Kh- takes 16 drops to turn yellow!?

[savannafish]

So does 16 drops mean that I have a high ph swing? I am kinda confused about kh...:/

[bribo12]

What test kit are you using? Alkalinity in sw is measured usually in dkh or m/eq. There should be a chart that comes with the kit to tell you what that is measured in. Here's a great article to read on sw chemistry that I think will help you a lot http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

[savannafish]

It's this one

[Sniperhank]

API test kits are garbage. Don't trust the results.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

API test kits are garbage. Don't trust the results.

Ok :/ should I worry about the kh then?

[Sniperhank]

If you are doing proper weekly water changes, your parameters will be just fine. It takes a pretty heavy load of SPS corals to start making a heavy draw on calcium, alkalinity, and mag.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

If you are doing proper weekly water changes, your parameters will be just fine. It takes a pretty heavy load of SPS corals to start making a heavy draw on calcium, alkalinity, and mag.

I am currently just cycling so I am only doing a water change every 3 weeks

[Sniperhank]

You don't need to do any water changes during a cycle. There is no need to add anything other than possibly some pure ammonia. It's literally sit and watch the nitrate cycle until completed and then do big water changes to get those nitrates down.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

You don't need to do any water changes during a cycle. There is no need to add anything other than possibly some pure ammonia. It's literally sit and watch the nitrate cycle until completed and then do big water changes to get those nitrates down.

Ok, I do have a hermit crab in there, should I still do small ones?

[Sniperhank]

You can if you are interested in keeping them alive. They are more hardy inverts, but it still isn't healthy for them. This is why one needs to cycle a system before adding any livestock.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

You can if you are interested in keeping them alive. They are more hardy inverts, but it still isn't healthy for them. This is why one needs to cycle a system before adding any livestock.

I cycled w/o anything in it for over a month. Only a couple weeks ago I added a hermit crab just to see how it would do and it seems to be doing fine.

[nirbhao]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

API test kits are garbage. Don't trust the results.

Many many many people find value in API liquid test kits.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by nirbhao

Many many many people find value in API liquid test kits.

Yea that's what I thought haha

[nirbhao]

How many drops does it take to change for water that you're adding to the tank?

[BigRedsReefs10]

Originally Posted by nirbhao

Many many many people find value in API liquid test kits.

Not for sw they don't, the Api all test is garbage just like Hank said

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by nirbhao

How many drops does it take to change for water that you're adding to the tank?

Yea, I put my salt water in my test tube and it took 16 drops of the kh tester for it to turn yellow

[bribo12]

Originally Posted by nirbhao

Many many many people find value in API liquid test kits.

For fw, they're pretty much junk for sw use especially testing for alkalinity, calcium, mag and phosphates. They're acceptable for ammonia, nitrites and trates though.

[nirbhao]

Well, I defer. I'm out of my league.

[Sniperhank]

Either way, the only thing that matters is getting things where they need to be for the OP.

So, the tank was cycled and we just need to get the first fish in there. I wouldn't worry about anything outside of the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates in a fish only system. Once a tank starts getting full of corals, then and only then you can worry about things like alk and calcium.

[savannafish]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Either way, the only thing that matters is getting things where they need to be for the OP.

So, the tank was cycled and we just need to get the first fish in there. I wouldn't worry about anything outside of the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates in a fish only system. Once a tank starts getting full of corals, then and only then you can worry about things like alk and calcium.

Yea, the only thing I'm trying to get up is the ph... it's at like 8.0 and I need it to be up a little but more for the seahorses I am putting in there