ALk at 14.4, Please Help!!

LeanneP · #1 08-01-2014, 05:00 AM

I just got back from holidays to a mess of a tank. My doser overdosed and my alkalinity is 14.4. I am going to do a water change tomorrow but is there any way of lowering it a bit before tomorrow. My SPS look very unhappy.
Leanne

Aquattro · #2 08-01-2014, 05:04 AM

That's border line bad, but can wait until you do a water change tomorrow. Don't go too large as the swing might be worse than the current level.

LeanneP · #3 08-01-2014, 05:07 AM

Are water changes the best way to keep bringing it down?

Proteus · #4 08-01-2014, 05:30 AM

You can mix muriatic acid to some water and add to the dt. It will lower alk but needs to be diluted. I'll see if I can find the info

Proteus · #5 08-01-2014, 05:34 AM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1530419

Aquattro · #6 08-01-2014, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeanneP

Are water changes the best way to keep bringing it down?

It's the safest. Muriatic acid would do it, but it's got potent fumes, you should wear gloves and safety glasses and mixing with water is an exothermic reaction and has to be done right. Vinegar would be a safer acid, but not sure how much.
So much easier to just do a water change. Probably time anyway

Proteus · #7 08-01-2014, 05:42 AM

I agree brad when I did it I had water in rotation only adding acid to water to be added to tank during water Change.

reefwars · #8 08-01-2014, 12:48 PM

I'm a bad speller pre coffee lol

reefwars · #9 08-01-2014, 12:49 PM

Personally if you have a fair
amount of Sps just let it fall on its own with consumption , continue to dose calcium but not alk. If your dropping .75 to 1dkh a day then that's fine.

johnnyriker22 · #10 08-01-2014, 03:07 PM

It's hard coming home to a tank in bad shape. I know how you feel. Try to bring your alkalinity to 12 for the day. I would not leave it above 12 for any longer than 24 hours. I think the acid is kind of overdoing it but is a useable option. One way to bring Alk down is by adding Calcium. This can be done with additive. Just don't use Kalk as it will raise the Alk more. Try to get more oxygen in your house to bring CO2 down in the tank therefore bring Alkalinity down. Hopefully you have a small tank so water changes will be easy. After you get it to 12 lower it by one a day until you get back to where you want to be.

Johnny