problem with high KH

milkman

Member
90 gallon tank, 5 gallon water change weekly, top off with r/o water. My KH is reading 13 and I can not get it down. I have 2 montipora's and one ascan and 4 fish in the tank.
 

candycane

Active Member
I assume you are talking about alkalinity. What salt are you using? I use IO Reef Crystals and it stays pretty solid at around 3.4.
 

milkman

Member
My ph test kit reads general #'s at 6 7 8 9. I need to invest in new test kits. Any Recomendations? I don't own a calcium/magnesium test kit. I'm screwed huh?
 

renogaw

Active Member
if you're going to do reef, you need to have the mentioned kits. simply because the corals will use up the alk/calc/mag and you need to know how much you need to dose.
high alk will come down by itself, but only if the other 3 are in check. what test kit are you using? and why does your pH have a reading of 6 7 8 9? make sure it is a salt water test kit.
generally saliferts are considered the best kits, and he claims his alk kit is the only one on the market designed specifically for saltwater, where all other alk kits are calibrated with fresh water.
 

azfishgal

Active Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
generally saliferts are considered the best kits, and he claims his alk kit is the only one on the market designed specifically for saltwater, where all other alk kits are calibrated with fresh water.
This is normally true, however, Salifert has had some issues with there Alk test, they were testing high. My test was one of them, and after I realized it my alk in my tank was actually low. I have since fixed the problem so now if I am in doubt I use two different tests. Salifert has been working on the problem, but don't know if they have fixed it yet. I would recomend getting a good pH test as well, because it usually goes hand in hand with your alk. If you alk is testing high and your pH is testing low, something is "fishy".
 
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