dosing potassium problem

[leptang]

So i got a red sea potassium test kit, the potassium was depleted in my reef. I decided to dose brightwell aquatic potassium to see any kind of benefits to my reef. The bottle of K had some mineralization, i shaked the hell out of it to break up the minerals. I dosed to the instructions of no more 10 ml per 20 us gallons daily. I added 40ml of it slowly, then my yellow tang started to swim like he is drunk, he then started to lay on his side on the substrate breathing fast when the lights were about to turn off. He is still alive right now just laying down breathing hard and my other fish seem to be ok. I don't know whats going on maybe metal toxicity?
My parameters are, ca 420 dkh 8 mag 1300 77° 35 ppt salinity 80 gallons

 

[leptang]

Oh and the bottle said 1ml of the concentrate will bring up potassium by 21ppm in one gallon. I added 40ml of the concentrate probably only raised my potassium to 10 to 12 ppm in my 80 gallon tank right?
I hope my tang pulls threw :/

 

[NanaReefer]

Always keep in mind that when dosing ALWAYS use less than what the directions call for. Reason being is they are going by ACTUAL total water volume. You and I however have way less actual water volume, after rock/sand displacement. Possible overdose?

What made you start dosing Potassium? Symptoms?

 

[leptang]

My tank is 75 gallons, my refugium is 5 gallons, i have a chiller, canister filter that's 1 gallons with media, then the 1 inch tubing running 10 feet. Before i had any living creatures in my tank i drained it out with the sand and rocks setup. It came out to be 80 gallons of water.
My rocks take up a lot of surface space but the rocks are only a half inch thick not taking up volume.

 

[leptang]

What made you start dosing Potassium? Symptoms?

Hoping to see more color in my corals and clams

 

[leptang]

My tang didn't make it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Wow, sorry to hear this.

I wouldn't think a 10 ppm boost in potassium would cause an issue.

FWIW, I didn't work through the math of the addition.

Other fish are fine?

 

[Diesel]

Sorry about your tang.
How are the corals reacting on this?
You said the K was depleted, what was your tested #?

 

[leptang]

My other fish are look just great the two black and white ocellaris clowns and Sapphire damsel , no heavy breathing, no strange swimming. I haven't seen my sixline wrasse yet i never really see him swiming around in the mornings, so its a waiting game for the wrasse.

As of this morning my corals are looking a little more fluorescent, frogspawn, montipora, and zoas the clams has a slightly more brightness, not by much.

The red sea test kit uses a titrator drop by drop, if the first drop turns blue its above 467. But i did go threw two titrators and it never turned blue so i assume after testing it twice my levels were far below 400-399ppm of NSW.

 

[leptang]

My best guess is the tang couldn't handle the metal toxicity of K

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Metal toxicity means what?

 

[leptang]

Metal toxicity means what?

Potassium is a chemical element with symbol K (derived from Neo-Latin kalium) and atomic number 19. Elemental potassium is a soft silvery-white alkali metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive with water.

Ive heard of stress caused by trace elements in tank water tend to kill fish that are not a use to types of metals from one tank to another from when fish are acclimated to a new tank. A lot of people blame fish death on salinity shock, but it maybe from metals in tank water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, potassium is a metal, but not a trace metal. It is already present at a high concentration, and you would have raised it by a few percent. That shouldn't be enough to shock something.

Lots of people do a similar boost with no concerns.

 

[leptang]

I just seen my six line wrasse pop out of the rock work, seems to be okay. Yeah just the tang died, noting else.

 

[leptang]

I sent a email to brightwell about what happen after i dosed the potassium and a my tang died right after, waiting to see what they say about it.

I agree on it should not of harmed anything with such a small dose of potassium Randy. Im just stumped what happened.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok, let's see what they say.

 

[Diesel]

My guess is as you mentioned that it has some mineralization on the bottle that the bottle of potassium might be expired.
Although that would be a first to me.

 

[leptang]

Well brightwell contacted me back and said mineralization is common due to long-term storage or from shipping in colder weather months. They didnt say if the concentration changes when it mineralizes or if it becomes harmful or not. They also asked if i had dosed anything else near the time i dosed the brightwell potassion. I did have a slow drip of limewater dosing at all times, but i did dose some iron about 3 hours prior of dosing the potassium. Ill keep you guys informed about more info when i get it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, sounds good.