New Io mixed up - What's with the Alk?

[dejaco]

Okay Last night I mixed up 2 five gallon buckets of IO mix for a water change tomorrow.
Today I tested them
Bucket one (5 gal RO water + 2 1/2 cups mix)
Ca = 470 Alk = 130 ppm CaCO3 or 7.28 dKH pH 8.3 Salinity 1.024
Bucket two (5 gal RO water + 2 1/2 cups mix)
Ca = 420 Alk = 140 ppm CaCO3 or 7.84 dKH pH 8.2 Salinity 1.023
Okay the results average out to
Ca = 445 Alk = 135 ppm CaCO3 or 7.56 dKH
According to a chart on the informational threads
if Ca is 450 then I should be running around 12.6 dKH
I have been trying to run 450 and 11 dKH, and having to add Kents super dKh buffer.
Has anyone else had problems with newly mixed salt water not meeting the levels for
their reefs? If so which is probably the better combination Kent's Turbo Calcium and Super dKH Buffer or Seachems Reef Complete and Reef Carbonate?
Curious to see responses. Thanks Dennis

 

[mr.125]

I think the inconsistencies are going to be evident all the time.
IME No two cups of salt will ever test the same.
Seems like decent avgerages though!!!

 

[92protruck]

curious to know what test kits. I have never heard of IO with ca levels that high. Mine are consistantly 340-360.

 

[devilboy]

if it was me i would use the seachem reef complete and reef carbonate. but thats the main reason i do not use IO

 

[dejaco]

I use hagen for a brand on titrations and salinity & pH on electronic devices from Hach.