Extreme ALK Consumption Need Help

[ALAIRMORE]

DKH is now at 5.8 that's -0.6 in about 20 hours. pH is much lower that I stopped the kalk drip. I'm going to let it go the night and do a big water change in the morning I have 40g mixing now. If high consumption continues are there any ideas? I'm lost.

Edit: Added pH Log.

 

[Miami Reef]

DKH is now at 5.8 that's -0.6 in about 20 hours. pH is much lower that I stopped the kalk drip. I'm going to let it go the night and do a big water change in the morning I have 40g mixing now. If high consumption continues are there any ideas? I'm lost.

What level are your phosphates?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

What level are your phosphates?

Just tested at 0.01 Hanna ULR

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How do you know you are dosing 1 dKH per day?

Is the sand hardening?

 

[TokenReefer]

What is your freshly mixed saltwater that has been aerated for a bit read for alk? Think you mentioned IO RC... Sorry if I missed this but it's a good starting point for verifying accurate alk test...

 

[ALAIRMORE]

How do you know you are dosing 1 dKH per day?

Is the sand hardening?

Hi Randy.

I'm not dosing 1 dkH a day, the most I have dosed is 10ml of ESV 2 part and only on a few occasions. I was using kalk on a slow drip to increase pH using apex to control the pump. There are days my dkH drops a full point. At first I thought I might be overdosing Kalk causing precipitation so I dropped the concentration from 2tsp/gal to 1tsp/gal. I stopped dosing kalk just to see if number would stabilize. Last night at 7pm dkH was 5.8 this morning at 9am dkH is 5.4.

Sand is not hardening, no signs of precipitation in the sump only light dusting on the heater element.

I really confused why my alk is getting consumed so quickly on such a new system with only 1 lps frag and a small patch of GSP.

I'm going to do a 90% water change today and stop all dosing to see what happens.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d double check that the alk decline is not test error. Attaining values below 5.5 dKH is unusual.

 

[ALAIRMORE]

I’d double check that the alk decline is not test error. Attaining values below 5.5 dKH is unusual.

I will cross check with red sea test kit. Are there "calibration" solutions I can use to confirm accuracy?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

I’d double check that the alk decline is not test error. Attaining values below 5.5 dKH is unusual.

Red sea test kit is reading 5.3/5.2
Any Ideas on what I should do?

Current parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.14
Temp: 77.8
Alk: 5.4
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 0.1
pO4: 0.01

 

[ALAIRMORE]

Reef Crystals has been mixing for about 24hr at 78 degrees. Tested at 10 dkH. BTW I'm posting pics of how I read the red sea test kit because I know it will be asked.

Start.

End.

 

[TokenReefer]

Reef Crystals has been mixing for about 24hr at 78 degrees. Tested at 10 dkH. BTW I'm posting pics of how I read the red sea test kit because I know it will be asked.

Start.

End.

The first picture here has me confused. The stopper should never be above the 1.0 ml mark on the cylinder. The Starting amount of fluid is 1.0 ml.

Are you sure you're following the instructions correctly?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

The first picture here has me confused. The stopper should never be above the 1.0 ml mark on the cylinder. The Starting amount of fluid is 1.0 ml.

Are you sure you're following the instructions correctly?

I'm using Hanna 1.0ml syringes not Red Sean. Hanna Syringes have markings flipped so you don't need to do any math lol.

 

[TokenReefer]

Sorry, not sure I follow. I have both kits for alk; Hannah and RS. In either case the plunger should never be drawn up past the 1.0 ml mark; in either syringe

Test should start here...

Edit: I'd use the syringe meant for each test. The plunger is designed to take up the space of the tip; not sure I'm following how/why you're swapping them but that could be an issue

 

[ALAIRMORE]

I’d double check that the alk decline is not test error. Attaining values below 5.5 dKH is unusual.

Randy. If I have a dead snail or crab in my rock somewhere would the NH3 to NO2 consume this much alk? If so I should be able to detect the NO2 but I'm testing 0. I do have a large amount of Chato in my sump using H80 for a light source could that consume the NO2 before Its detectable?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

Performed a 40g water change with reef crystals. Waited a few hours before taking new measurements. I have stopped all dosing and will measure alk daily.

Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78.3
pH: 8.07
dkH: 7.8
Cal: 446

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy. If I have a dead snail or crab in my rock somewhere would the NH3 to NO2 consume this much alk? If so I should be able to detect the NO2 but I'm testing 0. I do have a large amount of Chato in my sump using H80 for a light source could that consume the NO2 before Its detectable?

No. Unless nitrate is accumulating (increasing), there is no net alk consumption. Some alk is lost when it is produced but the same amount comes back when it is consumed.

 

[ALAIRMORE]

Update:
01/02/2023 0815

SG: 1.025
Temp: 78.6
pH: 8.13
dkH: 7.1 (Drop of 0.6)

Should I dose to get it back up to 7.8 or let it go another day and see if it stabilizes?

 

[KrisReef]

Keep replacing. It may take a month to equilibrate the new rock to the ALK level you want in a reef tank. Keep retesting and adding until the tank levels stop dropping like this.

There was some "dry rock" used when you recently started this tank?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

Keep replacing. It may take a month to equilibrate the new rock to the ALK level you want in a reef tank. Keep retesting and adding until the tank levels stop dropping like this.

There was some "dry rock" used when you recently started this tank?

Yes, dry white rock, and dry aragonite. I didn't know dry rock would "absorb" alk. Is that a thing?

 

[ALAIRMORE]

Is this excessive precipitation on my heater? This is two months of build up.