Alkalinity drop

[noobaura]

Hello, I have a new RedSea reefer 300 that I set up over two months ago. I used caribsea sand and art rock as seen in the picture. I used the Red Sea coral pro salt which is supposed to have 10-12Dhk of alkalinity. There are no corals to suck out the alkalinity. However each week I see my alkalinity drop to 4s. I’ve added dosed BRS alkalinity multiple times and got it back to around 8.5. However I notice like a 0.4 drop each day and settles in the low 4s each week. I’ve tried dosing multiple times, done water changes. Still the same. Trying to figure out why this is happening. Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The alk and calcium are likely precipitating onto the bare calcium carbonate surfaces.

I'd stop dosing and let it sit for a bit.

Is there anything alive in the tank?

 

[noobaura]

The alk and calcium are likely precipitating onto the bare calcium carbonate surfaces.

I'd stop dosing and let it sit for a bit.

Is there anything alive in the tank?

There are cuc. Few snails and hermits

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There are cuc. Few snails and hermits

OK, then I'd make sure you are giving them some food like fish food, and then in a couple of weeks, begin to think about maintaining alk.

This is my generic advice for reef tanks suffering precipitation:

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.

 

[dinojohn]

OK, then I'd make sure you are giving them some food like fish food, and then in a couple of weeks, begin to think about maintaining alk.

This is my generic advice for reef tanks suffering precipitation:

1. Stop all efforts to boost pH.
2. Stop dosing alk for a bit and let it decline.
3. Reduce pH by switching to a low pH alk mix like sodium bicarbonate, or a calcium organic such as Tropic Marin All for Reef.
4. Ensure magnesium is normal to high.
5. Keep organics and phosphate on the high side.

After a few days of not dosing alk, restart slowly, adding additives to a very high flow area so it mixes in fast.