Zeolite decreasing alcalinity and calcium?

[Superlightman]

Hello I have a question can Zeolite decrease alkalinity and calcium? I saw already with the ICP test that it take potassium and some other elements but Alkalinity and calcium? I ask this because yesterday the filter which I had the zeolite died, so I'm running without the zeolite and today my KH was 0,4 point higher, it went from 7,5 to 8Kh with the same dosage that every day? So i suppose that stop the Zeolite,made the alkalinity drop less than normal?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I’ve heard something to that effect. Let’s see what others say as I’ve never used Zeo.

 

[Superlightman]

Seems not be a lot of people had this issue or knowledge about this?

 

[Boonz28]

I run a Zeovit tank and haven’t experienced what you’re talking about. It might be that your corals weren’t happy with the Zeo reactor being shut off so they quit absorbing as much calcium and alk out of the water, you kept dosing your normal amount so this caused the increase in parameters.
For instance I have automatic dosing, if I shut my lights off tomorrow but left the dosing the same I would expect to see an increase in calcium and alkalinity just like you’ve experienced.
My understanding of the Zeo reactor is that it has a few effects. First the zeolite rocks absorb ammonia from your water. Second they provide surface area for nitrifying bacteria to grow, and third a film of some type of mulm forms on the rock surfaces which is dislodged when you pump the reactor. There are claims that this mulm feeds the corals when dislodged from the zeolites and released into the water column.
If some or all of these claims are true then taking this piece of equipment offline might have been destabilizing enough to the ecosystem you’ve created to cause the corals to react by temporarily slowing their calcification, thus resulting in your higher alkalinity test.

 

[Superlightman]

it may be an explaination thanks

 

[Boonz28]

To test this you should be able to turn the reactor on one day, and see a corresponding alk decrease the next. Then turn it back off and see the alk increase again the following day. I’d do it a few times and if the zeolite reactor is somehow removing calcium and alkalinity then you should see consistent results of that.
If it’s a response from the corals changing their alkalinity uptake then I wouldn’t expect the result to be so immediate or predictable. I know that corals can stop their calcification almost completely in a day if upset but I wouldn’t expect them to return to normal so quickly.