Kalk burn on montis?

[john.m.cole3]

I was doing a water change 2 weeks ago and have been stirring my sand bed right before I do that to release any nutrients sunk in there three-quarter inch sand bed . I put a piece of filter floss in the sump to catch any of the particles the protein skimmer wouldn't pick up since it normally quits working for a bit after I put my hand in the tank. I had too much filter floss packed in there and cause my return pump chamber to go down and kick on my ATO which is hooked up to a 5074 Tunze kalk dispenser. I wasn't paying very close attention and it must have dumped a gallon or so kalkwasser into my tank. It probably ran for 10 minutes I guess. Anyways the next day a couple of my plating montipora showed some white spots and recessed tissue that has gradually progressed over the two weeks. But it's not on my setosa or the other Monti cap Above This. Do you think this problem will self correct? The alk was 8.3 before the WC and 9.6 after question

 

[Elementalj]

Add a few drops of vinegar to lower the pH?

 

[john.m.cole3]

it's not progressing anymore. happened 2 weeks ago. I am curious if this has happened to anybody else?

 

[Elementalj]

I've had spikes before. Long before I invested in a controller. I keep some vinegar handy and watch everything closely. I'd advise getting the water parameters under control and using a dip on the corals to prevent infection.

 

[john.m.cole3]

OK thank you. Sounds like it's time to save up for a controller.

 

[Elementalj]

Best advice I could give.

 

[Elementalj]

OK thank you. Sounds like it's time to save up for a controller.

I've used my reefkeeper for a while now. Initial setup was interesting but the learning curve swung in my direction. Check YouTube for BRStv they show you how to do almost everything.

[emoji106]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You added 1 gallon to a 72 gallon system?

That would instantly but temporarily spike pH by somewhat more than 0.6 pH units, and boost alk by about 1.6 dKH.

Usually, that wouldn't be enough to kill things, except in a ULNS tank.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Yeah my sailfert test showed about that much increase of alk. The kalkwasser solution stays in its dispenser until the ATO stirs it up. It enters the tank infront of a powerhead and the stuff that got burned was in the path of the powerhead. Or do you think the white areas are caused by something else?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah my sailfert test showed about that much increase of alk. The kalkwasser solution stays in its dispenser until the ATO stirs it up. It enters the tank infront of a powerhead and the stuff that got burned was in the path of the powerhead. Or do you think the white areas are caused by something else?

That makes sense. Can you add it into a sump or other location so it doesn't go directly to a coral? I recommend a high flow location away from corals or other delicate organisms.

 

[john.m.cole3]

OK, I just moved the line to the middle chamber of my sump where I keep my live rock and marinepure brick. should I let the montis heal on there own? I've been manually topping off the tank with fresh RODI to get the alk level back down slowly.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, I just moved the line to the middle chamber of my sump where I keep my live rock and marinepure brick. should I let the montis heal on there own? I've been manually topping off the tank with fresh RODI to get the alk level back down slowly.

What options do you have on the montis? I don't really know of anything to do.

 

[john.m.cole3]

The 2 largest ones are encrusted on rocks but I am not attached to them or let's say they are not my favorite corals. The jason fox lepto and the purple monti are on frag plugs. The lptoseris is one of my favorites.