how can i lower alk

[skimmerman100]

see usually my alk is at about 7 or 8 but i tested these last few weeks and all the results have been 12 and today it 12. i run a phosban. i do dose but 2 part but havent had to only alk and i havent dosed that since i first read 9 dkh. and that was 3 weeks ago. dont know what is the increase caused by but everything is doing fine. the snails are active and all inverts are fine everything else tested fine but my calcium is kinda high. i dont have a calcium reactor. the salt i use is oceanic and i have always used it. i do water changes of 5 gallons per week, and i have a 75 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump, i run a euro reef skimmer and my phosban.
parameters are:
ph: 8.2
amonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrates:5.0
phos: .25
calcium is at 520
magnisium: 1300ppm
sg:1.025
dkh:12/ 214.8ppm

 

[NDY]

12dkh its not high. i keep mine around 10 to 11
have u seing anything - in the tank or corals & fish
How Much Are U Dosing Daily?
to lower it water change and stop dosing for now

 

[skimmerman100]

its high for me i am seeing that my acans arent happy those are the only ones that arent as puffy as they used to. i havent been dosing for 3 weeks already. i am confused cuz i do water changes and i havent been dosing and it has rised that high by itself

 

[NDY]

What test kit are u using
check if is expired

 

[pdnyc69]

the same thing happened to me. i used reef crystals salt and it raised my alk every time i did a water change. try testing the new batch of water for the alk. also if you are dosing kalk that will raise the alk

 

[skimmerman100]

i just did a water change an hour ago and the alk in the new water was 9dkh. as for the test kit its still good i went to absolutly fish today and my friend tested it for me and he got the same results. i will keep doing water changes and i will change my gfo to see if that will help lower the alk. would replenish have something to do with an alk spike? thats the only thing left that i can think of

 

[pdnyc69]

try getting a salt that has no buffers in it. acans will suck up the alk in a few days. i have all sorts of acans in my tank and the like the dkh at 9ish

 

[juiceguy]

i think if you are doing weekly water changes then you really shouldn't need to dose 2-part. cut back on the dosing and see how that works out.

 

[skimmerman100]

well because i run a phosban it usually lowers my alk, so i usually have to dose. since my substrate was from homedepot it is silca based and creates high phosphates since ive been running the phosban i have been able to maintain it at .25. the phosban was given to me by a fellow mr man by the s/n kris. good guy i might add. i had told him about my problem and he gave it to me. but now my phosban is not lowering the alk so i havent dosed at all for 3 weeks. strange to me thats why im asking for everyones input. thanx.

 

[juiceguy]

maybe the phosban is exhausted because of the high phos

 

[skimmerman100]

well i just changed the gfo today so ill see how it goes. and as for the sand bed ill be removing it and seeing what kind of sand is out there that is cheap and i could get alot of.