What's causing my alk drop?

jmp21677 · Sep 24, 2016

Red sea reefer 170 tank. Biweekly 5 gallon water changes using red sea pro.....
I'm having problems keeping my alk up and am losing coral. Just tested at 7.0 using a brand new elos kit. Mag is okay at 1300ish. Haven't tested calcium today. I'm looking for a solution if anyone has an idea? I'll buffer to 8.5 and within 3 days it's back to 7.

bif24701 · Sep 24, 2016

jmp21677 said:
Red sea reefer 170 tank. Biweekly 5 gallon water changes using red sea pro.....
I'm having problems keeping my alk up and am losing coral. Just tested at 7.0 using a brand new elos kit. Mag is okay at 1300ish. Haven't tested calcium today. I'm looking for a solution if anyone has an idea? I'll buffer to 8.5 and within 3 days it's back to 7.

What are you using for Alk supplement?

madweazl · Sep 24, 2016

5g changes twice a week or every two weeks? Is there a large demand in your tank (lots of corals stony corals)? As mentioned, are you using a two part or just relying on the water changes? pH? Calcium level?

jmp21677 · Sep 24, 2016

Not a large amount of coral. All frags with the exception of a brain and scoly (both of which are not looking great). I'm using brightwell liquid buffer. Water changes are every two weeks.

cromag27 · Sep 24, 2016

Rscp mixes to 12dkh so you are way off the mark, or so it appears. is the test kit bad? have you tried a different test kit?

2nd on consumption via high loads of sps?

What are you using to "buffer" it?

2nd ca reading?

Rscp mag mixes at (approx) 1440.

Your elements are not being replenished at your current water change rate. Even having said that, there is a serious issue with your alk and you may need to start dosing 2 part. that is, if your readings are correct.

bif24701 · Sep 24, 2016

jmp21677 said:
Not a large amount of coral. All frags with the exception of a brain and scoly (both of which are not looking great). I'm using brightwell liquid buffer. Water changes are every two weeks.

Like the above stated check your testing.

I'm not sure what is in that supplement. But you can use ordinary baking soda for ALK. Use a reef calculator to raise your ALK to 7.8-8 test daily to find your consumption rate.

Have you made any changes or additions to your tank recently?

jmp21677 · Sep 24, 2016

Bought the new test kit because of the reading on the first one!

Using brightwell Alkaline8.3.

Could it be bad salt?

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

Only change has been the lighting schedule on my xr15....obviously not the problem

cromag27 · Sep 25, 2016

Possibly. I ditched rscp a few years ago because of bad batches. Mix a small sample batch and test it. with all salts you should mix the bucket/bag before using.

jmp21677 said:
Bought the new test kit because of the reading on the first one!

Using brightwell Alkaline8.3.

Could it be bad salt?

madweazl · Sep 25, 2016

Need to know the calcium and pH measurements before anyone can really provide any advice. SG/salinity?

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

Salinity is .025. I'll test calcium here in a few and post. I'll also mix some water as well and test just in case.

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

Calcium tested about 400. Tested mag again and can't get it to register. Elos is a four part test. When I get to the 4th step the water is green and you should have it change from pink to blue as you add the regent......it's green before I add a single drop. I tested 3 different times.

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

Cromag....what salt did you change to? This is the first time I've had issues with redsea

nbagnardi · Sep 25, 2016

I'm with @cromag08 RSCP is completely unreliable when it comes to ALK and MAG. i used to swear by it until i started paying attention to my tanks inhabitants and my own test numbers. i switched to HW MarineMix (BRS uses it on ALL their tanks) and haven't had an issue with fluctuating parameters. i dose ALK and CAL (MeCorals brand-best on the market in my opinion) and have a heavy mixed reef. i also do WEEKLY 20% water changes on the dot. my two suggestions would be to first, change salts and secondly, try another test kit (maybe bring your water to the LFS and ask them to test it).

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

My plan was to take water in today to double check the mag. It's one of those things where I should have started with the salt first I guess. ....really started having trouble once I bought this bag of salt...:mad:

cromag27 · Sep 25, 2016

Red sea salts also need to be mixed a very specific way or else everything will be off and you'll get precipitation before you even do your water change.

jmp21677 · Sep 25, 2016

So. ..how big of a water change do I do with the new salt once it arrives? Should be here Wednesday. I do have a full bucket of io as well here at the house. I could do five gallons today to hopefully adjust the mag a little. I know that alk is always a little low. I'm just seeing some LPS pulling back a bit and don't want to lose them.

cromag27 · Sep 25, 2016

Io. every time I have tried a new salt I also end up back to io.

jmp21677 said:
Cromag....what salt did you change to? This is the first time I've had issues with redsea

cromag27 · Sep 25, 2016

When changing salts I did 10%.

jmp21677 said:
So. ..how big of a water change do I do with the new salt once it arrives? Should be here Wednesday. I do have a full bucket of io as well here at the house. I could do five gallons today to hopefully adjust the mag a little. I know that alk is always a little low. I'm just seeing some LPS pulling back a bit and don't want to lose them.