Lowering ALK

[fernalfer]

I have been measuring my Alkalinity with a redsea kit. I have been reading 9.5dKh all along. I just purchased the Hanna Alkalinity checker and it reads 11.5. So confused. Now I have about 5 different kinds of zoas, a Duncan, a hammer, a frogspawn, a leather toadstool and a some ricordea mushrooms all doing great. Only the leather toadstool is angry every other day.

Levels are:

Calcium - 445
Alk - 9.5 redsea and 11.5 Hanna Checker
Magnesium - 1460
pH - 8.3

How do i lower my Alkalinity or should i not even bother since all corals are happy?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Check it on the chart.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

id double check the test too, thats odd.

 

[psirex]

Take it to a LFS, how old are the test kits?

 

[fernalfer]

Take it to a LFS, how old are the test kits?

Hanna test kit just came in mail today. And redsea I've had for 3 months.

 

[Waters]

Are you dosing at all? If not, then you must be using a salt that mixes with high ALK. I would switch salts that mixes closer to the numbers you want to keep (for example, Red Sea Blue mixes to an ALK of around 8.2) To answer your question, your ALK will naturally fall as long as you aren't doing water changes with a higher ALK level.

 

[fernalfer]

Are you dosing at all? If not, then you must be using a salt that mixes with high ALK. I would switch salts that mixes closer to the numbers you want to keep (for example, Red Sea Blue mixes to an ALK of around 8.2) To answer your question, your ALK will naturally fall as long as you aren't doing water changes with a higher ALK level.

Yeah using ReefCrystals and the Alk is 12 dKh. I just am hesitant to switch salts because i have no algae and all my corals are doing great. I feel like changing it up may throw things off.

 

[psirex]

Very possible when switching salts. Try lowering your dosage to get it to drop?

 

[Sm51498]

Yeah using ReefCrystals and the Alk is 12 dKh. I just am hesitant to switch salts because i have no algae and all my corals are doing great. I feel like changing it up may throw things off.

To make a change now would be the very definition of chasing a number. If everything is good, why mess with success?

 

[Brian Treadwell]

I have been using RC and Alk was high after months of just 10% water changes weekly Alk is in 7.6 range , with Hanna checker , it will come down , Rea Sea Alk test is very hard to get right the color dose not change like they say.