ALK Spike, Am I Doomed?

[HerbieK]

My ALK was running a little low, so I added some baking soda. Unfortunately, using the Reef Chemistry Calculator, I had the units in meq/L and not DKH. My starting ALK was 7.0 DHK, but I read the amount of baking soda to use base on meq/l. My ALK spiked up to 13+. I am attempting to bring it down with an emergency water change, but I don't have too much water change water laying around.

Does this spell disaster for my SPS?

Several Acros are sliming, and my millis don't look too concerned.

Am I doomed?

How can I get the ALK down?

Thanks for your help.

Herb

[cwegescheide]

I think the worst that can happen is a little RTN or burnt tips here and there. Alk in a stocked reef drops very fast if left unattended so I'd just slow up the dosing and let it drop on its own. I've had a few alk spikes that didn't effect my reef. I think low alk ime is worse.

Good luck,
Chris

[MCsaxmaster]

I might do a water change, watch the corals and make sure not to do this again, but otherwise wouldn't freak. Baking soda will drop the pH a bit immediately after being added, but the pH won't drop that low and will come back up as CO2 bubbles out. The biggest concern is probably just abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate. Alkalinity, in and off itself, doesn't really mean anything to the corals afterall. What is important to them is the pH (which ultimately will be fine) and the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon species (DIC), especially bicarbonate. This should not be unreasonably high, or at least not outside the range of what corals can thrive in.

Chris

[Sk8r]

It was much worse for mine, but various factors were involved, including high calcium, and worse, *ammonia* from the dieoff, which caused a cascade of problems in a flywheel effect: go back to basics and check your ammo, nitrite, nitrate daily until you are back to normal.

[rutz81]

Mine went up to 15 last week and I got RTN in a few areas like cwegescheide said. But, overall, I think I'm gonna be fine. I brought mine down to 9-10 over the next couple of days and have stayed steady there since. Things seem to be getting better.

[gasman059]

MIne lives at 12-13 LOL and really no problems- I should bring it down but all is well so why change.