Raised Akl by 2 degrees in one day

Aquavaj · 08/03/2018, 09:55 AM

Should have been more careful about this cause apparently you shouldn't increase it by more than 1.4 degrees per day. 1 degree to be on the safer side.

Well last night I redid my testing using the Salifert kit to a more accurate endpoint. Apparently I was way overshooting since I go until I got a solid pink. I did 3 tests only going until I got a lavender color and all 3 were giving me 6 dkh.

I dosed 2 ml of Kent Marine A and 2 ml of B five minutes later. I retest and hour later and got 7 dkh. In my mind I wanted 8 so I just threw caution into the wind and dosed another 2 ml of each. It was rather late so I did not test and assumed the last dose should bring it up to 8. pH peaked to 8.47 when I headed to bed.

Everything was still closed this morning so I couldn't tell if the quick alk swing was a disaster or not.

Tripod1404 · 08/03/2018, 09:59 AM

Depends on what corals you have. SPS do not like swings more than 0.5 dKH a day.

Aquavaj · 08/03/2018, 10:28 AM

I have a mixed reef of sps, lps and softies.

mcgyvr · 08/03/2018, 10:35 AM

As stated its fairly common to suggest that people don't let alk swing by more than .5-1dkh a day...
As always there are cases where swings greater than that have not seemed to cause any problems and cases where swings in that range have seemed to..
There are multiple variables at play beyond just a straight up alk swing number equaling a "good or bad" guaranteed result..
Best to avoid the swings..

bertoni · 08/03/2018, 08:30 PM

Some corals might react badly to a swing of more than 1 dKH or so, but I wouldn't worry all that much yet. I'm not sure that's typical. pH at 8.47 is fine.

Aquavaj · 08/09/2018, 08:46 AM

From a week and a half of testing I'm finding that my tank uses about 1 dkh a day. I get around 6 dkh before testing and after 2ml of 2 part (just B) I get 7 after waiting an hour. What's strange was that these last couple of days it's stayed at 7. I dose the regular 2ml and it's slightly above 8 now, which is what I would prefer.

So what would account for the alk now holding at 7? Being a little unsure of myself I've been testing atleast twice, maybe even 3 times. I'm using the salifert kit and now stop the moment the blue turns lavender instead of solid pink, which I read is overshooting the endpoint.

bertoni · 08/09/2018, 12:14 PM

Consumption will slow down as the alkalinity level drops, but 7 dKH is high for an end point. Maybe the kit is a bit off, though. I'd probably try dosing the 1 dKH to see what happens, and maybe consider a second opinion on the test kit, if that were easy.

hkgar · 08/09/2018, 12:56 PM

Who knows. I keep mine about 7.8 and a while back I had a major screw up and it shot up to 12. I stop all dosing and let it come down naturally . No damage to any corals. My usage is 3.5 dKH/day so the high usage brought it down quickly and that may be why there was no damage.

08/03/2018, 09:55 AM	#1
Aquavaj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 132	Raised Akl by 2 degrees in one day Should have been more careful about this cause apparently you shouldn't increase it by more than 1.4 degrees per day. 1 degree to be on the safer side. Well last night I redid my testing using the Salifert kit to a more accurate endpoint. Apparently I was way overshooting since I go until I got a solid pink. I did 3 tests only going until I got a lavender color and all 3 were giving me 6 dkh. I dosed 2 ml of Kent Marine A and 2 ml of B five minutes later. I retest and hour later and got 7 dkh. In my mind I wanted 8 so I just threw caution into the wind and dosed another 2 ml of each. It was rather late so I did not test and assumed the last dose should bring it up to 8. pH peaked to 8.47 when I headed to bed. Everything was still closed this morning so I couldn't tell if the quick alk swing was a disaster or not.

08/03/2018, 10:35 AM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	As stated its fairly common to suggest that people don't let alk swing by more than .5-1dkh a day... As always there are cases where swings greater than that have not seemed to cause any problems and cases where swings in that range have seemed to.. There are multiple variables at play beyond just a straight up alk swing number equaling a "good or bad" guaranteed result.. Best to avoid the swings.. __________________ Who me?

08/03/2018, 08:30 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Some corals might react badly to a swing of more than 1 dKH or so, but I wouldn't worry all that much yet. I'm not sure that's typical. pH at 8.47 is fine. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/09/2018, 12:14 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Consumption will slow down as the alkalinity level drops, but 7 dKH is high for an end point. Maybe the kit is a bit off, though. I'd probably try dosing the 1 dKH to see what happens, and maybe consider a second opinion on the test kit, if that were easy. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/09/2018, 12:56 PM	#8
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Who knows. I keep mine about 7.8 and a while back I had a major screw up and it shot up to 12. I stop all dosing and let it come down naturally . No damage to any corals. My usage is 3.5 dKH/day so the high usage brought it down quickly and that may be why there was no damage. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

08/03/2018, 09:59 AM	#2
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Depends on what corals you have. SPS do not like swings more than 0.5 dKH a day.

08/03/2018, 10:28 AM	#3
Aquavaj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 132	I have a mixed reef of sps, lps and softies.

08/09/2018, 08:46 AM	#6
Aquavaj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 132	From a week and a half of testing I'm finding that my tank uses about 1 dkh a day. I get around 6 dkh before testing and after 2ml of 2 part (just B) I get 7 after waiting an hour. What's strange was that these last couple of days it's stayed at 7. I dose the regular 2ml and it's slightly above 8 now, which is what I would prefer. So what would account for the alk now holding at 7? Being a little unsure of myself I've been testing atleast twice, maybe even 3 times. I'm using the salifert kit and now stop the moment the blue turns lavender instead of solid pink, which I read is overshooting the endpoint.