Kh and calcium

[ashley]

It is not at all surprising the alkalinity might be 13 dKH. Some salt mixes start close to that.

What salt mix and what, if anything, have you added to the tank?

300 ppm calcium sounds unlikely unless the salinity is very low or you have added lots of buffers over an extended period without calcium dosing.

Ok so i have used marine buffer without calcium dosing...I use crystal sea marinemix(salt). I dosed fluval sea calcium..and i added some fluval magnesium...but the fluval I have only adds once

 

[Oscar47f]

FWIW, my experience with API Alk and Ca have been right on par with all the other test kits out there including Salifert and Red Sea.

Yeah i agree but they give you ranges more often than not which can be just as spot on but titrations can give you a closer number... but the human eye is a factor that can skew the testing no matter what kit, but i do agree they aren't terrible and are accurate enough

 

[StevieGM]

My kh stays at 12.0 with regular water changes so i did 50% bi-weekly water changes for 1 month. kh still 12.0
My nitrate is .50 spg is 1.026 ph is 8.4. Just ordered test kits for phosphate, calcium and magnesium

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok so i have used marine buffer without calcium dosing...I use crystal sea marinemix(salt). I dosed fluval sea calcium..and i added some fluval magnesium...but the fluval I have only adds once

The marine buffer is boosting alkalinity. Stop dosing it.

 

[ashley]

The marine buffer is boosting alkalinity. Stop dosing it.

Ok but when I don't use it my ph drops to like 8 or less

 

[Flippers4pups]

I use kalkwasser in my ATO top off for calcium and add Randy's recipe 2 part for alkalinity, dosing only as needed. Works well.

 

[ashley]

I use kalkwasser in my ATO top off for calcium and add Randy's recipe 2 part for alkalinity, dosing only as needed. Works well.

I dont have a ato or the money for one..i just manually ato with RO/DI.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok but when I don't use it my ph drops to like 8 or less

Buffers are never the best way to deal with low pH (don't believe a word of the advertising), and excessive alkalinity is worse than low pH.

This has more:

pH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/