Alk

[cprdnick]

I went and bought an Alkalinity test kit yesterday and tested my tank. It didn't even register, thats how high it is. So it said on the box that to adjust alkalinity you must adjust ph. My ph hardly ever leaves 8.0-8.2 ppm. How do I get my alkalinity down? I'm going to do a water change tomorrow, will that do anything to it?

 

[col]

I would get a 2nd opinion b4 you mess around altering anything in your tank.
Can your LFS test your ALK? Has anyone you know got a test kit?
Just out of interest, have you tested calcium and what is in your tank?

 

[dreeves]

What I am finding with one of my own systems is when the ph is low and the alk is high...there is an ionic imbalance in the system...to correct mine...i did a 30-40% water change in the morning and another the next morning...apparently this has repaired the problem...
My ph was in about the same range as yours...i was miss reading the results and used the reference fluid which came with the test which clearly indicated I was reading it incorrectly...after the water changes everything is is balanced...Ca is only at 300...so I am working on raising that and using buffer at the same time to keep the ph in the 8.3 range along with the alk.
Good luck...post the results.

 

[bang guy]

Water changes are the best way to correct parameters that are way off.

 

[cprdnick]

But should I do a 25% like I originally planned? or a 30-40 like was suggested above?

 

[bang guy]

I like Kip's method