How much potassium?

mrbacony · Jan 9, 2022

I have been testing both of my tanks using Salifert K test kit over the last few weeks. It is consistently showing K at 340-350. I am considering starting to does some K. How much should I look at adding and which brand would you use? I do not need any more nitrates so I am looking for something without them.

For reference, one tank is 130 gallons and the other is 32.

X-37B · Jan 9, 2022

First verify its actually that low. Reason I say this is I just sent out my first ICP and tested my K before and it read 360. I looked at my test kit, salifert, and it expired 3 years ago. Got a new one and it reads 410 which is normal. ICP came back 426 so good.
I have and use this if I need to raise it.

mrbacony · Jan 9, 2022

Thanks. This was actually one of the brands I was looking at using.
The test kit expires in 2023. I went back and looked at my last ICP test which was 9/21. It showed K at 471. I probably need to run another ICP test before I start dosing just to make sure. That is a huge gap.

DrMMI · Jan 9, 2022

I use the powder of potassium chloride from brightwell and make my own solution. It allows me to make it as concentrated as I want.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 10, 2022

mrbacony said:
Thanks. This was actually one of the brands I was looking at using.
The test kit expires in 2023. I went back and looked at my last ICP test which was 9/21. It showed K at 471. I probably need to run another ICP test before I start dosing just to make sure. That is a huge gap.

Maybe try the kit on some new salt water at 35 ppt.