so, I just got my Salifert KH/Alk test kit and my numbers are sky high

[flyweed]

So I just tested my 20 gallon tank's Alk/kh and it seems to be WAY off the charts. Like I followed the test to the letter, and my dropper syringe was on the last 2 drops when I only began to see a slight color change as it dropped into the test liquid. then when I swirled it turned back to blue/green. So my Alk must be really high. My question is, does it really matter? I am not keeping SPS in my tank at all, and am only doing things like Zoa's, Mushrooms, and maybe a few softies of some sort. Otherwise, just some fish and CUC. How much does having a "perfect" alkalinity and carbonate hardness be for my type of setup? I can certainly do some water changes to get it back down, but just wondering if it really matters that much. Thanks

 

[TX_REEF]

alk is very important, but if it's "sky high" in reality, coral would be dying. Have you tried using the hanna digital alk tester?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Alk does matter. Try the kit on some new salt water.

Are you using tap water to make salt water?

 

[Luigi Reefs]

This happened to me once. Try testing it again and see if you get the same result. When I retested the result was different and closer to normal.

 

[flyweed]

I will retry the test a bit later today. I only use RO/DI water and Instant Ocean salt. I am going to test a batch of my new saltwater as well as the tank again.

 

[VintageReefer]

are you adding any supplements to the water which would increase alkalinity ?

 

[rtparty]

Are you dosing anything? If not, it’s highly unlikely (next to impossible) your alkalinity is crazy high. Unless your salinity is way higher than you think

 

[flyweed]

are you adding any supplements to the water which would increase alkalinity ?

no.

UPDATE: Just checked my new saltwater, that I keep in 5 gallon buckets for water changes. Temp is 80F, SG is 1.024 on my new water the KH/ALK reading is 9.3. so my new saltwater is well within range.

 

[flyweed]

Are you dosing anything? If not, it’s highly unlikely (next to impossible) your alkalinity is crazy high. Unless your salinity is way higher than you think

my Refractometer says 1.025 in my tank. My new saltwater sitting in buckets is 1.024.

 

[PharmrJohn]

What was the ALK reading in your tank?

 

[flyweed]

What was the ALK reading in your tank?

unreadable. My new saltwater for when I do a water change is at 9.3
but when I tested my tank, I emptied the entire dripper syringe into the test water, and the color stayed the same blue green, maybe just a tiny hint of pink when I initially dripped the last drop in, but then quickly changed back to blue green So I couldn't even get a reading.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you have artificial rock in the tank?

 

[flyweed]

Do you have artificial rock in the tank?

nope...started with about 5 pounds of fiji rock that was out of an 8 year old established tank and then another 20 pounds of dry Pukani rock.

 

[flyweed]

I am going to retest my tank in a little bit. I just tested my new saltwater that is RO/DI water (0 tds) and instant ocean salt mixed to 1.024, temp of 80F. The Alk/DKH reading of my new water is 9.3

I just did a 3 gallon water change on my tank with this new water, so I will see what reading I get on the tank in a couple hours.

 

[X-37B]

Did you try with 2 drops instead of 4 then ×2.

 

[flyweed]

Did you try with 2 drops instead of 4 then ×2.

no I didn't do the two drop method. I used the 4ml of tank water, and 4 drops of blue solution. so the standard test.

 

[gbroadbridge]

So I just tested my 20 gallon tank's Alk/kh and it seems to be WAY off the charts. Like I followed the test to the letter, and my dropper syringe was on the last 2 drops when I only began to see a slight color change as it dropped into the test liquid. then when I swirled it turned back to blue/green. So my Alk must be really high. My question is, does it really matter? I am not keeping SPS in my tank at all, and am only doing things like Zoa's, Mushrooms, and maybe a few softies of some sort. Otherwise, just some fish and CUC. How much does having a "perfect" alkalinity and carbonate hardness be for my type of setup? I can certainly do some water changes to get it back down, but just wondering if it really matters that much. Thanks

Having read the thread, Alk is about 15.

I would just do 20% water changes 2-3 days apart until it drops back to close to freshly mixed salt water.

 

[KrisReef]

For fish tanks Alk isn't as critical as it is for many corals,

But - Excess alk tends to result in pump impeller issues from calcium precipitation that can be avoided by running more normal alk numbers.

 

[X-37B]

no I didn't do the two drop method. I used the 4ml of tank water, and 4 drops of blue solution. so the standard test.

If you do the 2 drop test you can get an alk reading of up to 30.

 

[flyweed]

If you do the 2 drop test you can get an alk reading of up to 30.

thanks for that info. I just now did the 2 drop "low res" test. when my liquid turned pink, I read the 1ml syringe and it was at 0.5 ( so then take that times 2) and I get 1.00, correct? So what does that mean Alkalinity-wise??