# so....



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

ok so I did all the tests on my tank today and found my kh low.
Done with a salifert test kit It read 0.62 which translates to 5.7dKh and 2.05 Alk. 

How should I go about to raise the kh, I guess what I mean is...what's a safe way of doing it.

I'm thinking this is the reason my tank is hurting so much.


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

try to check Calcium first. Usually high calcium = low alkalinity. 
At least I was told so on RF and it was case in my tank

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Doing any dosing ?

It's a common issue when over dosing calcium/magnesium.


----------



## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

altcharacter said:


> How should I go about to raise the kh, I guess what I mean is...what's a safe way of doing it.


Frequent water changes w/ a quality mix.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Sorry guys I should have said my calcium is 390 and i'm already using Kent salt. I've been using Kent for atleast a year and never really had any problems. Although I could change salts, I would like to find a more reasonable solution to why it's low...since it's never been now before.

Also, no dosing.


----------



## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Does your Kent give a rating on the container for what your mix should contain at 1.025 ?

How frequently are you changing and at what % ?

How to you mix ? Adding water to salt and not salt to water can cause some really neat precipitation events !

Do you ever test your mix to see whats going into your system ? Same thing with after, do you k ow the effect a water change has on you system at your typical interval ?


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Good questions!
Yes Kent has info on their website:
Specific Gravity: 1.024 - 1.026
pH: 8.2 to 8.3
Calcium: 550 to 575 ppm
Magnesium: 1,350 to 1,450 ppm

Water changes are done weekly 10-15% and the tank seems to be much better the days after a water change

I mix salt into water....I don't know if I've ever heard or seen anyone add water to salt.

I've never tested my water that I use for changes. I'm going to try it the next few times to see what's going on.

So either way, a few people have responded but nobody has answered the question.


----------



## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

My answer changes depending on the results of the above questions 

But - if your looking for a safe/easy way plenty of water changes to get back on track. Figure out what you consume each week/ then change water based on % required to replenish the elements to your preferred parameters. If you find that an unacceptable volume look into a dosing strategy that will land you in the parameters you find ideal.

Or try baking soda 

*We are making the assumption that your test kit provides legit results.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Now that...is some sound advice! Thanks, and I think I'll start a new batch of water tonight.

I'm going to try to stay away from the baking soda for now since I've never done it.


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

get new alkalinity test from API for SW. These are reliable and cheaper that Calcium

I do not think you have anything (SPS and LPS) in the tank, that can consume so much alkalinity with water changes 10-15%

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

You sold me my KH test Greg!! As far as I know it's a pretty good test kit and i've never had any problems with it.

I don't have a skimmer so I need to change the water every week. I'm going to try testing the water before it goes in


----------



## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

i was going to say what sig said. what do you have in the tank? 

when i added alot of sps my alk dipped. i used only the second part of the reef fusion by seachem. did the trick.


----------



## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

I blame the damsel... He knows you want to get rid of him...

For the size of your tank, you could do large changes, slowly. Some in, some out. Or... Upgrade already, and start fresh! We know you have the tank. You got the overflow... What you waiting for.... 

!!!!! Your waiting for the BBQ! Its a trap! We will have to do all the work for you!!! Bailing, not coming now, nope, wait, there's beer right? Damn... See you then.

Sent from my {HTC X8} using Board Express


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Yeah, I think I might have drilled the hole too low on the tank so I'm trying to figure out if I should just go with it or possibly do something else  Measure once drill twice right?

And the damsel is in the sump now, I have pics I'll post that you'll laugh at.


----------



## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

altcharacter said:


> Yeah, I think I might have drilled the hole too low on the tank so I'm trying to figure out if I should just go with it or possibly do something else  Measure once drill twice right?
> 
> And the damsel is in the sump now, I have pics I'll post that you'll laugh at.


Patch it, and put the overflow on the other end... LOL

As for the damsel.. That is where they belong. They can eat the left-overs


----------



## sweet ride (Nov 16, 2010)

you can always user buffers for both ALK & CA, i'ved used both of them and every so often I have to do this to my system.

what you system salinity? I use the same salt that you do, my fresh batch salt water is always mixed at around 1.026 to keep my main system parameter at around 400ish and 8ish considering I dose like there is no tomorrow.


----------



## smcx (Mar 31, 2012)

Did you do multiple tests to rule out a mis-test?


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm going to buy another test kit tomorrow to ensure that it's the kh but so far that's the only thing that's off.


