Why is my alk such out of wack?

[ZoaFan08]

3 weeks ago I put a calcium reactor online after getting my parameters at 450 calcium, 9.5 alk, and 1350 magnesium. After 2 weeks of fiddling with the reactor I took it offline since it kept making my alk jump up as high as 14.5. So I took the reactor offline and have been adjusting my parameters, my alk has gone from 12.5 to 8.8 and I dosed to get it to 9.0, the next day it is 8.3 and i dose it to get it to 9.0 and the next day it is 8.6 and I dose it to get it to 9.0 and then today it dropped down to 6.4! Why did it make such a sudden drop? My calcium has been consistent at around 420-430 and my magnesium is 1360 as well.

I cannot figure out why my alk keeps jumping all over the place....

 

[ZoaFan08]

BTW I am using Salifert test kits and this I test 2x to make sure the test are accurate.

 

[wicked demon]

do you have temp/ PH fluxuations as well?

 

[ZoaFan08]

Temp is very stable in my tank, stays around 78-79, as far as pH whenever I look at it its around 8.1-8.2.

 

[gilmour01]

what type of corals are you keeping? heavy load? what size tank?

 

[ZoaFan08]

what type of corals are you keeping? heavy load? what size tank?

Its a mixed reef with mostly zoas, only a few SPS. The tank is stocked the same it ha been and my alk has never dropped that fast.

 

[aquafrags]

fisrt thing get rid of the salifert alk test kit, and get a Lamotte, I have tried two of the new saliferts and they have been inconsistent for me comparing it to a lamotte and Elos test kit

what reactor are you running?

are you checking to make sure the effluent is consistent with a graduated cylinder?

also if you run GFO this will deplete the alk from your tank? dropping it faster

 

[ZoaFan08]

fisrt thing get rid of the salifert alk test kit, and get a Lamotte, I have tried two of the new saliferts and they have been inconsistent for me comparing it to a lamotte and Elos test kit

what reactor are you running?

are you checking to make sure the effluent is consistent with a graduated cylinder?

Reactor is offline and has been for a week.

 

[ZoaFan08]

I got new test kits today and it tested the same. I raised by alk to 9.0 last night and today it was 7.2 again. It seems like some days it drops 1.8 and some days it drops .3, is that normal?