Help: Accidental Alkalinity spike

[spkennyva]

I accidentally plugged in a two part doser and my alk shot from 8.6 to 14 dKh. My pH went from 8.4 to 8.9. This jump happened over an hour period. I just added some calcium to help balance things, but I'm worried but this big spike. I first notice that my skimmer went crazy, then I saw the pH meter, then heard the dosing pump sucking air.

What should I do?

 

[Bent]

The pH spike is your biggest problem and it seems to be minimal. I wouldn't sweat it too much and I certainly wouldn't swing it back down quickly. That would create problems as well.

I would let it be, stop dosing and let it come down naturally, slowly.

I ODed some kalk couple weeks ago and had no problems. My alk did not shoot up like that though, but again, I def would not swing it back down quickly.

 

[spkennyva]

Thanks for the quick feedback. So far all SPS look good. All have good PE still, so hopefully this will pass without loss.

 

[Bent]

You may have some losses from the pH spike, but it may be more minimal than you think. But again, I really don't think swinging everything back to normal values will help anything. Instability, is instability regardless of how "correct" your swinging the numbers to. If that makes any sense.

 

[Scorpius]

I had a recent alk spike from around 8 to 16.8 dkh over 7 hrs. I didn't set an off point on my timer.... No terrible damage so far.

 

[joshky]

Alk spikes can be really bad when it comes to SPS, DO NOT do a knee jerk reaction and change anything else too quickly! Let your alkalinity go back down on its own.

 

[spkennyva]

Just a follow-up in hopes that it helps someone else.

By midnight my pH had nearly dropped back to its normal range of 8.4. All coral seem to have done OK with the spike. All colonies still had normal PE throughout and look unphased by the event. The alk this morning is still very high (12.1), but at least its dropping.

Lesson learned is to make sure to label all plug cords!! Plugging in a doser to a wall outlet could have been disastrous. Thank goodness my alk reservoir was nearly empty!!

 

[Scorpius]

Alk spikes can be really bad when it comes to SPS, DO NOT do a knee jerk reaction and change anything else too quickly! Let your alkalinity go back down on its own.

Yup. I turned my two part off for a week and let it fall slowly. Resumed it again several days ago.