What makes your Alk drop?

[Budman's Corals]

Just curoius my alk went from 9.5 5 days ago to 8.4 IS that bad to swing that much .
What im doing is trying to get into the sps but seems like my corals always get brown but the polys have great extension

Is it my lights? I have 6-t5 and 2 vho,I would think that would be plenty..

any help on what to do to get corals to stay the colors like when i buy them..

 

[ritter6788]

That much of an alk drop isn't too bad but you want to stabilize it as much as you can. Alk is the most important parameter to keep stable in a cycled tank. If you're having trouble with color look into testing for phosphates with a low range test kit like the Hanna Checker. Phosphates can cause corals to brown and grow slowly.

 

[Budman's Corals]

That much of an alk drop isn't too bad but you want to stabilize it as much as you can. Alk is the most important parameter to keep stable in a cycled tank. If you're having trouble with color look into testing for phosphates with a low range test kit like the Hanna Checker. Phosphates can cause corals to brown and grow slowly.

I got the Hanna checker and for the last month its been below .03 which is why im confused on what im not doing right...

 

[Pappy]

What's your mag and calcium reading?

 

[Dowtish]

And are dosing with 2 part or just relying on water changes?

 

[Budman's Corals]

And are dosing with 2 part or just relying on water changes?

Mag 1400

Ca 450.

 

[Budman's Corals]

And are dosing with 2 part or just relying on water changes?

Well i am using Kalk dripping and did dose just Cal twice a week to keep levels up..

 

[Budman's Corals]

temp i keep at 77.5 gets to 78 during day..ph is 8.0

I just did a 15 gallon water change yesterday,wonder if that had anything to do , 120 display 50 g sump

I doubt it though

 

[Zoa Junkie]

I only dose with 2 part and keeps all of my parameters in check. You should look into it if you havent already.

 

[Budman's Corals]

I only dose with 2 part and keeps all of my parameters in check. You should look into it if you havent already.

dose with alk and cal..yeah i thought bout it just gotta get another pump and i will just tricky figuring out the dosage to dose