alkalinity low

[jktenpro]

I have a Hagen test kit for alkalinity and its measuring 100 mg/l. What is that in relation to dkh or meq/l. It seems to have dropped the last couple of months even with water changes. It was staying at 120 mg/l which is in the good range on the kit between 105 and 125.
The only thing I have added is a phos ban sponge and ro/di water(since adding the ro/di took the sponge out). Tank has been up for 7 months. I have just noticed the cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp having trouble with their molts and I know that can be due to low alkalinity levels. PH has always been 8.1 since day 1 and calcium between 400 and 420. Should I add Seachem Reef Buider or Kent Marine Super DKH or just do more frequent water changes, no corals as of yet.

 

[tizzo]

I hope you mean 1 point 00 meq/l or 1.00. 1.00 would be about 2.8dKH.
Natural seawater is 2.9 meq/l or 8 dKH.
Before you go through a bunch of useless work to correct this "problem" invest in a better than Hagen test kit. A Salifert is a nice choice. There is really no reason you alk would be that low while your calcium remains normal.

 

[jktenpro]

It is definitely 100 mg/l.(milligrams per litre), not 1.00 meq/l(milli-equivalents per litre).
I have salifert for everything else, go figure, and will be switching soon.
Thats what I don't understand, the main tank(90 gal) and quarantine(20gal) were always around 120 mg/l and just in the last 2 months this number went down to 100 mg/l in the main tank with all other tests remaining the same, and only since then have I noticed problems with the shrimp. Ammom-0, trite-0, trate-0.
I know most people only see alkalinity in terms of meq/l or dkh.

 

[jttenpro]

Does anyone know the conversion to dkh, for 100mg/l, I am thinking around 7dkh but these are the only numbers Hagen shows on their tests in mg/l. I know there's a conversion chart out there somewhere but I can't find it.
Any Hagen users that might know

 

[nytrillium]

honestly, i dont know how this is, but my alk is consistantly low relative to my calcium. I dont dose anything besides part b to bring the alk up. MY ca is consistantly 500 and my ph is spot on at 8.4. I know it doesnt help your situation too much but i thought i would throw that out there. I was given a website by another member here that had charts and stuff of ph, alk, and ca that explained what to do for different circumstances. Before you add any suppliments, check ca and ph to make sure they are within range. As i have heard repeated many times, they are all inter-related and changing one will change the others. If you leave your email ill send you the website, it was very helpful.

 

[jttenpro]

My ph and calcium have always remained consistent just the alaklinity a little low as of late. My e-mail is jktenpro@verizon.net. Thanks NY

 

[nytrillium]

email sent.

 

[mudplayerx]

I'm not sure if it is possible for alkalinity to be low without a change in calcium and/or ph. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I think you may have an inaccurate test kit.

 

[nytrillium]

no its not supposed to be possilble, but i tested it and i brought it to my LFS and they got the same result. So idk ...

 

[jktenpro]

There was a conversion chart from the article that NY sent me and I have 100 ppm's caco3 or mg/l. To get meq/l you divide mg/l's by 50. So I have 2.0 meq/l which is like 5.5dkh. This test kit like I stated before says to stay between 105 and 125(as I'm reading it for saltwater) which is between 5.6 to 7dkh according to the conversion chart. This test kit dosen't make sense.
I am buying a Salifert test kit and also having the LFS check it. Thanks guys

 

[nytrillium]

glad to help. I thought thatt site was pretty good. what did you think?

 

[jktenpro]

I left you an e-mail back. That article really explains in detail how alkalinity, calcium and ph are intertwined, very informative and also the comparison chart I needed, thanks again.