Dose it or go easy, Alkalinity question

[Capt_Cully]

I've learned not to knee jerk too many things when it comes to my tank.

I was away. Just before leaving I noticed my alkalinity had nose dived. The tubing blew on my doser and despite just changing my top off to purely kalkwasser, my alk on arriving home is bordering on 2.40 with a Ca of 440 (though I'm not certain I trust that with the Alk being so low).

I had my house sitter dose some alkalinity 2 part daily, but I think that was just whistling by the graveyard. Speaking of graveyards, I've got quite a few corals looking not so hot. (Others look their best ever, go figure) I noticed a bunch of corals burned and even lost a head of Todd's from falling chunks of Alk 2 part.

Should I scramble and dose a bunch of Alk to bump it up? Then resume my normal schedule and weekly water change?

What would you do?

I know what I'm going to do, but I know there's a lot of new faces here. I'd like to hear from the old timers and perhaps provide a little perspective for the newbies.

 

[Srixon]

slow and steady IMO

 

[Capt_Cully]

I'm giving a little bumpski, then water change & stay the course. Rapid anything usually had adverse responses. Since 50% of my corals are showing signs of severe stress, I'm gonna taker easy.

 

[Capt_Cully]

So I guess no one was intrigued or interested in discussing.....

Fine then....:sad1:

 

[keithhays]

2.4 meq/l or 2.4 dKH?

 

[Srixon]

I'm here for ya buddy....I understand.....your vacation removed you from the clique! lol

 

[fpv930]

Sorry Capt. Just saw the post. I am intrigued. Haha. I am not the most advanced aquarist. However, I do a ton of reading via books, blogs and fourms. I have only been in the hobby for two years with limited success due to many factors.
If it were me I would do the same as you already said. Slowly bring thing back around. However, I think I would increase the water change frequency and volume for a bit until the system is looking better. I am a big believer that water changes will aid most systems instability. Unless your Pascal or "Two Reef Tanks" lol

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

as you already know....

as you already know....

pH spike is main concern in raising alkalinity quickly.

Any other parameter and I would bump it to recommended level immediately.
Alk ... go slow.

 

[SkiFletch]

Agreed, dose alk slowly. Watch your sg too when you do it. If you end up having to dose enough, you'll raise the salinity too.

 

[tmz]

I assume it's 2.4 meq/l which is 6.7 dkh;not a big deal. I'd bump it 1 dkh per day with baking soda or baked baking soda to your desired level over 7dkh and under 11 dkh. I suspect the alk chunks are from poor dosing techniques by your stand in. The 440 calcium is fine . If it's 2.4 dkh then your salainity must be way off too and nothing would look real good at all.