Alk Drop

gurumasta

Senior Moron
My alk has been steady 8.9 - 9.1 on Hanna checker for past few weeks. I check almost every morning because I setup a two part dosing pump and figured I will check at least 4 or 5 times a week for the first month. I brought it up to this level from the low 8's and keep it there.

Yesterday I vacuumed my sand bed and did a good sized water change prob about 15%. I do like 10%-15% weekly water changes.

I tested my alk this morning and it was 8.0 dkh. The salt I used in the wc was the same mix that I have been using for at least the last month or so. I actually used the end and had to open a new box to mix for next change. I tested the dosing pump and it pumped an accurate amount. I opened a new bottle of reagent for the hanna checker and tested with two different reagents.

The only change from regular weekly maintenance was that I vacuumed the sand bed in my display which I do like once a month. What can cause a 1 dkh drop in one day like that? Maybe something with the salt mix used for the water change?

Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
My guess is the new salt mix is off, or the salt bucket needs a good mix. Try testing your new water prior to adding it to the tank next wc. Ive had the same issue and its always been the wc water being low that causes the drop.

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I thought the same but he didn’t add new mix to the tank only to the mixing station
 
I am pretty sure I figured it out. I top off with lime water and I when I did the water change I filled above my normal water level to increase salt level slightly. The tank ended up not topping off for a day and a half and that was enough to drop the alk level. My tank tops off like 15 gallons/ week so it can have a big impact. My PH did take some time to drop but that was because I have had all of my windows open. I would of thought of this sooner had the PH dropped quicker.

I should probably switch away from the lime water at some point so that I can stabilize a little better. I cant really control evaporation but it has been steady enough. I just don't feel like investing in a calcium reactor just yet since the tank is still newer. I will do the lime water/ 2 part shuffle for a bit longer until I snap and make the plunge.

Thanks!
 
I am pretty sure I figured it out. I top off with lime water and I when I did the water change I filled above my normal water level to increase salt level slightly. The tank ended up not topping off for a day and a half and that was enough to drop the alk level. My tank tops off like 15 gallons/ week so it can have a big impact. My PH did take some time to drop but that was because I have had all of my windows open. I would of thought of this sooner had the PH dropped quicker.

I should probably switch away from the lime water at some point so that I can stabilize a little better. I cant really control evaporation but it has been steady enough. I just don't feel like investing in a calcium reactor just yet since the tank is still newer. I will do the lime water/ 2 part shuffle for a bit longer until I snap and make the plunge.

Thanks!

I run kalkwasser off a controlled peristaltic pump independent of topp off for this very reason.

Side note. Even with a calcium reactor you might consider supplementing with kalkwasser. Calcium reactors have a tendency to lower pH in some cases a great deal. when working in tandem with kalkwasser, it's easier to maintain pH at tolerable levels.
 
You can still use kalk, instead of using it as top off, put it on a doser and just dose slightly under your daily evaporation and still use ato for the rest


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I run kalkwasser off a controlled peristaltic pump independent of topp off for this very reason.

Side note. Even with a calcium reactor you might consider supplementing with kalkwasser. Calcium reactors have a tendency to lower pH in some cases a great deal. when working in tandem with kalkwasser, it's easier to maintain pH at tolerable levels.
Touché
 
Yes true! I actually have the dosing pump already so maybe I should get on this. I discussed in the past and decided that I was basically too lazy but clearly time to step my game up.

Thanks!
 
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