ALK is low

BeelzeBob

BeelzeBob

-CHAUVINIST PIG-
Mar 18, 2006
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Boulder, Co.
my alkalinity is low, is there something other than buffers i can use to fix this?

my pH is 8.3

tank 18 gal.

what should i be addressing as the problem here, and how can i fix it, opposed to adding junk (buffers)?
 
crushed coral or any carbonate source as a substrate or in the filter should increase your alkalinity. naturally, any carbonate source will elevate your ph as well. a brackish environment should be both hard and alkaline.
 
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also, im not concerned w my brackish tank, but my nano reef is having the alk problem.

and i do not want to raise my ph it is currently 8.3
 
what test kid are you using? since you are saying 'low" i am guessing it isnt one that actualy measures it such as the red sea one?
 
substrate is a very fine black sand.

yea test kit has a colorange for alk. pee yellow being way low, sky blue normal and royal blue high.

ya think its my substrate?

what can i do if thats the case?

i have a semi HOB fuge (Really a HOB skimmer w extra room) i was thinkin of just adding a small mesh bag of crushed coral.

would this work or will this just become a nitrate factory and lead to more problems than it solves because my tank is so small?:huh:
 
Would not go with the crushed coral..The only media you would prob use in there is your carbon if needed..

Crushed coral would eventually start to be a nitrate factory is left unchecked..What exactly is the Alk test showing on your color chart? can you get some-one else who has a different test kit to check it for you?

Niko
 
Crushed coral would eventually start to be a nitrate factory
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why is that? crushed coral is a 'dead' substrate. i'm admittedly not a salt water guy but your statement doesn't make sense to this freshwater guy.
 
liv2padl said:
why is that? crushed coral is a 'dead' substrate. i'm admittedly not a salt water guy but your statement doesn't make sense to this freshwater guy.
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this is jsut because thigns get stuck and decay in it
but you can use it in a little mesh bag. nothing is going to be caught in there that doesnt get caught in a mesh bag so it really doesnt make a difference.
however, will CaCO3 even ionize enough to raise your ALK? maybe if you had an argonite substrate, but i highly doubt CC would.
black sand is taken from volcanic islands. it s jsut basicly lava rock so it has no buffering abbilities
 
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