Alk Solution Turned Brown

[erk]

Stupid on me for not noticing sooner, but the alk part of the 2 part I dose has turned tea colored. I am using ESV B Ionic 2 part. I thought my corals were looking bad because my magnesium had dropped and I got the mag back up. They looked better for a bit before turning around and just plain dying. Tonight I finally looked down at my dosing container and the alk solution is a brown tea color. There is a lid on the dosing container, so I don't suspect contamination. Still can't rule it out though. Does anyone know what could cause this? Kicking myself for letting so many corals die without noticing something right in front of my face. Fish, soft corals, and gorgs are unaffected by whatever has happened.

 

[Titanwerx]

Check your doser, are the containers below the doser and make sure lines are not touching water even when return is off so it's not back siphoning water

 

[erk]

Check your doser, are the containers below the doser and make sure lines are not touching water even when return is off so it's not back siphoning water

I use check valves supplied with the doser, but I also take all the other precautions you mention.

 

[erk]

I tested alkalinity and it is normal at 8.9 dKH.

 

[FranklinDattein]

Never seen it, but it is most likely a contaminant. I would swap by a new solution.

 

[erk]

Never seen it, but it is most likely a contaminant. I would swap by a new solution.

I've disconnected the dosing container. I'm going to hook up the doser directly to the bottle of solution.