Odd chemistry

[Piranha76]

Does this make sense

Alk is 3.6 dkh. Saliferts
Cal is 480. Hanna
pH greater than 8.6 Hanna

I am dosing reef fusion 1 and 2

PO is high but that's my source water. Began dosing LaCl Hanna
NO3 . 02 Hanna
NO4 10 saliferts

Can my pH be so high with alkalinity so low? I just did a 30% WC 4 days ago using Reef Crystals.

 

[mann1139]

Anytime something is 'off the scale', I worry about the tester. When is the last time you calibrated that tester? Does it read 7.0 in your DI water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I expect the alk is an error. Too low to be likely to be real.

Try that kit on some new salt water.

Are you sure you are not reading the syringe backwards? That's a common issue with Salifert kits.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Anytime something is 'off the scale', I worry about the tester. When is the last time you calibrated that tester? Does it read 7.0 in your DI water?

DI water will read zero on an alk kit and pH could read anything from 5-10 in RO/DI water since the methods we use cannot accurately measure the pH in very low ionic strength and buffer concentration. The actual pH of totally pure water exposed to air will be in the 5-7 range due to absorbed CO2.

 

[Piranha76]

So I just tested today with saliferts alk test and after watching a YouTube video I am 100 percent doing it right. I got 4.5 this morning after dumping 20 ml of reef fusion 2 over nite. I also dosed LaCl to get my PO4 down. It's a 125 gallon.
Alk 4.5
pH 8.2
NO3 10
NO4 . 03
Ca 475


Added seaxhem reef buffer because I had it just sitting around. I also ordered a new Hanna alk tester.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So I just tested today with saliferts alk test and after watching a YouTube video I am 100 percent doing it right. I got 4.5 this morning after dumping 20 ml of reef fusion 2 over nite. I also dosed LaCl to get my PO4 down. It's a 125 gallon.
Alk 4.5
pH 8.2
NO3 10
NO4 . 03
Ca 475


Added seaxhem reef buffer because I had it just sitting around. I also ordered a new Hanna alk tester.

Please try the alk kit on new salt water before accepting a crazy low value as accurate.

 

[Piranha76]

Please try the alk kit on new salt water before accepting a crazy low value as accurate.

8.1 on new reef crystals

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

8.1 on new reef crystals

That seems low. I’d be wary of raising the alk until you can confirm with a different kit.

 

[Miami Reef]

8.1 on new reef crystals

Reef Crystals should test around 12-14dKH.

Something sounds off with your kit.

 

[Uncle99]

Ditch Salifert for Alk, Hanna does this well IMM.
Are you sure your measure is dkh and not meq/l, which at 3.6, would be within the normal running range?