How to lower Alkalinity and Calcium?

[billyjobs]

What's up you guys I have a high calcium and high alkalinity issue.

Tank is 3 months old. Using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
165w LED on 24G tank. Moon on at 8am, Day on at 9am, Day off at 7pm, Moon off at 8pm
Protein Skimmer, Canister Filter, Carbon.
Heater set at 76.

Coral:
1. Pulsing Xenias
2. Star Polyps
3. Mushrooms
4. Birdnest
5. Bubble Coral
6. Feather Dust

Fish/Creatures
7. 2 Perculas
8. 1 Spot Tail Blenny
9. Assorted snails

I have a log book I keep everything in, as we all should. Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are all 0. Everything has been amazing until this point.

3/7/16 5:40PM: pH was at 7.8, salinity 1.026, 560ca, 14dkh, 1320mg, Temp 77.7 F

3/7/16 11:00PM: Added Sea Chem Marine buffer, I've only added this at night about once a week in hopes of slightly increasing pH to 8.3 over time, but pH has always been around 7.8 - 8.0

3/8/16 11:15AM: Xenias were shriveled up and the Bubble Coral was extended, but not beautifully extended as usual as well as the large feather.

3/8/16 2:00PM: Did a 20% water change.

3/9/16 12:00AM: pH was at 8.3, salinity 1.026, 580ca, 20dkh, 1320mg, Temp 77.7 F

I'm thinking that 20dkh is really messing things up, have tested with multiple kits multiple times, getting same reading. 8.3pH at night seems to be high, I was hoping to get 8.0 night - 8.3 day. I was already not happy that it was 14 dkh, but now it's gotten worse. My calcium keeps increasing for some reason, lowest I ever got it to was 500, that 560 now is bothering as well. I'm not dosing any calcium or magnesium at all.

What can I possibly do to lower the alkalinity and calcium? and what is possibly the culprit that could have caused this? Hope I can save these Xenias and the rest of the tank in the morning before it gets worse.

Thanks so much for anyone's help.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

That PH buffer is a bad thing and you really don't need to worry about your PH. I never test for PH, get your Kh under control and the PH will take care of itself.

As for the Ca and Kh being high what does your salt read before you do a WC? I would also do a larger WC every 3 days to get the numbers under control. I'd do a 25%-30% total volume WC every 3 days for a week then retest. I do believe that PH buffer is driving up your numbers.

So test your WC mix and then do the series of WC's and that should get you back under control but don't use that PH buffer anymore at all.

 

[billdogg]

pretty much what he said. Chasing a pH number is a futile exercise in a marine tank that will only lead to overdosing supplements that you don't really need (especially at this point with your current corals)

Test your freshly made up water change water and see what the numbers are there. At this point, using a salt made for a reef tank may be working against you - it's numbers will already be fairly high. Regardless, a few large water changes will help to bring the numbers in line, then just wait it out and let them go down on their own. You could also use a salt like regular instant ocean that tends to have lower numbers in an effort to bring things down a bit quicker.

 

[pyithar]

what they said ^. are you using ro/di water btw?

 

[billyjobs]

what they said ^. are you using ro/di water btw?

Yup using RO/DI water.

Sweet thanks you guys. I'll be checking the water before I put it in and do a water change throughout the week.

Damn buffer. Yea I won't be using it anymore.

 

[thegrun]

In addition to stop using buffer which only increases your alkalinity, you may want to switch salt mixes. Red Sea Pro is designed for reef tanks with a high calcium/alkalinity demand. Since you only have one coral with a stony skeleton, the Red Sea Pro is adding too much alkalinity and calcium to your system when you make water changes, driving both their concentrations too high for your tank. I would switch to either the regular Red Sea salt of something like Instant Ocean that is lower in calcium and alkalinity. If you continue to let your calcium stay as high as it is you are going to have to clean your pump impellers much more frequently due to calcium deposits and your sand is likely to start clumping up into a solid block.

 

[billyjobs]

In addition to stop using buffer which only increases your alkalinity, you may want to switch salt mixes. Red Sea Pro is designed for reef tanks with a high calcium/alkalinity demand. Since you only have one coral with a stony skeleton, the Red Sea Pro is adding too much alkalinity and calcium to your system when you make water changes, driving both their concentrations too high for your tank. I would switch to either the regular Red Sea salt of something like Instant Ocean that is lower in calcium and alkalinity. If you continue to let your calcium stay as high as it is you are going to have to clean your pump impellers much more frequently due to calcium deposits and your sand is likely to start clumping up into a solid block.

Alright everyone I've tested my Red Sea Coral Pro salt mix, I got a reading of 400ca, 12dkh

I've done a 40% water change and my reading are now.

Before:
580ca, 1350mg, 1.025, and 20dkh

After:
510ca, 1080mg, 1.025, and 16dkh

I'll probably be performing another 40% water change tonight. Will probably have to dose a bit of mg to get it back up.

My feather is out looking happy, my bubble coral is looking good, the birdnest polyps are out.

The Xenias have yet to return, but I believe they're stable. I think if I can get the alk back under 14dkh things should be back to normal.

f*** the buffer!

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Sk8r]

Do some water changes with a low-magnesium salt and the alk and cal will fall. If mg is under 1200, the fall will be pretty rapid.

 

[billyjobs]

Do some water changes with a low-magnesium salt and the alk and cal will fall. If mg is under 1200, the fall will be pretty rapid.

Nice,

Yes just another update. Changed another 20% today.

3/10/16 1:00AM
500ca, 14dkh, 1320-1400mg, pH 8.1, 1.025

Amazing

Thanks again for everyone's help.