What could be causing my alkalinity to drop?

[djryan2000]

I have been struggling with keeping a constant alkalinity recently. At first I assumed it was user error with the test kits (salifert) but it is clearly dropping. I have been changing water very aggressively (25% every 2-3 days, Fritz RPM salt) and it's not enough. I changed out 15 (45 gal tank) the day before yesterday and it's already dropped from 8.0 to 7.3.

I have one Duncan coral and some softies. I have two rocks that have corraline algae - so not much. My best guess is that the vermetid snails that are now everywhere are sucking it out? If so, should I just start with 2 part considering I'm ~still~ waiting on a shipment of SPS?

Here are pics of the tank for perspective on the amount of coralline and the vermetid snails.

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[Timfish]

You're correct, oral growth, coraline algae growth and anything else that makes a calcium skeleton or tube, etc, and photosynthesis consume alkalinity. My personal prefference is small weekly water chagnes but in my opinion you're doing too much. Dosing baking soda will work until you get the 2 part. Expect to need to continue monitoring at least weekly while you are adding stuff and it acclimates.

 

[Sk8r]

Get your magnesium to 1300 and whenever alk or cal drop, check the mag. The 3 work together. My sig line will give you some into.

 

[djryan2000]

Get your magnesium to 1300 and whenever alk or cal drop, check the mag. The 3 work together. My sig line will give you some into.

Any idea how to do this? The salt mix that I and my LFS use mixes Magnesium to a little under 1400 - when I test the water before adding it I get the same magnesium and calcium as my tank. Alk is ~9.0.


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[outssider]

If your mag is 1300-1400 there is no need to dose it, it is fine.....you're going to have to start dosing alk & cal eventually, you should start now !!

 

[djryan2000]

If your mag is 1300-1400 there is no need to dose it, it is fine.....you're going to have to start dosing alk & cal eventually, you should start now !!

I went to my LFS and that's what they told me. I got a coding pump, reservoir and solutions. SPS coming in the mail tomorrow morning!


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[Sk8r]

MG gets used far slower than other things. Be sure it is not building up in your tank. If it is change brands of salt to something with less mg.

 

[doonan75]

I went to my LFS and that's what they told me. I got a coding pump, reservoir and solutions. SPS coming in the mail tomorrow morning!


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I would hold off the sps until you get your ALK stable.

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[djryan2000]

What could be causing my alkalinity to drop?

I would hold off the sps until you get your ALK stable.

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Playing with alkalinity with SPS is.. playing with fire.

I ordered them from a YouTube 2 weeks ago when my alk was remaining stable. I just noticed how much it was dropping in the last week or so. The person I ordered them from had a surprise medical issue requiring surgery and delayed shipment and shipped them out yesterday. It's definitely not ideal.

I have the alkalinity ~8.5 from 7.0 24 hours ago and all my current corals with the exception of a GSP colony are still open and happy so hopefully I'll be able to get it up a little higher and keep it from dropping. They are beginner sps (monti caps / digitada, hydrophora, stylos) so hopefully that will be my saving grace if I fail at keeping it consistent.

I would not have ordered them if I foresaw the swinging of my alkalinity >.<


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[Sk8r]

Start setting your mg level; takes 24 hours to be sure it's all dissolved. Then bring up your alk and cal.I use Kent products. Dose by teaspoons, wait a number of hours, dose more if needed. If your mg is 1300 at min, your cal at 420, your alk at 8.3 DKH scale, then your water will stay stable. Recently shipped corals will not take much calcium down, but they want it available in those proportions.

 

[djryan2000]

What could be causing my alkalinity to drop?

Start setting your mg level; takes 24 hours to be sure it's all dissolved. Then bring up your alk and cal.I use Kent products. Dose by teaspoons, wait a number of hours, dose more if needed. If your mg is 1300 at min, your cal at 420, your alk at 8.3 DKH scale, then your water will stay stable. Recently shipped corals will not take much calcium down, but they want it available in those proportions.

Thank you! The corals are shipped at DKH 9.0, do you think I should raise it a little more? I did add another mL since this post, so it should be 8.4 or 8.5. All my current corals (which are all super beginner ones) are open and happy despite the swing. [Note: I will test the water before adding any more to be sure.]


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[ausndani]

I would say coral but doesn't seem like you have a lot consuming