puzzled- CAL- 500 but KH low -6 advice please?

[JakeF150]

one concern me is KH is low 6 KH as per API test kit BUT cal 500 ???

 

I tested my water:

 

Its bio-29

I change water weekly 5 gal.

 

I used API test kit:

Ph 8.4- 8.0

nitrite-0

pho-0

nirate-0

temp 81

1.025

CAL- 500

KH - 6

 

Any tips or advice or should i be concern or ?

 

Yes i have some softies corals in my tank

[Paleoreef103]

If it is softies I wouldn't worry too much. If you have stonies get some two part alk-calc mix (B-Ionic is good stuff) and slowly dose more alk into the tank. You might want to test the water you do your water changes with just to be sure.

[mxpro32]

Thats the way calcium and alkalinity work. If you add too much of one it will lower the other. you need to keep them balanced. magnesium also plays a part. A good way to picture it is like a teeter totter with alk on one side, calcium on the other, and magnesium as the fulcrum. if you raise alk too high, calcium will drop and vise-versa. If your magnesium is at the proper level, it is easier to keep the alk and calcium at the proper levels. If the magnesium is low, it is difficult to keep calcium and alk up because they precipitate into calcium carbonate at lower concentrations

 

Here is a good article to read on the topic.

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php

[ulver982]

What brand of salt are you using?

[JakeF150]

What brand of salt are you using?

 

Red sea pro salt mix

 

But now kh is up to 9 I don't get it hehe

 

I'll keep eyes on it

 

Thanks

Jake

[idrm350]

Red sea pro salt mix

 

But now kh is up to 9 I don't get it hehe

 

I'll keep eyes on it

 

Thanks

Jake

 

Are your test kits old? My API kit was giving me funky readings on alk and calc because it was old.

[Maddevil1]

I am not sure how good the API test kits are for dKH/Cal/Mg. Consider getting Salifert or ELOS test kits for these tests.

 

 

Thats the way calcium and alkalinity work. If you add too much of one it will lower the other. you need to keep them balanced. magnesium also plays a part. A good way to picture it is like a teeter totter with alk on one side, calcium on the other, and magnesium as the fulcrum. if you raise alk too high, calcium will drop and vise-versa. If your magnesium is at the proper level, it is easier to keep the alk and calcium at the proper levels. If the magnesium is low, it is difficult to keep calcium and alk up because they precipitate into calcium carbonate at lower concentrations

 

+1

[JakeF150]

I bought the kit last may..

[mxpro32]

My api kit is pretty good for dkh. the calcium always read really high.