GRRRR> Alk at 20.4 DKH

[skyedolphan]

yes this is correct i have tested 4 times 2 different kits
I seem to be constantly fighting this battle
finally got mag back where it belongs or close to it 1280
calcium at 460
nitrate under.5
ph is low 7.96
did 50 gallon change 2 weeks ago
30 gallon this weekend and setting up for another 30 gallon tomorrow
polyps all extended LPS looking good everything seems fine
BUT DRIVING ME CRAZY
I have been unable to grow much coraline since the transfer in end of Nov.
everybody seems healthy and happy but I want chemistry correct and I WANT coraline
any help appreciated

 

[Member No. 1]

Are you dosing Kalk or using a Ca reactor?

If so and you need to keep your Ca up, then I would try using seperate additives instead of a 2 part Ca/Buffer mix. This way you can control each thing Ca or dKh by itself.

 

[NateHanson]

wow. That's high!

Maybe it would be helpful for people to know what you're using to supplement Ca and Alk. How long have you known your alk is high? Have you dosed any alk since then?

I'm sure this is a bit obvious, but if you just dose Ca and no Alk additive, does your Alk come down slowly? I can't see any reason why it wouldn't, but maybe I'm misunderstanding the problem.

Nate

 

[skyedolphan]

dual chamber my reef creations
alk always runs high my "norm" is between 14 and 15
no supplementation exept rock salt or whatever to raise the mag back up
and 1 a week kalk

 

[Armando]

is there a possibility both test kits are no good? maybe if you use these test kits to test someone else's tank? Is this Salifert or Greg's voodoo kit?

 

[Member No. 1]

I would lay off the Kalk for a while. Cut back on the reactors. And if you need to keep the Ca up, then use just a calcium additive.

I'm not sure, but isn't "rock salt" calcium chloride as in DowFlakes?
Maybe ask Randy over on RC in the chem section.

 

[skyedolphan]

salifert and 1 is a brand new test kit

 

[NateHanson]

I'd turn off the Ca reactor completely and stop dripping kalk until you get the problem under control. Both add Alk as well as Ca (as I'm sure you already know - just trying to be complete for others' sakes )

Also, I'd verify the tests by having someone else test your water with a different kit. It could be the kits, or it could actually be a different way you do the tests maybe?

Nate

 

[skyedolphan]

just shut of reactor will retest tomorrow afternoon to see where I am at.. this is driving me nuts as all I want is to grow some coraline without my tuxedo eating all

 

[Reef55]

leave the calcium reactor pump and supply water going, just turn off the C02 to it (incase this isn't what you meant by "shut off reactor")

 

[Member No. 1]

leave the calcium reactor pump and supply water going, just turn off the C02 to it (incase this isn't what you meant by "shut off reactor")

Yup, that's what I meant. Just keep an eye on pH

 

[NeO]

Dawn,
check the SW before you do your water change. You can have a bad bucket o salt mix.
Last year IO shipped out a lot of buckets of salt with a really hight level of Alk and low PH.

Gustavo.

 

[skyedolphan]

thanks Hun didnt even think of that
PS how are the baby and wife? and congratulations again

 

[NeO]

They are doing fine, Samantha got almost 1 pound since she came home.

 

[skyedolphan]

Very good to hear
Armando I LOVE the new avatar

 

[Syris]

Dawn,
Same thing just happened to me last week. I found Alk 14dKH, Ca 400 and Mg 1080

I did what others already mentioned, shut off my Ca reactor and kalk reactor for a few days while I brought the Mg levels up and occaisionally added calcium supplement. This let the Alk drop down and now I'm at 10.2 dKH, 420 Calcium, and 1340 Mg.
Make sure to give it some and not rush things too fast.
HTH

 

[Ifferfish]

Dawn, if you go to Ozreef.org and look at the Alk chart, they say that for a reef tank the alk can be between 8.5 and 17.0 dkh. I keep mine about 14 and everything seems to do better than when I fight to get it down. Every time I try to adjust my reactor (2 chambers as well) to get the alk down, then I throw off the Ca. I just gave up and everythink seems to be happier for it. JMHO