Advice on alk running high

[zaireguy]

Hi all

My alk is running at about 12dkh I haven't added any alk to the tank in over a week to try and get it to come down only been adding cal and mag and they are with in range
I did a 40 gallon water change last night with red sea salt no change
Should I just let it go with out adding anything and just keep testing? I only have two sps and they seem to be fine and the Lps seems to be doing well also
Everything seems to be doing ok with it that high I just wanted to get it down to around 9
Thanks

[andywar]

If you are using RedSea Coral Pro, alkalinity is 11dkh, hence you won't be able to bring down with WC.

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[andywar]

BTW, 12 is not over limit.

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[mcgyvr]

red sea coral pro salt?
If you want to maintain alk levels of 9 then change brands of salt IMO...
But if everything is doing fine why do you want to change that?

[bertoni]

A lot of salt products mix up to a high dKH level like that. What are the parameters of the fresh saltwater going into the system? Some common stealth sources of alkalinity include pH buffers (which all add alkalinity) and tap water.

[zaireguy]

Thanks for the info local store said if I want to grow.acros I need to get alk down to around 9

[bertoni]

Some tanks seem to have problems with high alkalinity levels, but many don't. You could try a frag to see how it goes. Lowering the dKH can be a problem if your salt mix has a high alkalinity level. I think you posted in the salt product thread, too? You might want to switch brands.

[gprdypoo04]

So your alk goes up a bit after a water change. Big whoppie dooooooo. I use RC and yes my alk goes up after a water change so I don't dose or dose less for a few days. Or do a smaller water change or do it gradually. I'm not changing brands of salt just because of a higher alk.

[RobZilla04]

Best option is to choose a salt brand with mix parameters closer to the values you want. Again the best advice is to stay in a range and limit the swings of any one or all value(s).

Check here: http://www.thatpetplace.com/salt-mix-guide

[ssgss gogeta]

I see no issue with having alk around 10. I prefer to keep mine between 9.5 and 10. Less chance to get low as my sps soak it up.

I use Red Sea coral pro and mine always tests at 10-10.5. I have recently read a lot of people saying theirs is 11.

Regardless a reef tank should be consuming alk. And more importantly as long as your alk is between 8-12 is consistency. If you can maintain alk but slightly higher around the 11 I don't see a massive issue with it


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[jda]

Your only hope to get it down is to use Muratic Acid to NEW SALT mix and slowly lower it while changing water. It will really jack with the PH, so make sure that you aerate it for few days after you add the muratic acid to blow the CO2 off.

I don't think that you will have any issue with SPS with alk that high unless you chase ULN system by dosing a carbon source. Even Cheato and GFO cannot really get phosphates low enough to worry about this (mostly).

[jda]

In case you care... gallons * dkh drop * .123 = MLs of Mutatic Acid to use. DO NOT do this in the tank.

[bertoni]

Muriatic acid probably is the best approach to dropping the alkalinity of a salt product. It does require care in handling and storage, though. The fumes are toxic, and getting any into your eyes is to be avoided. I don't want to make it sounds like death in a plastic bottle, but some care in use is a good idea.

[zaireguy]

Thanks for all the info I am going to keep a eye on things and see how it goes don't want to make any sudden changes in the tabk

[gprdypoo04]

You have to be kidding to use acid but whatever. Do you have any corraline growth? If your reading is right then just change salt till you have more coral or corraline.