Too high alk? Parameter question

[Kilich]

Hey guys I just did a full parameter panel. After moving to new apartment I realized the Walmart filtered water I was getting had ammonia levels of 5ppm after I did two 60% water changes with it . It killed
Off some livestock sadly.

So I purchased an rodi filter and did a few water changes. After I got it under control my parameters look like this.


Salinity 1.026
Ammonia .15
Dkh 12.5
Ph 8.2
Calcium 450
Mg 1400
No3 0

My question is I read that all shouldn’t exceed 11dkh also I read that if alk is high calcium might be low but that clearly isn’t the problem.

Should I dose anything for this or will it even out on it’s own?


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[Kilich]

Side note:

I think those high ammonia water changes I did nuked my bacteria, the corals after being closed for a few days are now open again and doing great and the fish who survived looked fine. I’ve dozed a lot of bacteria and I think the ammonia should normalize in the next few days.


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[Kilich]

I also have it stocked with several soft coral that could deplete it in due time.


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[Uncle99]

It will fall provided the salt you use for water changes is lower than your current reading.
My Dkh has been 11.5 and CA 465 for three years.

Now if you were using a salt with very high Alk and CA, may stay that way unless you have a lot of Stoney corals to use it up.

It will take some time but slow is better anyways.

[Kilich]

I’m using reef crystals, it’s probably high because I’ve done a **** ton of water changes in the last week.


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[Uncle99]

Originally Posted by Kilich

I’m using reef crystals, it’s probably high because I’ve done a **** ton of water changes in the last week.


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I could not find on the RC package, what they claim on DKH at a specific gravity
Some say it mixes high in the 12.2 range and if true, your Alk will remain at 12.5

If you want to lower you need maybe something in the 8-8.5 range, Red Sea blue, Tropic Jarin, IO to name a few.

Was this a cycled tank before the Walmart water?
I have concern over your ammonia reading.
Did you damage your biological filter?
Your reading should be zero.

[Kilich]

Yeah, before I moved. My ammonia was virtually zero all the time. The tank was set up for a year.

Then I moved, and I got the same primo filtered water from Walmart. this time though it was in a different state. (The filter starts Walmart was dirtier than the one in my previous state)

After I did water changes at my new apartment I noticed things getting worse for some reason. I tested the new water I was getting after and realized my new filtered water I was getting had ammonia levels of 3-5ppm.

Since then I got an rodi filter and did a series of changes.

The order of changes went like this:

Day1

50% wc with ammonia tainted water
.3 ppm ammonia test

Day 2

50% wc with ammonia tainted water
.3 ppm ammonia test

Day 3
75% wc with imagitarium ocean water
.2 ppm ammonia test

Day 5
got rodi filter

Day 6
80% change with rodi water no ammonia
.15ppm ammonia on day 7 aka today

So I’m certain I nuked my biological filter. But it’s back on the way to normalizing now. I know it crashed obv, but I think I have a handle on it now. The coral is responding beautifully.


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[Kilich]

I also dose bacteria and prime with all of my water changes


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[Sk8r]

Get everything living over into a qt tank with good light and good water. Ammonia is nothing's friend. Your alk is high, about 9.5 being the upper limit, IME, and won't come down until your magnesium does. Your best bet is to continue doing some water changes toward a better reading, with your corals safely in qt in the qt at 420/8.3/1350, while you work on getting the main tank sorted out. Light is important for the corals, not so much for the water-struggle in the main tank. But that should sort out in a few days of adjustment. I don't think you're too far from safe ground, and you might already be there if you run some more tests. NIX dosing with Prime if you are now on ro/di. If your tank can't sustain and reproduce bacteria with the supplement now---no, i wouldn't continue dosing that either.

Also, do NOT test just after adding any of your alk buffer, calcium, mg, etc---because the water needs to circulate and mix and go through its changes before you have a testable level. Put 24 hours between additive and test to get an accurate result.

[Kilich]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Get everything living over into a qt tank with good light and good water. Ammonia is nothing's friend. Your alk is high, about 9.5 being the upper limit, IME, and won't come down until your magnesium does. Your best bet is to continue doing some water changes toward a better reading, with your corals safely in qt in the qt at 420/8.3/1350, while you work on getting the main tank sorted out. Light is important for the corals, not so much for the water-struggle in the main tank. But that should sort out in a few days of adjustment. I don't think you're too far from safe ground, and you might already be there if you run some more tests. NIX dosing with Prime if you are now on ro/di. If your tank can't sustain and reproduce bacteria with the supplement now---no, i wouldn't continue dosing that either.

Also, do NOT test just after adding any of your alk buffer, calcium, mg, etc---because the water needs to circulate and mix and go through its changes before you have a testable level. Put 24 hours between additive and test to get an accurate result.

Good advice thank you


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