New to testing

[reefertank]

Until now I have went to the Lfs to get my water tested, I just tried to test the kh and both time it took all 12 drops 214.8. Help

 

[Havoks]

Which test kit are you using?

 

[reefertank]

Api

 

[Havoks]

If its taking 12 drops that means your dkh is 12, which i think is kind of high. I would check it daily for several days. I keep my alk between 8-9, i have a mixed reef.

 

[pugcrush]

Api

I didn't even know API made an alk test kit? I imagine it should give you a decent ballpark number though. I know you probably just bought this kit, but salifert is one of the more popular (& accurate) in the hobby. Hanna checker is pretty good for alk too.

 

[Lninwa]

Are you dosing alk? I like the Hanna checker

 

[reefertank]

No haven't started dosing

 

[Havoks]

I use Red Sea kits

 

[Lninwa]

What was your alk when your LFS tested? Since you are not dosing the only way your alk would be that high is if your salt has high alk like with the Red Sea coral pro. What salt are you using? It’s also a good idea to test the parameters when you mix up salt for water changes. Do you have stony corals in your tank?

 

[Comic_Reef]

Adjust your alk to the salt you're using or change your salt. Something like Red Sea Coral Pro typically has high alk when mixed. Mine mixes somewhere between 10.5-11.0 most times (their website can tell you based on batch number). I keep my alk there since it's easier to keep it stable without having to worry about weekly water changes throwing things off.

Seems there are a lot of people who do great with a high alk number. Success is found more in stability than chasing specific parameters assuming you're in the acceptable range. If you have high alk and aren't dosing your salt likely mixes high and don't have many LPS/SPS in the tank consuming it.

 

[Jesterrace]

API is hit and miss for tests (some are good and some are a joke), personally I don't trust them. I would switch and see if you don't get a different result. I am partial to Red Sea

 

[PatW]

The API ALK test is ok. But it is one drop per unit of DKH which means it is plus or minus one. For ALK, I hear of people running from 7 t0 14. I run at about 7.8. You would probably want to hit 8 or 9. If you want to grow SPS corals, you want to keep your ALK as stable as possible. As hard corals grow, they remove Ca and ALK from the water to form calcium carbonate also called limestone. As ALK and Ca drop, the reefer adds more Ca and ALK to keep the levels constant. The more constant you keep the ALK levels the better. The API test is crude but it is ok for fish only or softy systems. The better tests, Salifert, Red Sea or Hanna, will allow you to be several times more constant than API.