Alkalinity Issues! Need some advice!

[jdnumis]

My kh is a little on the high side. I did a water change yesterday.

Here are my parameters.

Nitrate/nitrate- 0

Ph- 8.2

Phosphates- 0

Ammonia- 0ppm

Calcium- 480

Kh- 11

I have been dosing with Kalk for for past 3 months, and no problems as of yet. I put the Kalk in my ATO. I put 5 teaspoons in 5 gallon jug every week when I have to refill my ATO.

Any suggestions out there to lower my KH?

Thank you in advance

~James

 

[Dre]

11 Is not too high, natural sea water is 7-9 .If the corals are doing fine i would leave it alone unless it goes higher than 11.

 

[jdnumis]

thanks dre, it read 12 last week until I cut down the Kalk dosage. Maybe it made a little difference

 

[jdnumis]

really, how much should I add. Should I add it to my ATO? Would there be any danger mixing Kalk and baking soda?

Thank You

 

[john90009]

baking soda will not lower the alk level, baking soda and baked baking soda are used as alk supplements to raise them. dont dose anything it will go down over time. baking soda will lower the ph which is what i think your thinking of.

 

[ming]

Your alk is probably high because of your dosing of kalk. Both your Alk and Calcium is high. Stop dosing until your alk goes to the level you want, then resume with a lower amount. I keep my Calcium around 400-420 if i can

 

[jdnumis]

Thanks Ming. I will see how it is because I only put 1 teaspoon of Kalk as opposed to 5, so we will see what happens in a couple days. Is that OK?

~James

 

[ming]

There isn't a set formula of how much kalk to use. They only have a recommended guideline as a starting point and then you adjust as necessary, but you really should put as much as your tank consumes. If your tank uses less, then you dose less. The reverse is also true, and that goes with anything you dose.

 

[jdnumis]

I will cross my fingers this week and do a test in a couple of days