Old salt causing very high PH amnd alk...

[nightowl]

I'm getting back into taking care of my tank again and my salt is old. I was doing some water changes and noticed even after no all addition of alk my Ph and alk levels are ridiculously high. Any tips on this or am I screwed until I get done new salt?

 

[The_Paradox]

I'm getting back into taking care of my tank again and my salt is old. I was doing some water changes and noticed even after no all addition of alk my Ph and alk levels are ridiculously high. Any tips on this or am I screwed until I get done new salt?

Did you confirm correct salinity with a calibrated meter? What are you calling “ridiculously high”?

 

[nightowl]

Did you confirm the correct salinity with a calibrated meter? What are you calling “ridiculously high”?

I did use a Calibrated meter. I used my normal measuring cup and process. But my pH is reading 8.8 or higher. My Alk is reading over 200+ on the Hannah tester.

 

[The_Paradox]

I did use a Calibrated meter. I used my normal measuring cup and process. But my pH is reading 8.8 or higher. My Alk is reading over 200+ on the Hannah tester.

Test reagents good? That is stupid high and would not trust those numbers. Any way you can verify the numbers? Even cheap kit or local store would be helpful.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m not seeing a way that a salt being old would cause this.

The 200 is ppm CaCO3 equivalents? Thst is only 11+ dKH which may be reasonable. For some mixes. Which mix?

Probably just a pH measurement issue.

 

[nightowl]

Test reagents good? That is stupid high and would not trust those numbers. Any way you can verify the numbers? Even cheap kit or local store would be helpful.

Man, it's been so long I should have thought of that first. This is what happens when you take extended maintenance breaks...lol. I will probably need to throw away a bunch of old reagents. I will check the reagents and report back.

I’m not seeing a way that a salt being old would cause this.

The 200 is ppm CaCO3 equivalents? Thst is only 11+ dKH which may be reasonable. For some mixes. Which mix?

Probably just a pH measurement issue.

I will check and recalibrate my pH probe as well. I was using Fritz in the blue box. But I am pretty sure that salt is over two or three years old. I need to see when I did my last black Friday sale... Lol.

 

[nightowl]

Turns out the test kit was the reagents for the test kit were expired. I ordered a new kit and when I tested they were high but not crazy high anymore. Thanks for the sanity check.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Turns out the test kit was the reagents for the test kit were expired. I ordered a new kit and when I tested they were high but not crazy high anymore. Thanks for the sanity check.

Good to know. Thanks for the update!