Sudden Low DKH

[atx100r]

Hi folks I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some guidance too a new reefer...system is 1 year old 75 gallon main tank with 40 breeder sump...Roughly 90 gallons total volume....I noticed my Red Goniopra not opening and my birds of paradise looking kind of shabby not full and lush as usual...Did some checks and noticed DKH was very low and NITRATE are high...Checked it several times using Hannah DKH checher. I will go on an every other day feeding schedule to help with the nitrate...But have no clue about DKH and how to adjust...Usually runs around 8 ish..Thanks in advance...

DHK 5.7
PHOS .012265
MAG 1400
CAL 380
PH 8.04
TEMP 78.3
SAL 1.025
AMONIA O
NITRITE 0
NITRATE 20K

 

[TheEngineer]

Do you dose to maintain levels or just water changes?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Do you have a test kit to cross check the Hanna checker ?

 

[atx100r]

Do you dose to maintain levels or just water changes?

So far all I do is a weekly 10% water change...I've been taking this slow...

 

[TheEngineer]

I’d double check the test with another kit too. You may just be burning through it faster than you replenish now. Do you have a lot of corals? What brand of salt are you using?

 

[atx100r]

I use red sea coral pro..here are my corals...most are fairly small colonies on plugs...zoas 6...hammer...torch...small GSP....bubble coral...superman mushroom...2 acans one with 2 heads the other 3...one rodactus..birds of paradise...Clover....small galaxia...small cyphestria....small blasto with 6 heads...red goni...

 

[atx100r]

Pic

 

[atx100r]

Oh and small war coral...

 

[atx100r]

Thanks so much for taking time to help...@engineer

 

[TheEngineer]

That salt has high Alk. Test some freshly mixed salt. You can look up the ICP results for your bucket and compare. It will help you know if your test is off.

 

[atx100r]

That salt has high Alk. Test some freshly mixed salt. You can look up the ICP results for your bucket and compare. It will help you know if your test is off.

Will do...

 

[jsker]

I have had some issue with consistency with the Red Sea Alk test, I now keep two alk test kits on hand to check when inconsistency occurred

 

[TheEngineer]

Also, when did you last test and what was the value?

 

[atx100r]

That salt has high Alk. Test some freshly mixed salt. You can look up the ICP results for your bucket and compare. It will help you know if your test is off.

Just tested recently mixed water and it comes in at 9.2 using hannah....I tested my tank water 3 times...

 

[TheEngineer]

Your checker is off. The Red Sea coral pro (black bucket)mixes up to around 12dkh.

 

[atx100r]

What method do you use to test?

 

[TheEngineer]

I use both a Hanna and Red Sea Pro. You can look your specific bucket up online. There is a code on it.

 

[atx100r]

I see so my hannah CHECKER is it trash or can I calibrate somehow?

 

[TheEngineer]

I see so my hannah CHECKER is it trash or can I calibrate somehow?

First I would still double check with another kit to be sure. Did you mix your salt bucket before using it? Hanna has calibration cuvettes, so I hear.

 

[atx100r]

First I would still double check with another kit to be sure. Did you mix your salt bucket before using it? Hanna has calibration cuvettes, so I hear.

I'll try to get another kit tomorrow...unfortunately I'm in a rural are so availability is scarce....