I don't understand my alk test

[Zbutcher]

Hey everyone,

Just did my alk test with my salifert kit and the plunger stops at .2ml and I'm not sure if that's high or low because I don't understand the conversion.

Essentially I'm having a bit of an ich issue and I heard keeping the Alk at proper levels will help my fishes slime coat and I'm not sure if .2 translates to a proper level. Does anyone have an idea?

Thanks.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Are you comparig it to the chart if you unfold the manual on the center page? I don’t have mine right here or I’d check for you. There should be a chart on one of the manual pages that will show you what .2 converts to

 

[Zbutcher]

Are you comparig it to the chart if you unfold the manual on the center page? I don’t have mine right here or I’d check for you. There should be a chart on one of the manual pages that will show you what .2 converts to

I'm confused though it ends up being 12.8. but is that the dkh? It says 1dkh = .357 meq/L

Someone was saying on a forum all needs to be 8.3ish

 

[X-37B]

.2 is 12.5 dkh.

 

[Shirak]

Hold the syringe with the tip up and read where the plunger has stopped. .2 would read directly off the chart as 12.5 dkh if you started with 4ml of water.
Right under the conversion you quoted it says reading in ml (step 5) kh value in dKH.

 

[Zbutcher]

Hold the syringe with the tip up and read where the plunger has stopped. .2 would read directly off the chart as 12.5 dkh if you started with 4ml of water.
Right under the conversion you quoted it says reading in ml (step 5) kh value in dKH.

Okay so to be clear my all is 12.5 then?

 

[Shirak]

Okay so to be clear my all is 12.5 then?

According to your reading of .2 remaining in the plunger, yes 12.5 dkh
I will sometimes repeat a test on the same sample a couple times if a reading is particularly high or low, and see if I get similar results. If the results are similar then I can be reasonably certain I have done the test properly and the reading is correct.

 

[Zbutcher]

According to your reading of .2 remaining in the plunger, yes 12.5 dkh
I will sometimes repeat a test on the same sample a couple times if a reading is particularly high or low, and see if I get similar results. If the results are similar then I can be reasonably certain I have done the test properly and the reading is correct.

Fair enough. Isn't 12.5 kinda high though?

 

[blasterman]

A bit.

Won't bother fish though. On the high side if you have SPS.

 

[Shirak]

Fair enough. Isn't 12.5 kinda high though?

What do you have for tank inhabitants? Yes I would say 12.5 is kinda high. I think many target around 8-9 roughly so it's a bit above NSW levels as a margin of safety for corals needing to grow calcium skeleton. If you have fish and softies it's less of an issue

 

[Zbutcher]

What do you have for tank inhabitants? Yes I would say 12.5 is kinda high. I think many target around 8-9 roughly so it's a bit above NSW levels as a margin of safety for corals needing to grow calcium skeleton. If you have fish and softies it's less of an issue

Well I wanted to get into corals. But all that's in there is 2 urchins 6 trochus, 1 tomini tang, 1 LM Blenny, 2 clowns, 1 damsel, 1 cleaner wrasse, 1 gramma, 1 baby mandarin.

 

[Zbutcher]

A bit.

Won't bother fish though. On the high side if you have SPS.

No corals years. Wanted to though

 

[Shirak]

What salt are you using and are you adding anything else to the tank? Some salts can be quite on the high side right out of the package. For now I wouldn't worry about it although I don't know anything about alk levels to help with Ich..

Really great thread in the fish disease forums on Ich Management.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-eradication-vs-ich-management.188775/

 

[Zbutcher]

What salt are you using and are you adding anything else to the tank? Some salts can be quite on the high side right out of the package. For now I wouldn't worry about it although I don't know anything about alk levels to help with Ich..

Really great thread in the fish disease forums on Ich Management.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-eradication-vs-ich-management.188775/

I was using the fritz blue box, but had to switch to instant ocean in a pinch. Is that why?

 

[Shirak]

I was using the fritz blue box, but had to switch to instant ocean in a pinch. Is that why?

Probably if you are not dosing any alk separately. Is it the regular IO or Reef Crystals? I have heard RC is up around 12 dkh. Regular IO a little lower. It may even say on the package what the expected levels of alk, ca, mg etc are at different specific gravity.

Time of day will affect the results too as the tank pH changes with lights on/off cycles. CO2 levels in the water and what not.. I try to test around the same time of day so I am compensating somewhat for daily fluctuation.

 

[anthonygf]

I was using the fritz blue box, but had to switch to instant ocean in a pinch. Is that why?

I switched from IO/RC to Fritz and the dkh was 11 when mixed to 1.026,