The Great Kalk Slurry Incident

WhatCouldGoWrong71 · Jun 30, 2024

A couple nights ago I accidentally hit the on button on my Apex for Kalk stirring instead of auto. It ran like that over night. Normally I put 4L into a 132g over 12 hours. I had a safety rule that if my PH was at 8.5, just the Versa outlet down which is what does the kalk dosing. Since then PH has been very very low. I didn’t Kalk dose last night. I just changed the media for a my recirc, and it’s moving up a bit. I assume the water is full of acids? When I woke up, water was almost as clear as it normally is, slightly hazed. All only jumped about 0.6, which hit the second shut down rule (>9 and it shuts down). Coral are all doing OK. Only a couple touch heads were grumpy. Should I just leave it be or do a decent water change?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 30, 2024

I’d be concerned that the probe has deposits in it now and may be leading to inaccurate readings. Unless you added acids, there should be no new acids. The precipitation itself lowers alk and pH. I’d clean the probe and recalibrate it, and just watch the tank for now.

WhatCouldGoWrong71 · Jun 30, 2024

Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley, I can’t wait to transfer out of this tank (RedSea Max 500). This rear chamber is like an alter universe. I can tell you where all the white stuff went! lol. The Aiptasia farm back here didn’t mind. I wish I could drain and clean this rear chamber out, sigh. Probe was hammered. I should have looked at this, thanks. Running behind where I normally do, but much much better.