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01/12/2019, 11:07 AM | #1 |
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Can carbon overdosing raise alkalinity?
I have accidently overdosed my Bacto Balance while working on the dosing tubes. I normally dose about 1ml per day. I drained the whole 3-foot tube into the tank (maybe about 10x of normal).
Within 36 hours I had a slime bloom on the glass. I assumed that was the expected bacteria increase. Within 48 hours my ORP shot to 460 at night. Again I assumed that was to be expected. That morning I measured my alkalinity and I was shocked to see that it shot up from about 7.8 to 10.4. Is that also to be expected? |
01/12/2019, 07:05 PM | #2 |
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I would not expect it to raise alk but there is a lot more in Bacto Balance than just a carbon source. I would just go back to dosing as normal and keep an eye on the alk. What is done is done - right?
Cheers! Mark
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2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater |
01/12/2019, 10:00 PM | #3 |
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Couple of back to back water changes would dilute the overage.
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01/12/2019, 11:00 PM | #4 |
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Generally, carbon won't affect the alkalinity, but it will reduce nitrate in the water column, and in the process release some alkalinity. This article has more:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm It discusses the effect of water changes, but the chemistry is the same.
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Jonathan Bertoni |
01/13/2019, 03:41 AM | #5 |
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ORP seems to be back to normal range since the accident 3 days ago.
Alkalinity still above 10. I plan to do 15% water change and will keep watching it. Another problem due to the overdose is that my filter sponge got clogged with slime and the water started to bypass the mechanical filtration. Solved by rinsing the sponge. Now there is one plus to the whole situation. I had a small starting cyano in the tank. After the accident, it is nowhere to be found. It lost to the slime. I would never recommend overdosing the system with carbon to get rid off cyano. |
01/13/2019, 05:57 PM | #6 |
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Well, that sounds like progress. I wonder whether the cyanobacteria will return.
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Jonathan Bertoni |
01/16/2019, 06:35 AM | #7 |
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I like to give updates/conclusions to any of my problems. It is fair after all the help and advice.
So ... after 6 days since the overdosing of BACTO BALANCE about 10 X of normal, things seem to be back to normal. No sign of bacterial slime and my alkalinity is down to 8.4. Here is the daily history: Day 1. OVERDOSE Day 2. Water not clear - bacterial bloom cyano not doing well - good :-) 15% water change stopped dosing BACTO Day 3. noticed alkalinity 10.4 stopped dosing alk Day 4. Bacterial slime getting bad - plugging up filters Alk 9.2 Day 5. Bacteria getting better Alk 9.0 Day 6. Bacteria signs gone Alk 8.4 |
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