Need help my dkh is 15 !

[andyreef2]

1. calcium 440
2. nitrite 0
3. phosphate 0.25
4. DKH 15
5. PH 8.3-8.4
6. nitrate 5.0-10
7. ammonia 0

• Its a 55 gallon reef tank its established 1 year old i have 1 in sand 55 lb of live rock and 5 fish false clown fish cleaner wrasse 2 blue damsels tail spot blenny 2 turbo snails and a few hermit crabs with sump skimmer and sock filter. what could be making my dkh go high?

 

[Aquaph8]

Hi Andy.
Are you dosing anything?
What are you testing with?
Have you checked your first test with another kit to compare?

 

[mike007]

Can you take a sample to your lfs and double check that?

 

[andyreef2]

Hi, i havnt dose it with anything for a few months i use coral pro salt red sea . and i use Reef Master Test kit and i don't have any other test kit at the moment .

 

[andyreef2]

My lfs only has the saltwater master test kit.

 

[Dan1789]

Well I know my RSCP salt test at 10-12 DKH. Not sure how yours would have got that high without dosing. I would tend to question the accuracy of the test.


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[Aquaph8]

Well I know my RSCP salt test at 10-12 DKH. Not sure how yours would have got that high without dosing. I would tend to question the accuracy of the test.


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I would tend to lean that direction as well. Maybe another local reefer could help you out with a test.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Test your RO water that your using, thats a sanity check. Then have someone double check, if still high, you can dose Muriatic Acid to get it down. Make sure your skimmer is cleaned out and running well, as it will help airate the tank, also watch your PH, you don't want to over do it, though thats kinda tough to do, but still you can. I dosed 170mls to drop mine 2 pionts, but thats in a 285g total volume tank. If you need to drop more, then wait 24 hours before dosing again.

 

[andyreef2]

Thanks for the help i will try out the red sea test kit.

 

[Ike]

The api kit is usually quite accurate. Are you using 0 TDS water to mix your water with? What's your salinity, and are you using a properly claibrated refractometer to test it?

 

[andyreef2]

I use a single filter ro water and my salinity is exactly in the middle of 1.022 -1.023 its a instant ocean hydrometer its properly calibrated i also keep it very clean after every use

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can't calibrate a Hydrometer. They are always going to be a guess. If you were to borrow a Refractometer once from a buddy and test the water against your Hydrometer, Im betting the Hydrometer is off.

 

[navila06]

point one of your power heads towards the surface that will lower it.

 

[andyreef2]

i will have to buy one witch would you recommend hydrometer ?

 

[andyreef2]

Do you mean to put the power head low pointing straight in the back of my live rock?

 

[navila06]

you can do that but just disturbing the surface will lower it, mine was in the 18-20 range, i was told to agitate the surface, and by a few days it was down.

Do you mean to put the power head low pointing straight in the back of my live rock?

 

[ritter6788]

RSCP has a high dkh to begin with. If you're not using Zero TDS RO/DI water to begin with then your alkalinity could very well be 15 dkh. I would get some zero TDS RO/DI water to mix your salt with and switch to a salt mix with lower alkalinity. Also do not add any pH buffers to your tank.

 

[andyreef2]

you can do that but just disturbing the surface will lower it, mine was in the 18-20 range, i was told to agitate the surface, and by a few days it was down.

I just moved it around just the front where the rocks are hopefully it works. i also will be adding more sand to tank soon dry sand.

 

[andyreef2]

I will give it a try if moving the sand a little doesn't work thanks for the advice.

 

[solar]

Hydrometers are not accurate at all none of them.
I used 3 diff brand and type hydrometeres all said my salinity was at 1.024 when in actuality it was 1.030 and i was having the same problem with high alk once i got a refractometer and got it lowered to 1.025 my alk was norm at 9 afer a few water changes.
The more salt you use the more other added nutrients you get just my 2cents.