Water Kh ? It's too high

[Herndo]

Just like most the test kits I've seen, you count the drops until it turns yellow/lime and multiply by 10. It took 18 drops tonight right after a water change and 16 drops 3 hours later.

If I'm not mistaken 10-12 is the range I'm shooting for and the only way to lower it is change the water again?

It's a FOWL 8.2 PH, negative for ammonia, nitrite and around 5ppm of nitrate after water change. Been running over 4 years. 55 gallon. Thanks.

 

[cmor1701d]

Who makes the test kit and how old is it?

You may want to read Alk-CHEMISTRY AND THE AQUARIUM for more information

 

[mandown123]

herndo - i have a titration alk test. i do one vial then divide by 2 and thats the m/eq whatever then multiply by 2.8 to get dkh

dont know if that helps

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Just like most the test kits I've seen, you count the drops until it turns yellow/lime and multiply by 10. It took 18 drops tonight right after a water change and 16 drops 3 hours later.

If I'm not mistaken 10-12 is the range I'm shooting for and the only way to lower it is change the water again?

It's a FOWL 8.2 PH, negative for ammonia, nitrite and around 5ppm of nitrate after water change. Been running over 4 years. 55 gallon. Thanks.

If it's an API test (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) then the number of drops until it turns yellow is the number of dKH. So if it took 16 drops, then you're alkalinity is 16 dkH (which is the same as 5.7 meq/l... divide the dkH by 2. )

You're right more or less... 8-12 dkH is the normally recommended range, but it will depend on your Ca levels. Are you dosing any calcium or alkalinity?

Water changes should bring it back down.

 

[ccCapt]

What salt are you using? Are you adding any buffers? 16 dKH is extremely high.

 

[Herndo]

saltwater from the LFS

they must have changed something on their end. for years i've had ultra low Kh. I do have a buffer, i used it about a month ago as per instructions. one where you disolve the powder in some water and then put in tank.

i've done 20 gallons worth of water change in last week, plan on doing 10 more today.

what can high Kh due to an aquarium? My 4 clownfish are happy and active and two urchin are quit healthy as well.

 

[Herndo]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/supplemental/submit_comment.cfm?pcatid=13526 Hagen Carbonate/Total Hardness Test Kit

Hagen's user-friendly test kits are the answer for today's aquarist. They are easy to use, fast, accurate, and conveniently packaged with simple, easy to follow instructions. Each test kit includes reagent(s), one glass test tube with cap, one pipette, one lab base, and instruction booklet. For fresh/saltwater. Number of tests depends on water conditions.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4345+13526&pcatid=13526

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Test the water you're getting from the LFS and find out its alkalinity. They could be buffering it up for whatever reason. If that's the case, no amount of water changes will bring it down.

Alkalinity in the range you're talking about will not cause any major issues with fish... I think. I'll let the chemistry experts deal with that one. All I know is that high alkalinity will effect your calcium levels in your tank, and keeping them balanced is important to maintain the correct calcium levels for any corals you might have. If you don't have corals, then it's probably not that big of a deal.

Sounds like maybe you over corrected with the buffer you added.

 

[agentfive]

What would the Superbuffer-dKH do? Would this make the PH Normal and keep the KH in check? We have a KH of 13 right now in a new tank.

Why am I asking? I just did a water change and hopefully it will lower. But the LFS said to use the Superbuffer-dKH and I think i used a little too much in our 14 gallon biocube - hence the spike in KH.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Were you having pH or alkalinity issues before adding the buffer? Just trying to find out why it was added to start with.

In such a small tank, I would think that any pH or alkalinity issues could be resolved by doing water changes. Frequent water changes are a must with smaller tanks, so the water changes *should* keep thing where they should be. If the tank just finished cycling, it'll take a while for the pH to stabilize - give it time and don't rush to add "stuff" to the tank.

 

[agentfive]

No - we were not and the tank just cycled. So - I did change today - and all the levels are normal with KH at 12 - so I think with weekly water changes this will even it out

I guess we should then wait a week - possibly two before we get coral and I think another touch of live rock that's cured.

Not sure - wanted to get some Zoa - mushrooms - etc. and a cheap shrimp or two before the holiday - but we're in no rush. We're so excited to just have the clean up crew - the NAS snails are crazy - they take random laps around the tank.

Also - we have a black and white legged hermit crab that is always active - while the blue legs seem to stay in spots for long times.

 

[melosu58]

so I think with weekly water changes this will even it out

I would agree with that

 

[brianf40us]

Red Velvet

HEy i noticed tonight when i was doing some tank maintanance that i have like red velvety stuff growing on some of my LR. It can be scratched off with my nail but it takes awhile to scratch it off. I also noticed some white build up on my LR what could that be from. My calcium is a little high but i cant help that because my Salt adds the Calcium. I use Seachem Reefsalt.