High Alk Help

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xrobbx03

Guest
My alk is off the charts its at 16.0 dKH and 5.71 meq/L. What does high alk cause my tank to do. Can it kill anything? Also how can i get this to be at the right level. Ive read that for a reef tank it should be around 3.5 - 4 meq/L
 
ctgretzky9

ctgretzky9

Member
Agreed...what are calcium and pH readings, and if you have it, magnesium.
are you using a buffer to raise pH?
Are you mixing your change out water for minimum 24 hrs?
High alk bothers coral, and effects the respiration of fish. But I have seen worse than your levels.
Best to do a proper water change, although alk will lower on its own over time.
 
slgcmg

slgcmg

New Member
I had to fo 2 30% water changes to get mine back down to normal. It is really the only way to get it down.
Sounds like you have been adding a buffer of some sorts.
 
jacklax

jacklax

Member
Have you been adding any buffer? I had this issue in the past...I was adding buffer that wasn't necessary.
 
ctgretzky9

ctgretzky9

Member
Originally Posted by xrobbx03
no i dont dose my tank with anything.

I'll ask again, are you circulating and aerating your mix out water for 24 hrs. +?
 
X

xrobbx03

Guest
ahh id say 24hrs at the most...some times i just get that pre mixed saltwater at my lfs and put that in there...i checked the levels of the alk of that water and it was 12.5 dKH and 4.46 meq/L.. is that high also
 
ctgretzky9

ctgretzky9

Member
Originally Posted by xrobbx03
ahh id say 24hrs at the most...some times i just get that pre mixed saltwater at my lfs and put that in there...i checked the levels of the alk of that water and it was 12.5 dKH and 4.46 meq/L.. is that high also

4.46 isnt crazy. I wouldnt think anything would be affected by that.
Next time you make your own water, test the alk a couple of hours after you mix it...alk will be in, more than likely, the 10 range.
After 24 hrs or so, it will be down to the 3.5 range or so.
 
pclown

pclown

Member
Originally Posted by xrobbx03
ahh id say 24hrs at the most...some times i just get that pre mixed saltwater at my lfs and put that in there...i checked the levels of the alk of that water and it was 12.5 dKH and 4.46 meq/L.. is that high also
What is the name of that water that you are using?
I used to use one called (I think) Nutra - Sea or somthing like that. It comes in 4.4 gallon jug.
My ph was always 8.2 and I switched to using the pre mixed water in 4.4 gallon jug and after two water changes my ph was 7.7 and I could not get it to go up. After talking to someone at one of my LFS, they had heard of a lot of complaints from that water dropping the ph and he did not reccommend it.
I stopped using it and my ph is 8.2 - 8.3 again.
 
X

xrobbx03

Guest
Originally Posted by PClown
What is the name of that water that you are using?
I used to use one called (I think) Nutra - Sea or somthing like that. It comes in 4.4 gallon jug.
My ph was always 8.2 and I switched to using the pre mixed water in 4.4 gallon jug and after two water changes my ph was 7.7 and I could not get it to go up. After talking to someone at one of my LFS, they had heard of a lot of complaints from that water dropping the ph and he did not reccommend it.
I stopped using it and my ph is 8.2 - 8.3 again.
thats the water i have been using. I will stop using it. i only did 2 water changes also with it. Thanks for the heads up.
 
pclown

pclown

Member
Do a water change without using that water and see if it raises your PH, and please keep us imformed so we can tell if there is a pattern so we can help others as well.
 
X

xrobbx03

Guest
Originally Posted by PClown
Do a water change without using that water and see if it raises your PH, and please keep us imformed so we can tell if there is a pattern so we can help others as well.
ok...im going to be doing a 10% water change tomorrow.. I will test the ph now and then after and keep every posted to get this problem solved.
 
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xrobbx03

Guest
PH before water change was 8.2. I will test again tomorrow to see if there is a difference.
 
pclown

pclown

Member
I am so sorry, your PH is fine, I dont know what I am talking about but it will help with your alk. I saw you were using that water and I remembered what to me so I must have gotton on the kick or something, I dont know but your PH is fine.
There is another thread where this water has raised the salanity to 1.027.
 
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xrobbx03

Guest
yeah i did notice my SG was a lil high exactly what you said 1.027 what kind of affect can this have on my tank
 
pclown

pclown

Member
It can cause your fish stress, not sure about coral but I read that 1.026 is the highest that you ever want to keep your SG
 
X

xrobbx03

Guest
all my fish seem to be fine....i will try and get it down by using just ro/di water not mixed to top off.
 
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