ALK uptank halted ?

Reefpro

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So I have 140 gallon tank that has been set up for about 3 years it is SPS dominant. I have 40-50 small to med colonies and a couple larger ones I have about 17 fish total. As of about two weeks ago I noticed on my trident my alk and ca were creeping up each day so have been backing off my doser. I use ESV bionic. Prior to this I was dosing about 140 ml per day Alk and 150 Ca I am now at 50 and 60 respectively

my parameters
alk 9.1
Ca 430
Mg 1440
No3 10
Po4 .049
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78.1

I run 3 gen4 pro 30’s with t5 blues on the Ab+ program, 4 mp 40’s for flow, I use a small amount of GFO to keep Po4 down and change it every 2-3 weeks. I do water changes twice a month (20%) I dose via GHL 2.1 (calibrated last month) monitor everything and control with Apex and Trident. Feed fish one to two times daily and ME CORALS aminos every other day 7 ml. My growth has always been a little slow but now it’s non existent and uptake has really slowed down.

can somebody point me in the right direction as to what can be happening or what else to ck. I am pulling my hair out. I did have an alk swing last month with a few burned tips, corrected the issue over a few days time. I do have a potters angel that nips (he is going in tank swap soon) but has been in the tank for two years. Any input is appreciated
 

jda

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The most likely answer is that your electronics are failing you if everything else has been stable. I would verify all of them by hand with Salifert or another good test kit before you do anything... make sure that your baseline is not based off of some stuff that is known to wander and need attention now and again.
 
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Reefpro

Reefpro

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I have verified all my parameters not only with salifert and Hannah s well as had my friend test all my major elements. So I know the tests are on or very close
 

nereefpat

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40 to 50 colonies. Are they crowding into each other? Are they shading each other?

Would love to see a picture.
 
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Reefpro

Reefpro

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They are to a degree but I have heavy lighting. I’ll grab a pic
 

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guylaga

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I didnt see your pH listed, perhaps with the change in season your pH has dropped and that is inhibiting calcification?

Have you done a ICP test for any heavy metals that might be leaching?
 

jda

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The largest consumer of carbonate and calcium is coralline algae, and clams if you have a bunch. It does not grow as fast when the N and P start to elevate and even a small change can eventually slash the coralline growth significantly. This can be a residual N and P levels that don't affect many corals. If the corals look good still and are growing, then don't worry about this too much.

I assume that you are still feeding your fish a bunch? This is super important.
 

ScottB

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That is a pretty dramatic decline given that everything else looks nominal.

Any chance your ALK solution settled out a little, or didn't mix properly, and you refilled the dose container with a more concentrated solution?

Don't ask how I came up with that theory. Think I heard it from a friend. ;)
 
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Reefpro

Reefpro

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I wish. I use the same alk and ca and have magnetic stirrers. I agree strange. Could just be the crowding of corals slowing uptake with flow issues or the minor swings I had recently and have to recover with time
 

ScottB

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I wish. I use the same alk and ca and have magnetic stirrers. I agree strange. Could just be the crowding of corals slowing uptake with flow issues or the minor swings I had recently and have to recover with time
I get the set of four gallon buckets every month or so. In the winter, the Alkalinity bucket will have a solid 2" crust on the bottom. I have to pour in the RO, heater and pump for a day or two.
 
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