Help! New tank dKH 17??

peterhos · Oct 25, 2022

Hi All Newbie here again. I am not finding the Red Sea alk test that confidence inspiring. The dropper is rubbish and 1 drop as per the instructions does not turn the water the blue ‘start colour’ they suggest … then I end up with 17dKH. Should I start with 2 drops to get the blue start colour? But then I guess that would only turn my 17 dKH into 16.5 dKH. Would my bacterial booster be sending the dKH up, or my dry rock?

ShepherdReefer · Oct 26, 2022

I don't use this test, I guess you looked it up on YouTube. That kKh does seem high.

PeterEde · Oct 26, 2022

peterhos said:
Hi All Newbie here again. I am not finding the Red Sea alk test that confidence inspiring. The dropper is rubbish and 1 drop as per the instructions does not turn the water the blue ‘start colour’ they suggest … then I end up with 17dKH. Should I start with 2 drops to get the blue start colour? But then I guess that would only turn my 17 dKH into 16.5 dKH. Would my bacterial booster be sending the dKH up, or my dry rock?

I started with this kit and never had a problem. Possible it's out of date?
Are you doing 5ml or 10ml?

peterhos · Oct 26, 2022

PeterEde said:
I started with this kit and never had a problem. Possible it's out of date?
Are you doing 5ml or 10ml?

The test kit is new. I find the dropper very erratic. I was doing 10 ml. Needing 30-32 drops at 0.5 dKH per drop to turn sample to the green finishing colour. May go over to Salifert kit which has a pipette with accurate numbers to read off … if my memory serves me well.

PeterEde · Oct 26, 2022

peterhos said:
The test kit is new. I find the dropper very erratic. I was doing 10 ml. Needing 30-32 drops at 0.5 dKH per drop to turn sample to the green finishing colour. May go over to Salifert kit which has a pipette with accurate numbers to read off … if my memory serves me well.

The pro kit uses Titration and 1ml syringe. That comes with the redsea foundation kit. I have since gone to the Hanna alk dhk tester.

mtraylor · Oct 26, 2022

I used to use this kit as well and never had a problem. I think it was always pretty accurate. My advice for testing is to double check that reading with buddy or lfs. If you can't get those for a double check. I would get a Hanna checker. Love these things. Takes out all the guess work.

mdb_talon · Oct 26, 2022

17 sounds unlikely for sure.

Are you using tap water? In conjunction with a high dkh salt this could possibly get you around there depending on your tap? Using any sort of pH buffer/coralline booster/etc...basically all supplements not advertised as alk supplements

peterhos · Oct 26, 2022

Hi All Thanks for the helpful replies. I am using RO water (which I will test along with my RO + salt water). Tank now cycling so I have time to investigate. In general though the Pro test kit sounds better …

PatW · Oct 26, 2022

I find it hard to believe that you have 17 DKH with a commercial salt mix.

I use Red Sea Pro and it runs a bit on the low side for ALK. I would suggest getting the Salifert ALK test or the Hanna ALK test to compare. Salifert is another where you add reagent to the color end point. Hanna is based on a photometric technique that gives a digital out put.

Tests can go wonky at times and I have had bad batches of reagents with quite a few different tests (fortunately this is a pretty rare occurrence at least for me).

LucentFish · Oct 26, 2022

peterhos said:
Hi All Newbie here again. I am not finding the Red Sea alk test that confidence inspiring. The dropper is rubbish and 1 drop as per the instructions does not turn the water the blue ‘start colour’ they suggest … then I end up with 17dKH. Should I start with 2 drops to get the blue start colour? But then I guess that would only turn my 17 dKH into 16.5 dKH. Would my bacterial booster be sending the dKH up, or my dry rock?

I use the same test kit, how many total drops did you put in? If you are doing the .5 DKH resolution with 10ML of tank water then from the chart for ex. 14 drops is 7DKH. From everything iv been able to look up, you count the 2 starter drops. the scale itself only goes up to 28 DKH on the 1 DKH resolution. Dropper is ok, just go slow and steady with the drops.