Carbonate Hardness (KH) Through the Roof

[Neevitz]

Hey guys im freakin' out. I have a 150 gallon tank and a 40 gallon sump setup. ASM G4 Skimmer and Eshoppes AVD 300 Sump/Refuge Setup. I am running into a ridiculously high KH level. All other areas check out and I have performed many water changes to lower it. The reading of my tap water for changing is sitting at 120mg/L. I test every 5 days and the readings I receive have not altered much over the last 30 days.

Calcium - 440-500mg/L
Nitrate - 20-50mg/L
Nitrite - .1-.4mg/L
Ammonia - .1-.5mg/L
Phosphate - .25-.5mg/L
PH - 8.1-8.4
KH - 160-180

Is there a problem with such high levels of KH. My test kit says that it should be kept between 105-120 and to contact LFS if above 130. I did and they said change water. I have done so with no change. I dose Purple Up 2 capfuls a day. I do not add anything else but do have chaeto refuge mud and also 100 lbs liverock. Please any help. I dont want to lose any coral bc a level is off and I can not seem to find an answer. Thanks.

Neevitz

 

[Zer0]

Are you using RO water?

 

[Neevitz]

No I have not been using RO water for add in or changes. You believe that will solve the problem by removing a majority of the metals out of the water.

 

[Zer0]

Well, if your tap water has a high TDS, then it has lots of heavy metals and other trace elements. Im not entirely sure, but sometimes tap water can be excessively hard. Which is not a good thing obviously. Using RO water will save you the headache of crazy diatom and algae blooms. As well as take just about everything out of the water. IMO, an ro/di unit is essential is you want to have great water quality which improves the life of SW inhabitants greatly. And any other aquatic animals for that matter.

 

[ccCapt]

Your alk isn't that high. 180ppm = 10 dKH = 3.6 meq/l.
You must still be in a cycle since you have ammonia and nitrite readings. Your phosphate is very high too.
Why are you dosing calcium (Purpleup) when your calcium is already high?
What brand salt are you using?