The water alkalinity within a saltwater aquarium is one of the most important chemical levels to keep track of. Not only does this measurement impact the water’s ability to neutralize acids, but it’s also a key component in maintaining a steady pH. However, there may come a time in the lifecycle of your tank when its overall alkalinity starts to fluctuate, putting your specimens at risk. So, if you find that your own aquarium levels are spiking, use this guide on how to lower the alkalinity in a reef tank to keep everything functioning smoothly.
Increase Your Water Changes
When your water’s chemical levels suddenly increase, it could be a sign that you aren’t performing water changes often enough. This procedure is essential to removing any excess toxins and maintaining a healthy environment for your livestock. The same is true for a tank’s alkalinity levels. By increasing the number of water changes you perform each week or by raising the quantity of water you replace, you can remove more problematic materials. However, just be careful that you aren’t removing too much at once, as this can send your fish into shock.
Test Alkalinity and Wait
During this time, it’s vital that you’re taking regular measurements of your tank’s alkalinity so you can see whether your efforts are working. Chemical changes can take several days to become apparent. As such, tracking your progress will be key to ensuring the readings don’t drop too low. Should your results continue to come back abnormal, keep using the methods listed above to further adjust them. From there, all that’s left to do is wait and let the levels drop back to normal over time.
Maintain Water Quality
The most important part of lowering the alkalinity in a reef tank, however, is to maintain it over time. Just like other chemical levels in an aquarium, alkalinity can rise and fall with different concentrations of fish and waste in a tank. So, it’s vital that you keep up with regular maintenance and perform regular water changes to keep your environment stable.
Whether you need advice to help you care for your reef tank or are looking for new organisms to add to it, World Wide Corals is who you want to contact. Using our website, you can buy corals online and visit our blog to read about all things related to the hobby. Our team of long-time tank builders is also available at any time to answer any questions you may have. So, don’t hesitate to use some of our many resources to keep your aquarium running.
