HW and Potassium

[rushbattle]

Recently I was struggling to keep some corals healthy, mostly SPS, and I thought that parameter swings were the culprit. But after a period of relatively stable conditions, I bought a potassium kit to begin to see if it needed to be supplemented. It tested so low that the kit didn't even return a result! I thought it was bad reagents. Turns out that my Salifert Potassium kit wasn't bad, my K was actually very very low according to the Triton test I bought in desperation. All of the unwanteds tested out undetectable (actually zero, which is a confusing way to present that data).

Has anyone experienced this with HW or other salt mixes?

Once I remedied the K level, all of the corals started to look much better and their growth accelerated or at least showed some signs of growth.

Hope this helps if others are having the same issue. It was a head scratcher for sure!

 

[dragon99]

They had a bad batch sometime last year. Very frustrating for sure to buy a "premium" salt and end up with missing elements

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hw-marinemix-reefer-salt-mix-potassium-levels.293666/

 

[rushbattle]

They had a bad batch sometime last year. Very frustrating for sure to buy a "premium" salt and end up with missing elements

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hw-marinemix-reefer-salt-mix-potassium-levels.293666/

Thanks for the heads up, not sure how I missed that thread.

 

[Willylumplump]

So, been battling coral health and colors for years on my current tank. Have always tested alk, cal, mag, nitrate, phosphate, and ph. Always great. Recently purchased a triton test, and potassium was 200. Only element really out of wack, said I needed more boron and strontium, but ok.
My softies and lps have always been fine, but sps generally lose color after a week or two, then die off a couple months later.
I only had 4 sps left in my tank. Brought up the level and went on vacation. Colors seems to be returning., but wondering if safe or really reason why sps was struggeling Ron ego with, I don't want to kill more coral and throw money out the window.
If anyone has had any experiences similar or information please le me know.
I posted here as not to lead to another thread, but you were blaming your salt mix on depleted potassium. I read that ulnus systems bacteria consume potassium. Zeovit etc. which is one reason for the dosing in those systems. I don't run zeovit, but my nutrient levels are all most none.

 

[reef life]

Sounds like you are starving corals. I would increase feeding.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If the potassium really was 200 ppm, that could be a serious issue and potentially the cause of deaths.

 

[rushbattle]

If the potassium really was 200 ppm, that could be a serious issue and potentially the cause of deaths.

I can provide anecdote that the above is true. I killed many hundreds of dollars worth of Acropora before I figured out that I had ~200ppm K from HW. Their response was "whatever, just add some potassium." Meanwhile we bare the great financial, temporal and emotional burden of their omission.

 

[Willylumplump]

My apologies, it was 290, and created another thread with more information in hopes of finding a cure for my particular tank

 

[rushbattle]

My apologies, it was 290, and created another thread with more information in hopes of finding a cure for my particular tank

As you can see above, mine had gotten down to 272ppm per triton ICP measurement via water changes with the low K saltmix. Raising the level definitely stopped the Acropora from dying. Since the K correction I haven't lost a coral. This is more of a follow up to my OP than a response though.

 

[TangingOut]

Just tested a newly open bag of HW and got.....230. I was planning on doing a big WC on my 2 month old tank to get it ready to add corals. I've been using IO which tested at 390 in the display. I bought 3 bags of HW from BRS during black friday.

 

[dragon99]

Just tested a newly open bag of HW and got.....230. I was planning on doing a big WC on my 2 month old tank to get it ready to add corals. I've been using IO which tested at 390 in the display. I bought 3 bags of HW from BRS during black friday.

Glad you caught it before putting it in the tank!

 

[TangingOut]

I just opened the lid to my mixing barrel and notice it has an odor. Nothing foul, but noticeable. I've never had any other salt, mixed up to have an odor.

 

[aleidolf]

My triton test K was 156!

I've got a 12 year old 350g system, with a large refugium, carbon dosing, and not many water changes over the years. Been having issues with corals for the past few years, been keeping mostly softies since SPS haven't been making it. I assume my feeding and lack of water changes was not keeping the potassium up against the algae harvesting and skimming out bacteria. I've been using red sea and instant ocean salt.
Just started dosing Now Foods: Potassium Chloride , at the recomended <10ppm a day, its going to take awhile to get back to 400! Even a 10% water change would be a 25ppm raise!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When values are this far off, I'm not sure going slow is always the best plan, but I've never seen any data one way or the other.

 

[aleidolf]

Randy, just want to say thank you for everything you have done for the hobby/community over the years, we are lucky to have you around.

To make sure I have my math right, a 227g container of KCL should raise 350 gallons 90 ppm?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, just want to say thank you for everything you have done for the hobby/community over the years, we are lucky to have you around.

To make sure I have my math right, a 227g container of KCL should raise 350 gallons 90 ppm?

Thanks very much, and yes.

 

[BlueCursor]

When I ran biopellets I had to dose K to keep level where it belonged. I haven't had this issue with alcohol/vinegar dosing.

Apparently I'm not the only one to have low K from biopellets. My LFS alerted me to this being the cause so I switched to NoPoX and the low K problem went away.