Snowstorm in my tank

[tomtoro]

Something happened in my tank yesterday that I don't get. I've been dripping kalk 24/7 for makeup water. I use about 2.5 gal per day. I also dose bionic 2 part buffer every day.
Usually my parameters are around 9 dhk or 3.2meq. with around 480 for the calcium. My ph is usually around 8.2.
I usually mix my kalk vigorously for about a minute, let it sit for an hour and start dripping. This time I added the kalk (2 teaspoons per gallon), and without mixing (forgot) started dripping. I added my bionic as usual. Later on, I shut my return pump off so I could feed. I forgot about it and after a couple of hours, I turned it back on to a very cloudy tank. The ph from the sump shot up to 8.5, but returned to 8.0 a couple of hours later. There's a white film on a lot of the rock and glass now.
Now my water parameters are all lower than usual.
Ph at 8.0
Alk at 7.84 or 2.8 meq
Calcium at 400
What the heck happened? I know I did something bad by not mixing the kalk, but wouldn't that increase everything?
Thanks,
Tom
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[reefnut]

I'm assuming the kalk continued to drip in the sump while the return pump was off?? The calcium/alkalinity levels in the sump must have increased to the point of precipitation. Test your magnesium... you most likely lost a lot of it as well.
Do a good water change and then slowly increase the levels back to normal.

 

[tomtoro]

Originally Posted by ReefNut
I'm assuming the kalk continued to drip in the sump while the return pump was off?? The calcium/alkalinity levels in the sump must have increased to the point of precipitation. Test your magnesium... you most likely lost a lot of it as well.
Do a good water change and then slowly increase the levels back to normal.
Yes, it did continue into the sump. I just did a 50 gallon water change so maybe that will help. I'll also up the bionic a little since my dosage was to maintain levels. Oh yeah, and I'll make sure to mix and wait for my kalk.
Thanks for the reply,
Tom