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Hey i just had a battle with kh (mine was too high) and i found that many water changes brought it right back to where it shoukd be...i use instant ocean salt and when i mix it with fresh RO water at 1.021 salinity and test the alk it is 9dKh. I would be interested to see what your alk is with your fresh mix? also, to bring it up i would just do frequent water changes then when you get it close to the dKH that tour fresh mix is then maybe dose a little bit of something....at least you wont be dosing so much to bring it up from where you are now...just my thoughts because i just went through a similar thing.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Did a WC today of about 15% or so and tested the water before it went in. It was 8.1 dkh so I'm thinking I'll have to do a few more frequent WC's to bring up the kh.

When I added the new water I always have noticed a fairly fast change with the tank. Alot of the coral tend to like it.

Aiming for another 10% WC on Wednesday possibly, then another 10% next sunday.


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

The water changes should help a lot....at least it will bring it up to around 8 after a few changes...the nice thing about testing dKh is that you can test it after a few minutes of doing a water change and the pumps have been on..good luck and keep us posted!

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

So I checked today after dinner, which would have been 24 hours after the last WC and it looks like the reading is now 7.0 or so which is alot better than a few weeks ago. Also looks like all the coral is liking what's going on. As we speak I have another bucket mixing right now and I'm going to change the water again tomorrow then sunday. Hopefully that should bring the kh up to 7.5 or so and then I'll go back to weekly changes.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

So I did another WC yesterday instead of wednesday. The new water before adding was 8.1 and after doing the WC the tank water was 7.1 or so. It's raised a little bit but not back up to where I want it. I'm thinking of adding a little baking soda at very small increments...like 1/4 tsp a day or something to hopefully bring it up to atleast 8.0.

Although I'm going to do another WC tomorrow.

What ya think?


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Hows your pH? If it is low also you can add some Seachem marine buffer it will raise pH and Alk safely...if your pH is normal you should not add buffer but something else that will not increase pH like baking soda...if you put the baking soda i the oven it will make straight calcium carbonate which would be more concentrated no?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Just tested the Ph and it looks to be 7.8-7.9 so it is a little low. I'm thinking of going ahead with the baking soda since both are a bit low. From now on with WC's I think i'm going to buffer to 8.0 to make sure the tank is happy.


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Ok sounds good....alk should be ideally around 10-12 for marine no?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## explor3r (Mar 14, 2010)

Dave Im not an expert on the topic but this is my experience....
Frequent water changes seems to be the easiest way to maintain parameters stable but if you want to dose make sure you know how much your reef is consuming. 
Last year I started dosing and what happen is that I made the biggest mistake of not being discipline with my dosing, I explain myself..some days I would dose and some days I would forget, sometimes dose a bit more or a bit less and what this cause was and up and down of my parameters which is not good for your reef and I lost tons of corals and frags.
What I learned from this is that is better to have low parameter but stable meaning that if you have 6dkh but is constant is ok better than having one day 6 and the next day 8dkh.
Once you know what your reef needs maybe a good option is to get a dosing pump ...good luck!!! MR chicharron
Hope this helps and I hope Im not giving wrong info


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Yeah Alex that makes alot of sense but I'm not talking about dosing really, more of just keeping the water stable at 8.0 dKh and the Ph around 8.1 or so. Meaning, I would make my water for WC's at those levels and then add to the DT. Right now as it i'm just making water and doing WC's without checking. Or atleast I was...


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Ok sounds good....alk should be ideally around 10-12 for marine no? Heres a good link for ideal wayer params... http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=352

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Changed the water twice this week and I've gotten the dKh up to 7.3 which it was at 7.0 or so last week so it seems to be coming up gradually. Hopefully we'll see 7.8 or so by the end of this week which will make me happy. Then I'll start buffering all the new water that goes into the tank to 8.4.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

So finally after a few weeks the kH reading is now 8.3 and its exactly where I want it. I'll be buffering the new water for 8.3 from now on, I just have to go get the proper additive.

What is everyone using to buffer?


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

If your fresh water is 8dkh then i wouldnt buffer if i was you...it should stay around 8...i have used seachem marine buffer but only once or twice...dont dose if you dont have to...you dont want to throw other levels out of whack...just my 2 cents

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

If my freshwater was at 8 then I wouldn't have this problem


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

altcharacter said:


> Did a WC today of about 15% or so and tested the water before it went in. It was 8.1 dkh so I'm thinking I'll have to do a few more frequent WC's to bring up the kh.
> 
> When I added the new water I always have noticed a fairly fast change with the tank. Alot of the coral tend to like it.
> 
> Aiming for another 10% WC on Wednesday possibly, then another 10% next sunday.


You said your fresh water was 8.1 dkh no?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

my fresh "salt" water. sorry for the confusion


----------



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

I know that...thats what im saying...since your fresh salt water that you are doing water changes with is 8.1 dkh then your tank dkh should not go below that hence the reason for not needing to dose...am i missing something? Btw how often are you doing water changes?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------

