Rising alk

[Nikos]

Anyone have any ideas why my alk is going up with no dosing? Calcium 400 , mag 1300, all was 9.5 now 11.2 . This has been over a few days, only thing new is a fake rock I bought . Could that be it?

 

[afboundguy]

Do you have corals in the tank? How old is tank and what are you using for salt mix for water changes?

 

[Nikos]

I have lps, sps, they all have been thriving for months . I've been using same salt for months . I do a about 30 gallons a week water change. 120 gallon tank. Reef crystals

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Are you doing any supplements, randy holmes farley has responded to a similar post on r2r stating that
Metabolized sodium aspartate will boost alkalinity, for example.

Alkalinity rising without dosing... possible causes?

Over the past month or 2 I've been experiencing the very strange phenomenon of my alk rising without me dosing it. I have a theory as to why that I'd like to run past you all. I reintroduced a decent amount of sand that had been siphoned out of my tank from a while back, that was stored damp...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Nikos]

I just used baking soda to maintain alk at about 9.0-9.5 ,been doing that for months no issues

 

[dz6t]

The fake rock can be problem. If the fake rock is not cured, it can leach sodium hydroxide and raise alkalinity.

 

[Nikos]

Ok , thanks I took it out last night and did water change . Hopefully that works

 

[Rileysreefer]

Do you have alot of nitrates?

 

[Nikos]

I haven't tested nitrates, I can test an see.

 

[Rileysreefer]

Ok! RH on R2R wrote several articles about how the consumption of nitrates can convert to alkalinity.. it takes alot though, like im pretty sure 50 ppm would convert to like 2.3dkh? Sorry havent read the article in a while but its something like that.. i can probably find the article if you need it..

 

[Nikos]

I'll search it thanks! I'll be shocked if nitrates are high but you never know.

 

[bcarm]

Seems that Reef Crystals may not always maintain the same dkh from batch to batch? Or maybe it's just high to begin with. http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/index.php?threads/beware-reef-crystals-dkh-issues.168518/

 

[MikeG]

Anyone have any ideas why my alk is going up with no dosing? Calcium 400 , mag 1300, all was 9.5 now 11.2 . This has been over a few days, only thing new is a fake rock I bought . Could that be it?

I just used baking soda to maintain alk at about 9.0-9.5 ,been doing that for months no issues

I still am unclear if you dose baking soda regularly, this is used to raise alkalinity

Have you tried different test kits?

 

[Nikos]

I was dosing regularly with baking soda to keep Alk at about 9.5 with no issues . I think changing to reef crystals might be culprit I tested water i made for water change and the alk was 16

 

[goggs99]

A former member had posted issues with alk spike while using reef crystals. Apparently you can get a batch that sky rockets the alk

 

[dz6t]

I was dosing regularly with baking soda to keep Alk at about 9.5 with no issues . I think changing to reef crystals might be culprit I tested water i made for water change and the alk was 16

It may be helpful to test the alkalinity of the fresh water that used to mix salt.