Sudden Alk drop in established 225 gallon reef.

[corihill92]

I have been in the hobby for about 15 years and have never ran into this. Im going to info dump to speed up the questions I know will come up SIA.

I have a 225 mixed reef. Out of nowhere, the last couple weeks I am having alkalinity issues. I am losing close to 1 dKh a day. While dosing, with the same ESV two part I have for years. I have dosed more, stopped dosing, and even tried Soda Ash. NOTHING will raise it. I stopped and thought what I have changed. The only thing that I have done new, is added a BRS carbon reactor. Also I am not seeing any precipitation either. I at a loss.

Parameters now (not good)

PH-7.91 as of this second
Alk-7.05 where as normally I am well over 9.
CA-466
MG-1479
Nitrates were around 20ish, which is where I try to keep it.
No traceable Ammonia or nitrates
salinity at .028SG

Equipment Running:
3 Radion Pros, with 4 T5 bulbs, Skimmer, UV, Reef roller, carbon reactor

Fairly stocked-
Gem Tang
Yellow Tang
Black Tang
Lavender Tang
Tomini Tang
Flame Hawk
Yellow Chromis
Target Dragonet
Cleaner Wrasse
Signal Goby
Dragon Goby
Sixline Wrasse
Cling fish

 

[KrisReef]

Get a new pH probe?
Alk does not evaporate.
So, the test kit or probe is the likely suspect.

Be careful to figure it out before any more additions of supplements-Alk

 

[corihill92]

Get a new pH probe?
Alk does not evaporate.
So, the test kit or probe is the likely suspect.

Be careful to figure it out before any more additions of supplements-Alk

Yea I know it does not evaporate, however I have also calibrated my Apex, and Trident, as well as tested with Hannah Checkers as a back up. The Hannahs tested within +/-.05 each time.

I am starting to suspect the possibility that the uptake has possibly increased significantly due to water clarity being better, and light penetrating the water column better. It had been years since last running carbon.

 

[KrisReef]

Yea I know it does not evaporate, however I have also calibrated my Apex, and Trident, as well as tested with Hannah Checkers as a back up. The Hannahs tested within +/-.05 each time.

I am starting to suspect the possibility that the uptake has possibly increased significantly due to water clarity being better, and light penetrating the water column better. It had been years since last running carbon.

Cool!
My fresh live rock came in with halimeda algae that started sucking up the alk in my reef tank, and I had a similar experience perhaps? Coralline algae can also draw a lot of alk, and with clearer water it might speed up all sorts of things.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Yea I know it does not evaporate, however I have also calibrated my Apex, and Trident, as well as tested with Hannah Checkers as a back up. The Hannahs tested within +/-.05 each time.

I am starting to suspect the possibility that the uptake has possibly increased significantly due to water clarity being better, and light penetrating the water column better. It had been years since last running carbon.

Seems like spot on thinking to me!