KH at 13

[LIreefer]

I just bought a KH test kit and found that my water is testing at 14 on the API scale. From what I've read it should be around 9. My PH is around 8.0-8.2. Anything I can do to bring it down? I did a few searches and found some conflicting info. Any help would be appreciated. BTW all my livestock appears to be healthy and thriving. I do weekly water changes and all other water parameters are good. amo, trates and trites 0, phos 0

 

Thanks

 

PS My API KH test kit is not part of batch 0608 that is supposed to be bad.

[bulldogpet]

I keep mine between 12 & 14 if it's 13 then that's ok if everything is thriving then your good if it ain't broke don't fix it......

[LIreefer]

any other suggestions/thoughts??

[d0ughb0y]

14 is as high as you should go. It is equivalent to 5 meq/l (14 divided by 2.8), and the equivalent balanced CA amount is 460 ppm. (you can verify this number on the reef chemistry calculator page) For each 20 ppm you drop in CA, you drop 1 meq/l of Alk (or 11.2 dkh @ 440 ppm CA), etc. This is based on Randy Holmes-Farley's formula.

[LIreefer]

14 is as high as you should go. It is equivalent to 5 meq/l (14 divided by 2.8), and the equivalent balanced CA amount is 460 ppm. (you can verify this number on the reef chemistry calculator page) For each 20 ppm you drop in CA, you drop 1 meq/l of Alk (or 11.2 dkh @ 440 ppm CA), etc. This is based on Randy Holmes-Farley's formula.

 

 

THANK YOU very much! This makes things a bit clearer for me. By the way, my CA is around 460ppm so I guess everything is fine.

 

Thanks again

[bdare]

What are you dosing? If nothing, what salt are you using? The best thing to do is quit dosing for awhile to bring it down. I agree that 13 may not be bad, but I personally wouldn't keep it that high.

[d0ughb0y]

THANK YOU very much! This makes things a bit clearer for me. By the way, my CA is around 460ppm so I guess everything is fine.

 

Thanks again

 

your system is balanced as it is. This means if you add 2-part, you add equal amounts to keep it balanced. You can reduce the amount or frequency if you want to lower the values, but if everything looks fine, just keep doing what you are doing now.

[bdare]

your system is balanced as it is. This means if you add 2-part, you add equal amounts to keep it balanced. You can reduce the amount or frequency if you want to lower the values, but if everything looks fine, just keep doing what you are doing now.

 

Just because the numbers are "balanced" does not mean it's heathy for your system. The idea of balance is just for consumption rates and has no effect on livestock. You can run a system "unbalanced" without issue. (ie, there's nothing wrong with running a system which has Ca at 460 and alk at 8 dkh)

 

The problem with such a high alk is that it can cause "alk burn" in SPS and many sofites do not like Alk so high. In addition, it increases the opportunity for precipiation.

[LIreefer]

Just because the numbers are "balanced" does not mean it's heathy for your system. The idea of balance is just for consumption rates and has no effect on livestock. You can run a system "unbalanced" without issue. (ie, there's nothing wrong with running a system which has Ca at 460 and alk at 8 dkh)

 

The problem with such a high alk is that it can cause "alk burn" in SPS and many sofites do not like Alk so high. In addition, it increases the opportunity for precipiation.

 

 

I have not dosed anything in my 29 gallon system. I am wondering if I have a bad test kit?? If my kit is accurate what can I do to reduce my alk?

 

 

thanks

[bdare]

I have not dosed anything in my 29 gallon system. I am wondering if I have a bad test kit?? If my kit is accurate what can I do to reduce my alk?

 

 

thanks

 

What salt are you using? Which test kits? I'll tell you right now if you're using Red Sea or Seachem more than likely your resutls are off...

[jiriki76]

I used API dkh test kit for a while. I found out it was off by 3 points. I have since switched to Elos.

 

I'm not sure if mine was a bad batch. But I would take it to the LFS who doesn't use API and test it. My API test was consistent with the LFS API's test. I took it to a different LFS which uses Elos and the reading made a whole lot more sense. I was dosing alk out the butt trying to get even to a 8. Good thing alk is relatively forgiving.

[LIreefer]

I used API dkh test kit for a while. I found out it was off by 3 points. I have since switched to Elos.

 

I'm not sure if mine was a bad batch. But I would take it to the LFS who doesn't use API and test it. My API test was consistent with the LFS API's test. I took it to a different LFS which uses Elos and the reading made a whole lot more sense. I was dosing alk out the butt trying to get even to a 8. Good thing alk is relatively forgiving.

 

I buy premixed RO salt water from the LFS that is at an sg of 1.018 and I use tropic marin salt to bring it to 1.025. I probably should just stop being lazy and buy plain RO and mix it my self. I think the lfs uses coralife salt. So maybe mixing the two is a problem? The test kit I am using is an API.

 

Thanks

 

Pete

[LIreefer]

bump....really trying to get to the root of the problem.

 

Thanks

[bdare]

bump....really trying to get to the root of the problem.

 

Thanks

 

Have you tested the water you add to your tank? It could just be your makeup water is really high. If this is the case I'd suggest making your own water from scratch. (which I reccomend anyway cause you have no idea what the TDS of the RO/DI water your LFS is using)