Alkalinity is 12 !!!

[Sohal Tang Tim]

Hi Everyone

my reef is 160 gallons
it is only set up 10 weeks
it has done the initial cycle
I have used a wee bit of nopox to help get nitrates down
I have done 40% water change 3 days ago to further reduce nitrates
I have added just a wee bit of PH up to get ph from7.6 up to 7.8-8.0
This morning my alkalinity is 12.0 first test and 11.9 second test.
I think I am ok but any ideas why the alk is so darn high?
I am going to test the blue box Fritz salt fresh mix in an hour and see what the alk is on the fresh saltwater
Ok now I just tested my calcium and it is at about 510 with a brand new Red Sea Calcium test kit...NOTE: I have notttt added calcium to the water!!!

Any ideas/thoughts/comments/input welcome please! Thanks Everyone!

 

[outssider]

A lot of reef salts mix up high in alk and calcium.....stay away from using buffer to increase ph....it will be a temporary increase and you will keep driving up alk if you continue to add buffer.......ph is a function of how much co2 is in the tank/air in the room,.....do you have a lot of people/animals in the house and is it all closed up ? 510 cal and 12 alk is high but doable...let them drop on their own. If it's a new tank, they will drop but slooooowly

 

[Brieninsac]

You shouldn't be adding anything to a new system. Do water changes and add an air stone and pump unless you have a skimmer. You're going to hear this a million times, slow and steady, don't try quick fixes.

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

Thanks People!

Thanks People!

I agree...I was out of the hobby for just over a year and my mind is damn rusty! I should never have used PH Marine Buffer...If anything I should have used Kalkwasser....and will be getting a Kalk Reactor in August....
The ALk has already dropped to 11 today which makes me breathe easier...
The PH is at 7.9 so its all good.. I will get the PH up with Kalk ...
Yes my house has central air so windows are not opened and there is 4 adults living in the house....and the floor with the tank on it is not very big square footage..so the carbon dioxide is causing that low PH I have become aware of through this post and watching BRS video earlier....

I am going to monitor it close and I wont be using Marine Buffer again...the Kalkwasser will take care of PH and ALk...should be off to races...
I will dose the Kalk EXTREMELY slowly and get things is perfect alignment.
Thanks again Everyone

 

[outssider]

7.9 really isn't bad considering 4 adults and a closed up house......I think i'm just a bit higher with one person in the house.......

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

yes but was 7.6

yes but was 7.6

Yes but it was at 7.6 before I used the marine buffer...

Anyways Kalk reactor will be going online second week of august that will solve the problem...

Thanks again!