Author Topic: What eats up the ALK out of water? (Read 4147 times)

Sunny · « **on:** March 25, 2012, 11:50:46 »

I have been having trouble with ALK. I raised it in the tank after doing a water change 2 weeks ago. It was 8 drops (143.2) Checked it last night and it was 4 drops (71.6) Checked in the barrel of salt mix it is 8. In 2 weeks time, it went from 8 to 4. I run GFO and Carbon. Is there a reason why it drops?

The WuSue · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2012, 12:11:10 »

I've had a weird situation where my alk drops but not my calc. I don't remeber the specific numbers it went from and too, but it was a sizable drop, and calc stayed at 400. Could be an issue related to fresh air and the ph swings or it could be related to the corals response to better oxygenated air. Either way, the corals are happy as clams, so I'm just dozing more alk until the schedule levels itself out.

kattz · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2012, 13:21:02 »

Absolutely. There are rocks, sand, and critters in there all causing the alk to drop because they may not be using calcium. As calcium goes up, alk goes down unless being supplemented and vice versa. As magnesium goes down, alk and calcium will not stay in balance and will swing wildly or the calcium will just disappear.

micki · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2012, 13:43:44 »

I have the opposite problem. My alk is ALWAYS high! My calcium is high as well.

Sunny · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2012, 13:44:07 »

My calcium is 500+ It never goes down. How do you find a balance without dosing?

The WuSue · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2012, 15:50:43 »

Quote from: Sunny on March 25, 2012, 13:44:07

My calcium is 500+ It never goes down. How do you find a balance without dosing?

The balance I spoke of earlier was to know how much calc and alk was being used by my sps and lps so I could figure out how much to dose and balance the tank at the levels I want. If you have calc sky high and low alk what's happening is the calc is calcifying anything it can and using alk to do it. So the calc appears to never come down because its off the charts but infact it is. I had the same problem with my tank when I set it up. I eventually had to add enough alk to cause a bi carbonate storm. If you have sps and lps or crustations they are some of the ones eating your alk up. Chances are there is a crust on your heater as well. Eventually after dozing alk the calcium will come down enough to register, down the road from that you'll need to dose for that as well.

Sunny · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2012, 18:43:52 »

Actually, the answer I was looking for was ... If you buy this coral and that coral, the alk and calcium will balance out ... lol

The WuSue · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:03:56 »

Indeed! Sps and lps will fix it. But you still have to add alk...lol.

micki · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:11:04 »

The normal alk in my water is very high. If anything I need to bring it down. Instead I bought a big clam to bring my calcium down! LOL

The WuSue · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:15:15 »

Micki, sounds like a great excuse for decorative shrimp.....

micki · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:18:09 »

Quote from: The WuSue on March 25, 2012, 19:15:15

Micki, sounds like a great excuse for decorative shrimp.....

Please elaborate...

kattz · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:20:50 »

Quote from: Sunny on March 25, 2012, 13:44:07

My calcium is 500+ It never goes down. How do you find a balance without dosing?

You have to dose alk to maintain the balance. Saltwater just sitting in a tank with things living in it will always need something to keep it in balance. What is your alk reading in dkH?

The WuSue · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:51:28 »

Quote from: micki on March 25, 2012, 19:18:09

Please elaborate...

If you have high levels of alk and calc, shrimp will molt more often and take alk and calc with them in the spent shells. Of course if you leave the molting in the tank it'll break down into alk and calc again.... But let's not think of that...

micki · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2012, 19:58:53 »

Ahhhh, gotcha!

I have two shrimp in each of my tanks. 2 Cleaners in the 150 and a cleaner and blood shrimp in the 125. Would love to get a bunch of peppermints though!

Sunny · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2012, 22:23:10 »

Quote from: kattz on March 25, 2012, 19:20:50

What is your alk reading in dkH?

It was 4 in the tank. In the barrel of fresh salt mix, it was 8. I raised it in the barrel to 11. We did a water change today and right now it's 7.

Sunny · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2012, 22:26:01 »

Quote from: micki on March 25, 2012, 19:11:04

Instead I bought a big clam to bring my calcium down! LOL

Oh, so if I get a big Clam that eats up my Calcium, it will bring my Alk up? Sounds logical to me ... lol

kattz · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2012, 23:43:24 »

Actually, yes. There's some great material at Reef Central from Dr Randy Holmes-Farley and others that will explain this in terms that are not over the heads of those of us without PhDs.

It's like this; if my corals or nems look a little weird, i check alk first. If alk is low, calcium is generally ok or high. Vice versa with calcium. If I can't maintain balance of calcium and alk them magnesium is low.

And another important one, iodine in the form of potassium iodide. Shrimps and crabs need it to molt. One capfuls of iodide supplement twice a month in my tank is all that's needed.

Sunny · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2012, 01:09:51 »

Micki said something about him also. I'll have to check it out. Thanks !!

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2012, 07:58:24 »

Here is a link to his articles.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/author/rhf.php

I found this link as well.....it's nicely organized. We should make a page like this one and sticky it in the forum.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f162/randy-holmes-farley-articles-26533/

Sunny · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2012, 09:14:55 »

I read through some of it. I hate reading ... lol Still over my head, but what I did get out of it helped. What I got was instead of raising the alk in my salt mix barrel, I should add it to my top off water barrel. We add top off water daily. So that would help it stabilize better.
In the past, I have had issues with the freshwater and pond crashing, it was due to alk problems. Our alk in the tap is only 3. I put crushed coral in the freshwater tank and a huge slab of rock in the pond, haven't had any problems since. Not sure how long the crushed coral lasts, but it's been in there for about 7-8 years now. PH is still stable.

kattz · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2012, 09:57:21 »

I would strongly recommend dosing alk separately. It's consumption varies continually.

micki · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2012, 12:43:41 »

Quote from: Sunny on March 26, 2012, 09:14:55

I read through some of it. I hate reading ... lol Still over my head, but what I did get out of it helped.

I know what you mean sunny, I want to see If Alk is (A) do B... If Alk is (B) do C etc...

Sunny · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2012, 13:04:50 »

Quote from: micki on March 26, 2012, 12:43:41

I know what you mean sunny, I want to see If Alk is (A) do B... If Alk is (B) do C etc...

I think I'll just get a clam and call it a day .. lol

micki · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2012, 13:07:28 »

Quote from: Sunny on March 26, 2012, 13:04:50

I think I'll just get a clam and call it a day .. lol

There ya go! Sounds like a plan to me!

Sunny · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2012, 13:10:51 »

I was telling Bill about the group fish buy coming up. Hopefully I can get one through that.
Good grief, I wanted a hobby, not a science project .... lol

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Author Topic: What eats up the ALK out of water? (Read 4147 times)