Alkalinity HELP

[CooperDog]

Alkalinity has dropped to 0?
125 tank
15 gallon sump
Mg=1440
CA=410
Temp=77.2
Salinity=1.026
PH=8.2
Reef tank is approximately 7 months running, started to see fluctuations in KH dropping to 7kh and sometimes 6kh about 2 weeks after water change.
decided to start manually dosing 2 part E.S.V.B at half the recommended dosage according to the reef chemistry calculator over the course of a day, no results, numbed it up to 2/3 and then it dropped to 6.
Panic was held off thinking I can adjust with BRS soda ash or Sodium bicarbonate dry packs.
Tried soda ash first, I had this premixed for 2 months in a jug. No changes after adding, upped the dosage then KH drops again to 5.
Water change 40 gallons!
KH is holding at 5-5.5
Next I try sodium bicarbonate, 6 oz at night and 6 in the morning then a run away train!
Today it’s 0kh
It’s obviously precipitation.
Any pointers on how to fix this?
Mixing next batch of water for a 35% water change tomorrow.
panic is setting in.
1 coral showing signs of stress-flower pot
More than usual brown algae is on the glass
I did not measure Phos yet.
Skimmer is running fine.
Started up carbon and GFO reactor today.
I normally run a month and shut off a month.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Peanut]

you need to use 2x the amount of brs sodium bicarb to equal the same amount of brs soda ash

 

[reefiniteasy]

Not sure I can help other than to share this calculator in case you want to compare it to what you use.

I use this calculator and I dose ESV 2-part in equal amounts. The calculator is insanely accurate.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

(Edit: sorry, this is probably the calculator you use.)

 

[taricha]

So your test kit is giving absurd results (0 dKH).
Rather than trying to add alkalinity to hit a Target on a kit that is giving you very sketchy numbers, just do a water change with trusted salt mix. No panic and zero chance of your alk being way too high or low.

 

[CooperDog]

So your test kit is giving absurd results (0 dKH).
Rather than trying to add alkalinity to hit a Target on a kit that is giving you very sketchy numbers, just do a water change with trusted salt mix. No panic and zero chance of your alk being way too high or low.

Bought another Red Sea test kit, same results, takes the entire 10ml and still blue

 

[CooperDog]

Not sure I can help other than to share this calculator in case you want to compare it to what you use.

I use this calculator and I dose ESV 2-part in equal amounts. The calculator is insanely accurate.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

(Edit: sorry, this is probably the calculator you use.)

Yes, same calculator. This makes no sense to me, never had this happen before. I had reef tank years ago, I just used Kalkwasser. First time dosing ESV

 

[CooperDog]

So your test kit is giving absurd results (0 dKH).
Rather than trying to add alkalinity to hit a Target on a kit that is giving you very sketchy numbers, just do a water change with trusted salt mix. No panic and zero chance of your alk being way too high or low.

Bought new test kit, Red Sea brand, same results. Takes 10ml and still blue vial, it should turn green

 

[CooperDog]

you need to use 2x the amount of brs sodium bicarb to equal the same amount of brs soda ash

Hmmm, first time I have seen this advice.
I’m kinda scared to use any at the moment.
Planning on 3 consecutive water changes to try and fix it.

 

[excell007]

what salt are you using? did you test what DKH the new saltwater mix is at?

 

[CooperDog]

what salt are you using? did you test what DKH the new saltwater mix is at?

Reef crystals, I have not measured fresh mixed with this bucket. I will measure in my next batch of water tomorrow, the specs say 8-12dkh

 

[CooperDog]

Reef crystals, I have not measured fresh mixed with this bucket. I will measure in my next batch of water tomorrow, the specs say 8-12dkh

Good suggestion! Thanks

 

[Palytosis]

Double check the instructions for the alk test kit. Sounds like you used double the recommended water sample size or something else. If the pH is above 8 I'm guessing bad test result.

 

[George81]

It’s been awhile since I used red sea I’ve switched to salifert. But are you sure your doing the test right and your alk isn’t off the charts Rather than 0, the more tritiation you add the higher the alk value. Less tritiation means lower alk value.
and 10mls? do you mean 1.0 in the syringe for tritiation? I don’t recall any of their tests using 10mls mine was 5ml for cal 5ml for alk and 2ml for mag.
I can be dead wrong....but just a thought maybe re read the test kit instructions.

 

[George81]

Bought new test kit, Red Sea brand, same results. Takes 10ml and still blue vial, it should turn green

I’m referencing this btw

 

[redeyejedi]

Then your alk is sky high, not low.

 

[Softhammer]

Yeah, if you max out the titrant syringe on your test kit with no change then your Alk is off the charts high. If it were zero the color change would happen with the first drop.

 

[Softhammer]

If no color change you Alk is over 14dKh. Notice the note:

 

[Aqua Man]

Bucket of reef crystals I have now measured 11.3 DKH with Salifert

 

[CooperDog]

Then your alk is sky high, not low.

Your right! That was stupid of me! I overdosed.
This has to be the most idiotic thing I have done. I read your reply and looked at the card.
I was going off of memory and thinking completely backwards.

 

[CooperDog]

If no color change you Alk is over 14dKh. Notice the note:

Yes you are correct. That was a stupid mistake.
I just screwed up! When something does not make sense it’s usually not right.
Thank you