I have only done random & occasional 5-10% water changes during the last 2 years so I am curious to see where the trace elements will test out with the Ca, Mg Alk, P, and NO3 all "good."

I'm trying to add more fishes, but the prices are up and availability is down thanks to covid19 ( Yup, the current prices are making me consider cashing in my purple tang. It would be a gamble that the prices go down.

Is there a thread for your tank?

No, I have not tried to keep a tank thread. I had an infestation of AEFW a few years back and let the coralline algae obscure most of the viewing panes while I treated for them. I am considering doing a restoration thread but waiting to see if I get motivated enough to actually remove all of the encrusting coralline. I have made a little progress, and took a photo of the tank today. IPhone photo no filter, just adjusted so the purple tang looks purple

Off to dinner,
Kris