Alkalinity problem in 10g nano - please help

[Aaron]

Was hoping someone might have insight into making alkalinity adjustments in my nano reef.

All other parameters seem to be in line, but I just can't keep the alkalinity stable.

I purchased a buffering product made by Brightwell, and thought this would be the answer, but this is not really solving the problem.

a.) The alkalinity will temporarily be boosted to acceptable levels, however, there is also a notable shift in pH to around 8.5-8.6 (too high as far as I'm concerned).

b.) Calcium and alkalinity levels seem ok for a while, but then when I test the next day, the pH has dropped noticeably (usually to around 8.0), and the alkalinity will have dropped to around 1 meq/L.

 

It doesn't seem like my problem is really pH per se, and the calcium levels are generally fairly stable at around 450, but the alkalinity is really wearing me out, and the animals appear much, much happier when it is boosted to the correct levels.

 

I guess my questions are:

1.) Is there a way to boost alkalinity without significantly altering pH?

2.) What could be causing the alkalinity to drop so dramatically in such a short period of time?

 

Bear with me, I am not new to saltwater at all, but this is my first attempt at reef keeping vs. FOWLR.

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[zygote2k]

Why don't you try to do a 2 part buffering system like the Brightwell Reefcode A&B? I use them with great results. Check your magnesium level too.

[ReeferMan]

Whats your Alk reading at?

[ctenophore]

You might consider using an alkalinity booster that doesn't increase pH as much. Look at "Recipe #2" in this article. If you are having trouble with alkalinity in a nano tank, then your best bets are to either a) remove the corals that consume a lot of alkalinity (anything with a stony skeleton) or b) read up on alkalinity chemistry in seawater so you understand better what is happening in that small volume of water. Randy Holmes-Farley's articles like the one above will teach you everything you need to know.

[lhcorals]

I not for sure but i think Mag. has an affect on it to. What is you Mag level?

[Origami]

What test kit are you using to measure alkalinity, Aaron? Where are you in Sterling?

[Aaron]

What test kit are you using to measure alkalinity, Aaron? Where are you in Sterling?

 

Thanks for the response Tom. I am in Lowe's Island, off Algonkian Pkwy (not far from Potomac View or Cascades if that helps).

As for the Alkalinity test kit, it's a Red Sea kit that I purchased from Marine Scene probably about 3 months ago.

I also picked up a Salifert calcium test kit at the same time (already had kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate).

I don't even bother testing for ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate anymore because ammonia and nitrite are always undetectable, and the nitrate is always < 1 ppm.

I'm meticulous about tank husbandry, and there are no fish in this aquarium (90% coral, a handful of snails, and a mithrax crab that has already molted once, and nearly doubled in size).

 

Here are the specs for the tank (if it helps to have more information). I tweaked the water parameters last night when I got home from work (used baking soda to bring the alk back up), and have them close to where I'd like them to be, but I'm just about positive they'll be way out of line again when I get home today. It is truly vexing to boost the alkalinity and then watch it crash miserably in less than 12 hours.

What I'm trying to do is come up with a manageable routine that will keep the paramaters stable. I'm sure that the constant adjustments will ultimately be the demise of my not so happy tank inhabitants.

 

The tank is an Oceanic Biocube 8. I removed the bio balls, hood, and carbon filter. The stock PC lighting has been replaced with a metal halide pendant running a 150w 20,000k Radium DE HQI, which is being over-driven by an IceCap 175w ballast, and two 18w T5 actinic lamps.

I have also installed an AquaC Nano Remora skimmer, and a Hydor Coralia 1 circulating pump (which moves approximately 400 gph).

In the tank I have a live sand bed about 1/2" deep, and 10lbs of ultra-premium fiji live rock.

 

Current inhabitants are:

1 beautiful piece of branching acropora (part green and part purple - looks like two different species, but it's actually the same species, just two different colors).

1 small frogspawn (2 polyps)

3 blue mushrooms (attached to one piece of rock)

1 medium sized green star polyp colony

approximately 30-40 zoanthid polyps, assorted colors (many of these started popping up on my live rock shortly after setting up the tank, and they are spreading at a very surprising rate).

The above animals are all properly attached to the live rock with reef epoxy.

 

I know there are many people out there keeping reef tanks successfully, just need to brush up on my water chemistry and get some real guidance from someone with more knowledge and experience. I am learning the hard way that keeping corals is a whole different ball game than keeping fish, and no matter how much I read, I know there are certain "tricks of the trade" that will help me to do this successfully.

