How do i bring down my Alkalinity

HUNTINREDNECK · 11/25/2009, 09:53 PM

My Alkalinity dKH is 13.4 does any one know how to bring it down please help I'm at my wits i am Two Part Calcium and Alkalinity Total Package from bulk reef supply and a guess i messed up on my test kit and also i am using a lot of calcium every day just to keep it up to 460ppm can any one help

ScooterGuitar · 11/25/2009, 10:03 PM

Just use the calcium portion of the 2 part until alk goes down./
Vinegar will bring down the alk, a reefkeeping article had the info I believe.

HUNTINREDNECK · 11/25/2009, 10:09 PM

with vineger wont my PH drop fast and how much and how fast should i add on my tank do you thank my water volume is about 200g

ScooterGuitar · 11/25/2009, 10:22 PM

Wait, I might have been thinking PH! wow, sorry. Yes, it will lower ph.
FWIW, I don't think that hogh of alk is going to be too detrimental, it will fall eventually w/o needing to dose for it in the meantime.
Did you test right after dosing? If so, #'s would likely be higher.
Sorry for the mixup! Best of luck. I've been on here too long today!

HUNTINREDNECK · 11/25/2009, 11:21 PM

Thats cool thats what questions are for.

HighlandReefer · 11/26/2009, 07:02 AM

Stopping any alk. supplements until your level is where you want is the safest method as stated above. It should not take too long. Using a mineral acid to reduce your alk. can be dangerous and dropping the alk level too quickly may cause more harm then good.

gonzapa · 11/26/2009, 07:21 AM

13.4 is not terrible. You can either do a water change or let it be and it will come down by itself.
IMO a water change is the best to bring it down a little.

HighlandReefer · 11/26/2009, 07:48 AM

FWIW, a water change providing you are using a low alk mix (most salt mixes are not) is going to result in less then a 0.5 dKH alk drop. Most reef systems consume more alk in one day.

If you are using Reef Crystals for example, this mix comes in at 13 dKH @ 1.0264. Doing a water change with it would have no measurable effect.

rdelong · 11/26/2009, 05:30 PM

Just let it slide down naturally. I'd also reduce Ca to around 420ppm so you wont have trouble with calcification of pump impellers, etc. Make sure you are watching and adjusting Mg concentration also.

timmyb770 · 11/26/2009, 06:06 PM

I wouldnt add anymore ALK supplements, and you don't need to run your calc that high, I added two part for along time with great success but i couldnt keep up with it so i had to get a calcium reactor. but it also depends on what salt your using because like reef crystals ins very high in ALK and doing a water change is not going to bring it down. jut don't dose for a couple days and it will come down.
.

HUNTINREDNECK · 11/30/2009, 04:08 PM

Does any one know of a PH test kit that is easier to read than the API Marine test kit i thank trying to match that purple is making me color blind or just dumber i cant decide?

HUNTINREDNECK · 11/30/2009, 04:11 PM

also my ALK has droped to 10dKH or 179 PPM thanks for the help

bertoni · 11/30/2009, 06:59 PM

I use a pH meter because I have trouble reading the kits. You could try another brand of kit to see whether it's easier for you to read, but they're fairly similar, all in all.

10 dKH is a good alkalinity level. Some people prefer a lower level. I'd just start dosing daily with a good calcium-alkalinity supplementation scheme.

Sohal Tang Tim · 12/06/2016, 07:50 AM

While we are on the subject my ph has been going nicely daily between 7.9 and 8.4
usually 80% of the time it is around 8.2... So...I neglected testing my alk...My alk is up
at 16 !!!!!! ouch!!!!!!! I am using Reef Crystals salt. I have doser putting cal and alk and mg in ....all proper doses if anything less then recommended amounts. I do use kalkwasser but I THOUGHT I was using it sparingly..obviously not sparingly enough...dangggg will cut back on it immediate... How long you think that alk will take
to drop any guesses? 100 gallon reef. Only 10 LPS corals in there right now. Pls advise,
The kalk is dosed in my top off water.

Thanks, Tim

tmz · 12/06/2016, 11:24 AM

Alternatively, reducing the carbonate alkalinity dosing from the 3 part dosing would reduce alk overtime without loosing the pH raising effect of the calcium hydroxide/kalk.
I'd just stop the carbonate dosing for starters. At some point kalk alone might be all you need.

You need around 380ppm calcium but can do fine with up to 500ppm.

Hard to say how fast alk will drop depends on a number of variables like consumption and abiotic precipitation.

Several 15 to 25% water changes over the course of week with a low alk salt mix will reduce it.

Dosing vinegar will spike CO2 up and pH down initially and will also add organic carbon to the tank.

Sohal Tang Tim · 12/06/2016, 11:35 AM

thx TMZ

tmz · 12/07/2016, 01:43 AM

You re welcome.

