Help with alk question
- Thread starter vmarquez1986
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also have a similarly sized tank and had some similar yo-yos early on with alk. Since you have relatively high ca but alk is dropping, i would put it down to microbial activity / carbon cycle changing more than precipitation, although i'm sure you have precipitation. Microbial metabolism often does weird things with HCO3- / CO2 balance, with the more microbial shifts early in tank life this is my go-to, although it's still pretty much speculation. but helps explain why we all don't have mountains of MgCO3 when this happens 
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Did you do the test 3 times Friday with two kits, and three times Sunday with two kits?
Are you refrigerating your reagent?
Have you checked the batch date of your reagent? How long has it been open?
Is the outside of your glass sample holder clean?
Has your pH swung widely?
It is very unlikely the alk actually changed that much over 2 days with your bioload, and no other changes (i.e. water changes, vinegar, etc) . I would look more towards your testing for your answer.
JME.
Are you refrigerating your reagent?
Have you checked the batch date of your reagent? How long has it been open?
Is the outside of your glass sample holder clean?
Has your pH swung widely?
It is very unlikely the alk actually changed that much over 2 days with your bioload, and no other changes (i.e. water changes, vinegar, etc) . I would look more towards your testing for your answer.
JME.
