Alkalinity Questions--Numbers added...Do these make sense?

M

Meli

Probably some pretty dumb questions here, but here goes. Since my corals are not looking so good, I'm guessing switching from IO to Kent is the problem. I bought a KH test this week, but my results aren't matching anything close to what others are reporting, so either my test is not working or it's not the right test. After researching further, I'm thinking I don't have the right test (or not understanding how to read it). Before I start throwing chemicals at it, I'm going to take the water to a fish store and have it checked. In the mean time, since I need to understand alkalinity better anyway, here's my questions.

1) I use a buffer for my PH and it usually stays close to 8.2. I tested yesterday and today and it's at 7.8. If I get my PH corrected, should the alkalinity correct itself?

2) If the alkalinity does not correct itself, how can I raise just the alkalinity without raising the PH?

3) Can alkalinity be too high?

Thanks.
 
Alkalinity is a buffer for your pH. You keep your alkalinity up and it buffers the pH from major swings up or down. And everyone has some swings in the pH, but the more stable the better. If you are using a buffer for the Ph chances are it is helping the alkalinity level as well. If you use baking soda to buffer your alkalinity, that will raise the alkalinity but temporarily lower the pH slightly. If you bake the baking soda in an oven for a period,(I forget the exact temp and time but someone will jump in) you can use that to raise the alkalinity without lowering the pH and affecting it.
If you maintain the alkalinity at a good level 8-10dkh, that will keep the pH at good stable levels. And yes the alkalinity can be too high, if you got over 12-14 dkh it might cause some problems.
 
I saw the instructions for baking the soda in a different thread. I'm not using baking soda as my buffer right now. I'm using Proper PH.

If you use baking soda to buffer your alkalinity said:
So any effects the baking soda has on the PH will disappear and I will be left with just higher alkalinity? Thank you.
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Right, if you keep the alkalinity inline the pH will stay at a good level or I should say you won't have to worry too much about it. I know someone whom had a very beautifull tank, in fact it was a Tank of The Month on ReefCentral. His pH was always on the low side, it did not go up and down very much. But it was always very low to me from what you see the normals should be. At first he tried to battle that cronic low pH always worrying about. In the end he just focused on his alkalinity levels and maintained that at a high level 10-12dkh. He pretty much disregards his pH level which still is on the low side, but his tank was beautifull and the corals grew like weeds.
As far as the baked baking soda or other commercial buffer that is up to you, but the baked baking soda is very inexpensive and it will do the job.
 
I took some water to a LFS to have it tested, and here is what they came up with.

ALK--4.0 meq/L
Nitrates--20-25
PH--Low, but he didn't say how much

I double checked their tests at home. I used Salifert test kits.

ALK--5.71 meq/L or 16dKH (tested this one twice with same results)
Nitrates--50+
CA--300
PH--7.8

Needless to say, a water change is in order for the nitrates. When I checked a week ago they were 20, so I was suprised to see them that high. So, should I trust the LFS or my tests? My main problem is a frogspawn that was beautiful before the last water change and now has one head that looks like it's coming apart from it's base and the other two are not fully extended as they have been. Xenia is a dark greyish pink instead of light pink and my mushrooms are contracted. The hammer looks fine, but the torch hasn't opened all week. My skimmer pump is not working very well right now. I have a new maxijet, but I'm waiting for the venturi kit to come in so I can use it with my CPR backpack. Aside from the obvious need for a water change to lower the nitrates, where do I start? Thanks.
 
I think you are looking at the right direction with the water changes. I say that though with reservation, hopefully you do not have any of the bad batch of Kent salt. It sounds like you have been doing a litte too much with the buffer. I would assume you are buffering because you looking at a low pH and trying to raise that. But what it is doing is raising your alkalinity too high. Your Ph is on the low side for other reasons besides the buffer.
Right now if you have a good salt, do a couple of 20-25% water changes back to back. Then in about another week or so, do another water change.
You will see the pH get better on its own, this will lower you nitrates, the alkalinity will come down a little bit.
 
I researched yesterday to see if the ph buffer I was using was raising alkalinity, but never could find the answer. It sounds like it is. Is that pretty standard for commercial ph buffers? Do you think my tests were more accurate than the ones at the store and that I should use those numbers? I might have bad salt, but since the KH doesn't seem to be to low like everyone else is reporting, I'm thinking the salt is alright. It seemed very coincidental that my frogspawn started drooping after the second water change I did with the new salt. Thank you.
 
Meli, your tank sounds identical to mine....same thing with a Frogspawn, PomPom Xenia, and Mushrooms......I think we may have bad salt. I beleive you got your salt from the group buy I did correct? I will be testing fresh salt water later this week.
Geezz....join the club.....organize a group buy....might end up that I organized the turd being put in the puch bowl!
 
Have you tested your water source for nitrates? said:
You got it. Nitrates were 25 on the source water. I changed the filters a few days ago and still had some of the old water from the previous batch in this one. I think that's a lot of my nitrate problem. I tried water that was all new filters and the nitrates were <5.

I tried the mod to the maxijet 1200. I'm pretty clueless, so my problem is probably obvious to everyone but me. I couldn't get the 1200 to stay on the skimmer. The hole is too big on the pump. I did take into consideration I might be trying to hook it up wrong, so I tried the other hole and it was too small. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
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for now id us something with water changes to drop your nitrates try some de*nitrates by seachm it worked very well in my tank still 0 and only use about 1/4 recomended.my nitrates were never that high though but a friend of mine had sky high nitrates and now he has no problems.what does your ammonia read?
 
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