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Alk crash

Hockeynut

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Today I came home from being away for a couple days and my sons 20 gal looked a little off. I decided to test water all seemed well till I tested alk it didn't even register. I test with salifert and it changes to pink or orange on the final step. Today it turned to pink with the 1st regent
I don't know what to think.
Pars as follows
Sal 1025
Phosphate .03
No3. 10
Mag 1350
Alk 0
I see nitrate is up for some reason also
i do 5 gal water changes weekly
I Also changed to royal nature salt within that month
I haven't tested the water in about a month but everything was looking great
I tried to add brs alk solution a little while ago and it precipitated as soon as it hit the water
Any help please
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Alk cannot be zero. There is something wrong the the test (or the person doing the test :grin: )


If you lived a little closer, I'd come over with my test kit. Do you have another reefer close by or an LFS that could run you alk numbers?
 
adesimone1

adesimone1

Let me tell you. Get away from Royal Nature salt. We tested it straight from the fresh saltwater it was at 5 our calcium dropped to under 300 our mag was at 600. The worst salt we ever used.
 
Hockeynut

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
That's what I thought, one month ago it was dead on.
Sorry cal 440
I had an old dip in test strip and it also said it was off the chart low.
It's gonna have to wait till morning, what about the fact that when I added alk solution it immediately precipitated it was like a blizzard and I added it really slow.
 
Hockeynut

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
I am Anthony, I was planning on getting rid of it this week I don't want to say it is the cause of this but I just started using it this month and now this crazy stuff is happening, this tank has been up for a couple years without a hitch using IO. I figured I should try a better salt. I'm thinking what a mistake.
 
ecam

ecam

President
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Moderator
If. I remember my reef lessons.

If it precipates that like that it means your calc is off the chart high. You need a new test kit. Numbers are not adding up
 
Hockeynut

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
It's all very strange, I just ran a complete test using the same test on my 90 and everything was good cal was low but it's been a little low and I have been trying to raise it
Pars in 90 same test kit
Sal1025
Phosphate 0
Nitrate. 0
Alk 7.7
Mag 1350
Cal 340
 
Daniel

Daniel

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Everyone that I know who has used Royal Nature salt had nothing but bad things to say about it.
 
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