KH is very low

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Tested the water and alkalinity is around 7 and calc is 425

Which salt mix and approximate salinity?

 

[oliverout]

Which salt mix and approximate salinity?

I'm using Red Sea blue bucket and salinity is around 35ppt

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can you list everything you have used in the tank in the past week? Food? Additives?

 

[oliverout]

Can you list everything you have used in the tank in the past week? Food? Additives?

All I can remember is a mix of rodi and baking soda used to dose alkalinity, Mysis shrimp, TDO pellets, PolypLab Glue, TLF Nori, A power head guard for my MP40, I think that is it. We do have a cleaning lady that comes to our house and she cleaned the tank a few days ago.

 

[hunterallen40]

following out of curiosity

@oliverout how stocked is this system? Could we get a picture?

 

[oliverout]

following out of curiosity

@oliverout how stocked is this system? Could we get a picture?

Sure I'll send a picture

 

[hunterallen40]

Sure I'll send a picture

Hm... yeah, I am certain that did not consume that much KH over that period of time... Any idea what the cleaner uses?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All I can remember is a mix of rodi and baking soda used to dose alkalinity, Mysis shrimp, TDO pellets, PolypLab Glue, TLF Nori, A power head guard for my MP40, I think that is it. We do have a cleaning lady that comes to our house and she cleaned the tank a few days ago.

What brand baking soda? You certain it’s not baking powder?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did you track the fall in alk down from the previous 8, or suddenly see it at 2.6?

When did you last measure nitrate? What was it? Rising nitrate depletes alk.

 

[oliverout]

Hm... yeah, I am certain that did not consume that much KH over that period of time... Any idea what the cleaner uses?

Not sure.

 

[oliverout]

What brand baking soda? You certain it’s not baking powder?

Arm and hammer baking soda. Yeah I am sure.

 

[oliverout]

Did you track the fall in alk down from the previous 8, or suddenly see it at 2.6?

When did you last measure nitrate? What was it? Rising nitrate depletes alk.

I tracked the fall. It was probably a month ago, it was 6.5.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I tracked the fall. It was probably a month ago, it was 6.5.

Ok, raising it to 7 dKH with baking soda and seeing what happens to alk over the next couple of days seems a fine plan.

 

[Miami Reef]

Following.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I recently tested very low using Hanna and started to slowly bring it up (about 1 DKh per day), needless to say after 2 days I said its impossible to test this low with everything looking good. Well what do you know, expired hanna reagent was the reason, I used wrong bottle from the 2nd egg I bought from somebody!

Straight to garbage that went and new bottle tested at 10.6! ...on two different eggs. At RAP NY, rep confirmed that alk reagent has shortest life of all of their reagents, no reason to order that way ahead.

 

[oliverout]

Ok, raising it to 7 dKH with baking soda and seeing what happens to alk over the next couple of days seems a fine plan.

Ok thank. I just added 250ml of 1000mg rodi and 65g baking soda. Not sure if this was too much but hopefully it wasn't. Will test tommarow

 

[oliverout]

I recently tested very low using Hanna and started to slowly bring it up (about 1 DKh per day), needless to say after 2 days I said its impossible to test this low with everything looking good. Well what do you know, expired hanna reagent was the reason, I used wrong bottle from the 2nd egg I bought from somebody!

Straight to garbage that went and new bottle tested at 10.6! ...on two different eggs. At RAP NY, rep confirmed that alk reagent has shortest life of all of their reagents, no reason to order that way ahead.

Ah that sucks sorry about that.

 

[oliverout]

Well I got the khg reagent and it says the alk is 9.1 and I checked with sailfert and it says the alk in 12.8. I think the 250ml raised it a lot, will this hurt my corals? Thanks. Also what should I do about the 2 different results?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well I got the khg reagent and it says the alk is 9.1 and I checked with sailfert and it says the alk in 12.8. I think the 250ml raised it a lot, will this hurt my corals? Thanks. Also what should I do about the 2 different results?

I'd just let it drop on its own.

Determining which of two different readings is accurate is difficult without getting more kits or a standard.

 

[oliverout]

I'd just let it drop on its own.

Determining which of two different readings is accurate is difficult without getting more kits or a standard.

Ok thank you.