Alk Burn

J

Jthain21

Membership Expired
Hello Fellow Reefers,
I was curious to get your opinion on whether this was an alkalinity burn. I noticed it a couple of weeks ago, so it doesnt appear to be spreading, but its also not healing. If it is Alk burnt what should I do to assist it, if anything. Or what do you think it could be.

Thanks
 
What is your alk levels at? Also what is your phosphate and nitrate at?


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Alk burn happens when you raise ALK too quickly so if your ALK was low and you raise it quickly you can get this. Can also be from raising the light intensity too quickly, but I would think that would be across the whole top.
My experience, and I am new to SPS, is that new growth is more susceptible to Alk changes. I see tanks like Marc's where the SPS is growing to the very top of the water surface with no issue so I tend to go with chemical issue more that light.
 
With lower phosphates and nitrates you might want to bring your alk down some and try to raise your nitrates to like 30 to help remove the phosphates. Then try to maintain phosphates at 1 with 15-20 nitrates. Your tank is running very low nutrients. My sps has that issue when my alk is above 7.8 dkh.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
I was typing this when Eckolancer replied...

I have been going through something very similar to this in my tank and did a lot of reading on it. I read that it can happen if Alk is high and steady for a long period of time with too little nutrients in the water. If you have higher nutrients, you can run higher Alk with good results. I have been bringing my Alk down, so we will see if this is the case in my situation for my SPS. I have already noticed a lot of color coming back to other LPS, so I am hopeful. I have read that some SPS can live and do ok in high Alk with low nutrients for a certain period of time, and then they will start to get burnt tips and STN from the top down.
 
Thanks for the replies. Will keep y'all updated. Already in the process of slowly lowering Alk.

I do have a second question for y'all. If your tank is running at a steady (let's say) 7.8 or 8.0 on alk, and then you do a water change (I'm using Red Sea pro) and it jumps up to 9.0 for a day or so, due to the high contains of the salt, is this consider negative, or normal?


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SPS hate alk swings, even small ones. A lot of people experience rtn when they do large water changes due to the sudden change in alk levels. If you tend to run your alk on the low side, Red Sea Pro may be too " hot" for your system. Have you considered switching to a salt mix with lower levels? I believe the new Fritz RPM has alk in the same range as your system.
 
I like to use Red Sea normal for lower alk but it's harder to find locally for me and end up with Fritz both are great salts imo


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
Also keep an eye on MAG. The last 2 batches I did with Salinity came in at 1050. Rolling a 75 pound bucket is not a walk in the park for me but I do try to mix the salt before using. Just a pain to do tests on the new water AND the tank but easier to catch before you do the WC.
 
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