Low Alk

Test your mag. Sounds like an imbalance. I use the red sea kit, it gets easier once you get used to it.

 

My Hanna Alk. checker reads the same as my Salifert kit.Always has.

 

I know I'll get some grief for this, but I never plug my pumps into a GFCI. GFCI outlets can be very touchy and pumps seem to set them off even when they are operating fine.

I do use GFCI for other stuff, though.

EDIT: On your Alk thing, I've always had Alk on the low side and can't seem to get it to the middle of the range where it should be. I also tend to run low on Mag, but not Calcium. As such, I have stock solutions of Mag and Alk boosters that I periodically add to the tank. Sometimes I wait a little long and my corals are not happy with me.

Also, you mention you have Xenia. If you don't have hard corals, having low Calcium, Alk and Mag is not as bad as it is with SPS or LPS

 

Hey RM nice to see you. I am by no means an electrician but it is my understanding as long as you have a gfci on the same circuit as the plug to your tank you are fine.:-/

 

I think what he is saying is some people don't want to use them because they can be touchy and trip too easily. I've also heard some brands of GFCI vary.

 

Sounds about right. I read the article and threads on RC pretty much everyone agrees it's about 1 unit higher.. but it is very consistent. I can test over and over and get same results. I'm tuning a calcium reactor right now and it would take days to see the results I got in hours. I tested three times today and watched alk go from 8.8 to 8.5 to 8.36.. All that would have looked the same on the drop test kits.

 

Well after 2 nights of dosing my alk is back to around a 7 so at least it's acceptable now. Will continue to dose until its about a 9 slow and steady

 

Hey Steeler, hope it's going better for ya. Have you tried adding alk to your top off water? I currently add 3ml/gal of carbonate (sea chem). Thus had kept my alk about 9 and it's easy.

 

The GFCI won't protect you from a power surge. You will still need a surge protector for that. The GFCI protects you from a short circuit (like dripping water or shorts in the pump) and the surge protectors protects you from excess voltage that enters the home.

Large appliances sometimes come with a surge protector built in but our reef equipment does not.