Alk problem

[Braves Fan]

Is there anything I can add to a tank to lower the Alk ?

I set up a new tank ,, about a 80g to 90g system ,, I used Reef Crystals orange box to fill the tank ,, last Saturday,, checked the Alk number the next day after I filled the tank ,, Sunday ,, it was 14 with a Salifert Test kit ,, I knew the orange box had a higher Alk content to it ,, I made another 40g of water today ,, used Reef Crystals in the purple box ,,, it doesn't ,, I have heard have as high of a Alk to it ,, that salt I have always heard is more for a Fish only tank ,, if you use it in a coral tank ,, you would have to dose more Alk & Calcium to get it right ,, I changed out 40g of water today ,, tested a few hours later ,, it tested the Alk at 15 ,,, thinking it was a old test kit ,, I got a new test kit out I got a week ago ,, it tested 15 again?????

 

[pcon]

Vinegar, will bring down ph and alk. Add more corals? They will soak it right up with gusto! Avoid chalices as they melt in that high alk. But some SPS can thrive at that high of levels. May be worth mixing the dry salt before adding it to the water sometimes there can be weird stratification in the box/bucket.

 

[Braves Fan]

Its a brand new tank ,, no corals in it ,, I am trying to get the Alk number down so I can add corals ,, I have never ever had this problem with this salt ,, it could be the test kit ,, but I tested with a brand new test kit also ,, I am stumped ,,

 

[pcon]

Vinegar is your best bet then, or another acid. Would probably just switch to a different box or brand of salt.

 

[Braves Fan]

It was a Hydometer problem

 

[Guttersnipe]

It was a Hydometer problem

Hydrometer to test alk?

 

[ZoWhat]

I dont know any salt mix that mixes DKH at 14.

Sooooo..I would point to your Salifert to be wrong. I would take a water sample into a LFS and get their DKH number before making aggressive changes to your tank

How old is this Salifert test?



.

 

[ZoWhat]

Is there anything I can add to a tank to lower the Alk ?

I set up a new tank ,, about a 80g to 90g system ,, I used Reef Crystals orange box to fill the tank ,, last Saturday,, checked the Alk number the next day after I filled the tank ,, Sunday ,, it was 14 with a Salifert Test kit ,, I knew the orange box had a higher Alk content to it ,, I made another 40g of water today ,, used Reef Crystals in the purple box ,,, it doesn't ,, I have heard have as high of a Alk to it ,, that salt I have always heard is more for a Fish only tank ,, if you use it in a coral tank ,, you would have to dose more Alk & Calcium to get it right ,, I changed out 40g of water today ,, tested a few hours later ,, it tested the Alk at 15 ,,, thinking it was a old test kit ,, I got a new test kit out I got a week ago ,, it tested 15 again?????

The Eleventh Commandment
Thou shall do waterchanges and shall not blindly dose

 

[Braves Fan]

Hydrometer to test alk?

The salt level in the tank was 1.32 instead of the 1.26 that I wanted because of the bad Hydrometer ,, Reef Crystals salt in the orange box has a higher Alk and Calcium level in the salt ,, that caused me to have a real high Alk level in the tank ,, more salt = higher Alk level ,, to much salt = a big Alk number ,,,

Its all good now ,, or will be ,, I am removing saltwater from both my tanks ,, replacing with RO/DI water until I get the water right ,, I have my Chalice tank close to being right ,, the 150g was at 1.32 ,, I am doing that tank at a slower rate ,, I don't want to shock corals ,,

 

[action21]

Alk lowering slowly and steadily down to 10.7