 

As of this morning when I left for work, the parameters were as follows:

 

Temp 78.8 (this fluctuates with my light cycle, but only slightly - lights run in the evening rather than during the day when I'm not at home - the range is 78.5-81)

Salinity 1.025-1.026 (this stays pretty stable ~.001)

pH 8.4

Alkalinity ~2.9 meq/L

Calcium ~400 ppm

Ammonia - undetectable

Nitrite - undetectable

Nitrate ~1 ppm

 

I don't have a Magnesium test kit, so I'm not sure where those levels are at the moment, however I do occasionally add a small amount of Brightwell's "Magnesion".

 

If you have ideas or suggestions, I'm all ears Tom :-).

 

Aaron

[Aaron]

Thanks for the response Tom. I am in Lowe's Island, off Algonkian Pkwy (not far from Potomac View or Cascades if that helps).

As for the Alkalinity test kit, it's a Red Sea kit that I purchased from Marine Scene probably about 3 months ago.

I also picked up a Salifert calcium test kit at the same time (already had kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate).

I don't even bother testing for ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate anymore because ammonia and nitrite are always undetectable, and the nitrate is always < 1 ppm.

I'm meticulous about tank husbandry, and there are no fish in this aquarium (90% coral, a handful of snails, and a mithrax crab that has already molted once, and nearly doubled in size).

 

Here are the specs for the tank (if it helps to have more information). I tweaked the water parameters last night when I got home from work (used baking soda to bring the alk back up), and have them close to where I'd like them to be, but I'm just about positive they'll be way out of line again when I get home today. It is truly vexing to boost the alkalinity and then watch it crash miserably in less than 12 hours.

What I'm trying to do is come up with a manageable routine that will keep the paramaters stable. I'm sure that the constant adjustments will ultimately be the demise of my not so happy tank inhabitants.

 

The tank is an Oceanic Biocube 8. I removed the bio balls, hood, and carbon filter. The stock PC lighting has been replaced with a metal halide pendant running a 150w 20,000k Radium DE HQI, which is being over-driven by an IceCap 175w ballast, and two 18w T5 actinic lamps.

I have also installed an AquaC Nano Remora skimmer, and a Hydor Coralia 1 circulating pump (which moves approximately 400 gph).

In the tank I have a live sand bed about 1/2" deep, and 10lbs of ultra-premium fiji live rock.

 

Current inhabitants are:

1 beautiful piece of branching acropora (part green and part purple - looks like two different species, but it's actually the same species, just two different colors).

1 small frogspawn (2 polyps)

3 blue mushrooms (attached to one piece of rock)

1 medium sized green star polyp colony

approximately 30-40 zoanthid polyps, assorted colors (many of these started popping up on my live rock shortly after setting up the tank, and they are spreading at a very surprising rate).

The above animals are all properly attached to the live rock with reef epoxy.

 

I know there are many people out there keeping reef tanks successfully, just need to brush up on my water chemistry and get some real guidance from someone with more knowledge and experience. I am learning the hard way that keeping corals is a whole different ball game than keeping fish, and no matter how much I read, I know there are certain "tricks of the trade" that will help me to do this successfully.

 

As of this morning when I left for work, the parameters were as follows:

 

Temp 78.8 (this fluctuates with my light cycle, but only slightly - lights run in the evening rather than during the day when I'm not at home - the range is 78.5-81)

Salinity 1.025-1.026 (this stays pretty stable ~.001)

pH 8.4

Alkalinity ~2.9 meq/L

Calcium ~400 ppm

Ammonia - undetectable

Nitrite - undetectable

Nitrate ~1 ppm

 

I don't have a Magnesium test kit, so I'm not sure where those levels are at the moment, however I do occasionally add a small amount of Brightwell's "Magnesion".

 

If you have ideas or suggestions, I'm all ears Tom :-).

 

Aaron

 

One more thing I forgot to mention, the lights run 10 hours per day (in the evening as mentioned above).

[Jan]

My Alk, PH and calcium were always off with my nano. It was very frustrating. Alk and Ph were always low and calcium always high at 550. I think that's just the nature of the beast with and nanos. They require high maintenance to find the balance. Now i have a 75 gallon and maintenance is a breeze. I was never able to really solve the problem with my nano nor was I able to figure out why it happened. I ended up dosing baking soda for the PH and alk whenever i changed the water.

[Origami]

Sorry for the delay. It was a very busy day at work and I had an evening meeting on top of that.

 

If you don't mind, maybe I could swing by, take a look and get a water sample. If interested, PM me with your location and availability. I'm familiar with your area and it's not all that far out.