Help!!!!

[Coralguy48]

Hello, I was just curious. I’m struggling with a few of my numbers and I’m trying to find out what is the easiest and safest way to lower my pH and my alkalinity my pH sits at 8.4. My alkalinity sits at 13. All my other numbers are good thank you in advance

 

[IvanW]

Not sure why you want to lower your pH 8.4 is fine, how are you testing Alk if it is indeed 13, and double check your numbers, that is a bit high. Stop adding whatever you are adding, to lower it do a 25% water change.

 

[Discotu]

pH is okay. Are you sure your alk test kit is accurate? Are you dosing alk? Maybe someone local can test you water to double check? If youre really at 13 water change is the best way to lower.

 

[joseserrano]

Water change with salt that has numbers closer to your desired levels

 

[thresher]

Go SLOW! Fast environmental changes.will get you reported to the HOA.

 

[Jimbo327]

Go SLOW! Fast environmental changes.will get you reported to the HOA.

And the Tang CIA! LOL.

Yeah, always double check your numbers at the LFS or another kit/reefer. Alk seems too high unless you overdosed by a lot. Which salt and cal/alk addition are you using? pH is perfect at 8.4, you typically want high pH anyways.

If Alk is indeed 13, do a 20% water change (unless you are using the high alk salt) and then stop dosing any alk...and let it drift down by itself...so it goes slow. Should be down to manageable level in a week or so.

 

[bluemon]

Generally, it is safer to lower Alk quickly than it is to raise them.

raising alk quickly will bleach out coral while rapid drops are safer.

that being said, you can use muriatic acid as well which will lower alk and pH.

but slowly with top off/RO mixed in

 

[Coralguy48]

Not sure why you want to lower your pH 8.4 is fine, how are you testing Alk if it is indeed 13, and double check your numbers, that is a bit high. Stop adding whatever you are adding, to lower it do a 25% water change.

Oh ok I’ve always been like 7.9-8 so didn’t know lol ty and I don’t dose

 

[Coralguy48]

Not sure why you want to lower your pH 8.4 is fine, how are you testing Alk if it is indeed 13, and double check your numbers, that is a bit high. Stop adding whatever you are adding, to lower it do a 25% water change.

 

[Jimbo327]

If you don’t dose, I doubt your alk is at 13. Definitely double check with another source. If anything, if you don’t dose, your alk would be very low.

are you using RedSea coral pro salt? (Black bucket) that salt has like 12 dkh, which is quite high.

 

[dontavo27]

Let’s see a Full tank shot first, coral will usually give you sings of how your tank is actually doing.

 

[Coralguy48]

Here you go it’s a 14 g biocube

 

[bluemon]

Here you go it’s a 14 g biocube

I only see one Stony Coral (the trumpets on the left) so if you were to be using a high Alk salt, something close to 13 is possible I guess.

I don’t know of any salt higher than 12 dKh though.

Please let us know what salt you use and what test kit you are using.

but honestly, I wouldn’t panic too much, as it’s only the trumpet that’s going to be ticked off and they can handle a wide of parameters

edit: I just noticed the micromussa and the euphyllia that is struggling quite a bit. Yea I’d be a bit more proactive in this case. Do a big water change with salt closer to 9-10 alk range. Maybe even use muriatic acid like I mentioned

 

[dontavo27]

Based on your picture, I would think your method testing is off, you’re probably also starving the corral.
you might also want to consider dosing all for reef.
LRS reef frenzy is a quality food, and you might also wamt to move some coral away from each other, seems like the grandi paly at the bottom is winning a few battles.

 

[dontavo27]

Also what kind of light are you using over this tank?

 

[drexel]

This seems like a rather new/young tank, which would explain the high alk. With that size tank, I would simply do 15-20% water changes weekly with a quality salt. There's no need to do a water change to lower alk now, that's not going to help, and if you've been dosing any additives/elements for alk/ca, etc, I would stop and let the alk come down on it's own. Pick a salt that mixes to your preferred parameters and stick with it. Once you add in more corals or the current ones start to grow, then I would consider adding/using all for reef as your main elements source. I'm not sure what you're using for testing, but picking up some Hanna testers might be worth it in the long run. You only need 3 of them, alk, ULR phosphate/phosphorus and high range nitrate. I wouldn't worry about mag or calcium, as those numbers are usually within range if you're doing routine water changes, etc. High alk isn't going to do any damage, but trying to correct it quickly and changing it fast will, when making changes, they need to be slow and over time. Unless things are dying, there's no worry or need to change anything now. I've had spikes to 13-15dkh and simply turned off my CaRx and waited for it to come back down, then continued as normal. It's the rapid swings that cause other issues.
Oh, I would probably get rid of the palys in that small of a tank and I would do it carefully.

 

[Coralguy48]

Also what kind of light are you using over this tank?

Black box on its lowest setting used to be an AI prime 16, but the light took a shit

 

[IvanW]

Any updates……..it’s always good for the hive mind to find out what the outcome is.