11/25/2009, 09:53 PM	#1
HUNTINREDNECK Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Odessa/TX Posts: 117	How do i bring down my Alkalinity My Alkalinity dKH is 13.4 does any one know how to bring it down please help I'm at my wits i am Two Part Calcium and Alkalinity Total Package from bulk reef supply and a guess i messed up on my test kit and also i am using a lot of calcium every day just to keep it up to 460ppm can any one help __________________ REDNECK Current Tank Info: 200 GAL REEF

11/25/2009, 10:03 PM	#2
ScooterGuitar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NW OH Posts: 1,034	Just use the calcium portion of the 2 part until alk goes down./ Vinegar will bring down the alk, a reefkeeping article had the info I believe. __________________ Political Commentary Not Allowed Current Tank Info: 75 Reef/30g sump/fuge, ASM skimmer

11/25/2009, 10:09 PM	#3
HUNTINREDNECK Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Odessa/TX Posts: 117	with vineger wont my PH drop fast and how much and how fast should i add on my tank do you thank my water volume is about 200g __________________ REDNECK Current Tank Info: 200 GAL REEF

11/25/2009, 10:22 PM	#4
ScooterGuitar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NW OH Posts: 1,034	Wait, I might have been thinking PH! wow, sorry. Yes, it will lower ph. FWIW, I don't think that hogh of alk is going to be too detrimental, it will fall eventually w/o needing to dose for it in the meantime. Did you test right after dosing? If so, #'s would likely be higher. Sorry for the mixup! Best of luck. I've been on here too long today! __________________ Political Commentary Not Allowed Current Tank Info: 75 Reef/30g sump/fuge, ASM skimmer

11/25/2009, 11:21 PM	#5
HUNTINREDNECK Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Odessa/TX Posts: 117	Thats cool thats what questions are for. __________________ REDNECK Current Tank Info: 200 GAL REEF

11/26/2009, 07:02 AM	#6
HighlandReefer Team RC Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist Posts: 14,591	Stopping any alk. supplements until your level is where you want is the safest method as stated above. It should not take too long. Using a mineral acid to reduce your alk. can be dangerous and dropping the alk level too quickly may cause more harm then good. __________________ Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system

11/26/2009, 07:21 AM	#7
gonzapa Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 137	13.4 is not terrible. You can either do a water change or let it be and it will come down by itself. IMO a water change is the best to bring it down a little.

11/26/2009, 07:48 AM	#8
HighlandReefer Team RC Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist Posts: 14,591	FWIW, a water change providing you are using a low alk mix (most salt mixes are not) is going to result in less then a 0.5 dKH alk drop. Most reef systems consume more alk in one day. If you are using Reef Crystals for example, this mix comes in at 13 dKH @ 1.0264. Doing a water change with it would have no measurable effect. __________________ Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system Last edited by HighlandReefer; 11/26/2009 at 07:57 AM.

11/26/2009, 05:30 PM	#9
rdelong Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cranberry Township, PA Posts: 263	Just let it slide down naturally. I'd also reduce Ca to around 420ppm so you wont have trouble with calcification of pump impellers, etc. Make sure you are watching and adjusting Mg concentration also.

11/26/2009, 06:06 PM	#10
timmyb770 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Birmingham, MI Posts: 52	I wouldnt add anymore ALK supplements, and you don't need to run your calc that high, I added two part for along time with great success but i couldnt keep up with it so i had to get a calcium reactor. but it also depends on what salt your using because like reef crystals ins very high in ALK and doing a water change is not going to bring it down. jut don't dose for a couple days and it will come down. .

11/30/2009, 04:08 PM	#11
HUNTINREDNECK Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Odessa/TX Posts: 117	Does any one know of a PH test kit that is easier to read than the API Marine test kit i thank trying to match that purple is making me color blind or just dumber i cant decide? __________________ REDNECK Current Tank Info: 200 GAL REEF

11/30/2009, 04:11 PM	#12
HUNTINREDNECK Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Odessa/TX Posts: 117	also my ALK has droped to 10dKH or 179 PPM thanks for the help __________________ REDNECK Current Tank Info: 200 GAL REEF

11/30/2009, 06:59 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I use a pH meter because I have trouble reading the kits. You could try another brand of kit to see whether it's easier for you to read, but they're fairly similar, all in all. 10 dKH is a good alkalinity level. Some people prefer a lower level. I'd just start dosing daily with a good calcium-alkalinity supplementation scheme. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/06/2016, 07:50 AM	#14
Sohal Tang Tim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Collingwood , ON, Canada Posts: 928	While we are on the subject my ph has been going nicely daily between 7.9 and 8.4 usually 80% of the time it is around 8.2... So...I neglected testing my alk...My alk is up at 16 !!!!!! ouch!!!!!!! I am using Reef Crystals salt. I have doser putting cal and alk and mg in ....all proper doses if anything less then recommended amounts. I do use kalkwasser but I THOUGHT I was using it sparingly..obviously not sparingly enough...dangggg will cut back on it immediate... How long you think that alk will take to drop any guesses? 100 gallon reef. Only 10 LPS corals in there right now. Pls advise, The kalk is dosed in my top off water. Thanks, Tim __________________ "My God Reefs are Gorgeous!" Current Tank Info: 160 gallon reef

12/06/2016, 11:24 AM	#15
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Alternatively, reducing the carbonate alkalinity dosing from the 3 part dosing would reduce alk overtime without loosing the pH raising effect of the calcium hydroxide/kalk. I'd just stop the carbonate dosing for starters. At some point kalk alone might be all you need. You need around 380ppm calcium but can do fine with up to 500ppm. Hard to say how fast alk will drop depends on a number of variables like consumption and abiotic precipitation. Several 15 to 25% water changes over the course of week with a low alk salt mix will reduce it. Dosing vinegar will spike CO2 up and pH down initially and will also add organic carbon to the tank. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

12/06/2016, 11:35 AM	#16
Sohal Tang Tim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Collingwood , ON, Canada Posts: 928	thx TMZ __________________ "My God Reefs are Gorgeous!" Current Tank Info: 160 gallon reef

12/07/2016, 01:43 AM	#17
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	You re welcome. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.