Sky High Alkalinity, I need to come back to earth

[Fishhawk]

I could really use some good info here, my alkalinity is allways at a constant 5.60meg/L even after water changes, I did 4- 50gal. water changes in one week, and it came down a little but went back up. I stopped dosing with kalk. and just ad RO/DI water for make up. I have a 180gal. reef with hard & soft corals, inverts and 8 small to medium fish. My nitrates are fine(2 meg/L), my phosphates are fine(0.1meg/L), my ammonia is undetectable, my magnesium is around 1490ppm.

[The Clownkeeper]

What is your calcium? Your not dosing anything? 2 part? no buffers? I would also highly recommend a new test kit. What tpye of salt mix are you using? Get some fresh RO/DI water and add enough buffer to bring Alk to to 3meq/L and then test. If you are truly not supplementing anything I would suspect it is the test kit you are using.

[Fishhawk]

Thanks for the reply Clownkeeper, I think I found the problem though. I've been using a Deep Six hydrometer for ever (dummy!!!) and just recently got a refractometer. With the Deep Six I always kept my specific gravity at 1.025, but after calibrating the refractometer & testing my water it came up at 1.030 (ouch!), so i'm now in the process of bringing my salinity down to where it should be. Hopefully this will bring the Alk. down also. My calcium is at 470ppm & I use Instant Ocean salt.

[charlie]

What test kits are you using??? From my experience with IO, it is high in alk. and low in Ca., so are you dosing anything besides Kalk? If so, stop dosing anything until you get both of these levels down to something that is more in line with NSW levels, there is no real reason to push the envelope IMO.

[The Clownkeeper]

Well, Your Alk issues is definately not due to your sg. I'm very happy to hear you have a refractometer As for your Alk, It generally will come down somewhat quickly and rarely will result in fatalities unless kept at very high levels. I would recommend a 2 part regiment once you have your levels in check.

[Fishhawk]

To charlie, I use Salifert test kits,and I don't dose anything but kalk, what would you recommend to lower Alk?

[charlie]

The alk should come back to earth on its own. I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago, and I just laid back on the Kalk a bit too. What is your Ph at? Kind of funny, but there is a guy on another board that is having the same problem, and he also uses IO. Did you just open up a new bucket. I am wondering if the makers of IO didn't let something loose on the public!!!! Do you measure your makeup saltwater??? Just curios as to what the heck is goin on here.

[Fishhawk]

PH is at 8.1, yes I did measure my makeup saltwater & at 1.022 sg it read 8.3 dKH, but my tank was running about 1.030 sg for awhile

[charlie]

In that case, I would back off the Kalk for a while, like I said, it will come down on its own. Or at least it should!!!!:eek3::eek3::eek3:

[Fishhawk]

Thanks alot charlie

[charlie]

Hopefully that helps. I went back and read the first part of this, and you said you had stopped the kalk drip. I think you had an idea that might have been the cause anyways????
What amount do you evap. daily?

[Fishhawk]

About 2 1/2 gal per day, i've been bringing my sg down over the past few days & my Alk. has come down to 12.8 dKH, it was at 15.4 dKH when my sg was at 1.030

[charlie]

I don't really think the Sg has anything to do with the alk. I am sure it coincided with the quitting of the kalk drip. I had to find an equilibrium between the kalk drip and the alk. I still dose a 6:1 baking soda/washing soda mix once every 3 days for a buffer. That keeps my alk right around 3 meq/l. That is along with dripping 4 gallons of kalk every 2 days.

[Fishhawk]

Does the baking soda/ washing soda raise, lower or stabilize the Alk.?

[charlie]

It can raise it if you dose to much, I basically use it to maintain the level I am at. Being mostly an sps tank, I have to maintain mine at a certain level for coral growth. That of course corresponds to a balanced calcium level.

[Fishhawk]

Have you ever heard of dosing calcium chloride, like B-Ionic to lower Alk.?

[charlie]

Nope. I dose lab grade CaCl2 to raise calcium, or to maintain a certain level.

[Fishhawk]

Thanks a lot for all your info

[charlie]

Hope it helps, keep us updated, will you?

[Fishhawk]

I'll do my best, by the way where do you get the CaCl2 from?