Poll: Do you measure/control potassium in your reef?

[AdamNC]

I tested through one round of reagents using Red Sea test kit. THE most annoying kit to use. I kept my K about 395-400ppm. Been meaning to start testing it again but I might try the Salifert kit. I still dose it but about half the recommended dose until I get a new kit.

 

[rhastareefer]

Another vote for Salifert's K test kit. Very easy to get an accurate reading. I've been dosing with Red Sea's Colors program.

 

[potatocouch]

Is Potassium important?

At the moment, most folks test big 3; if Potassium important, then should we also be testing (and adjusting) Iodine, Boron, Iron, Zinc etc etc etc?

 

[7hogwarts]

I use to never test. Then I read the article about a batch of HW Marine salt being improperly blended. I had switched to HW Marine. I had some of the salt that was low in K. I have been slowly bringing my tank levels up. Color on my corals are improving.

 

[SteadyC]

Potassium is recommended around 400 mg/l, where calcium is around 450 mg/l, so it seems to be important. I read from a couple different sources to keep potassium at the same levels of calcium, and Triton recommends 400. My last ICP-eos test had my tank at 394 mg/l, I dose 7ml per day from Triton but have also used KZ before. Have 12+ SPS corals.

 

[JimP]

Dosing Red Sea Colors so I test for it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is Potassium important?

At the moment, most folks test big 3; if Potassium important, then should we also be testing (and adjusting) Iodine, Boron, Iron, Zinc etc etc etc?

Potassium is important, certainly, but it does not necessarily get depleted. It depends on your husbandry practices and tendency for water changes. Some ways of supplementing calcium and alkalinity will, by themselves, deplete potassium, while others will not.

The answer to your second question varies with whether you consider them all important. I do not (borate, maybe iodine), and some can't be readily tested (e.g., iron), but certainly, zinc and iron are very important,a nd IMO, the next frontier in reef chemistry is a better understanding of the optimal or acceptable levels of a wide range of minor and trace elements.

 

[Sallstrom]

We adjust K after ICP tests. Doesn't need that much to correct the values. Some depletion but not much. Change no or very little water in our tanks.

I think potassium might get taken up by some zeolite rocks. That's probably why many started to talk about potassium depletion when the Zeovit method came.

I gave up on measuring myself, tried KZ and Salifert test. Didn't trust them. But haven't checked against ICP test so I can say if they are good or not

/ David

 

[authentic]

I dose potassium regularly...my test kit is maxed out,,last icp showed 450....I was told you cannot overdose potassium and I believe my blues are deeper for it

 

[iemsparticus]

My system uses ZEOvit, and the Potassium consumption is insane. I test every week (Salifert) and dose daily to keep it in range.

This is an unfortunate side effect of ZEOvit, however... I doubt many non-ZEO tanks would have anywhere near that amount of potassium consumption.

FWIW, Salifert’s K test kit is very easy to use, quick, and accurate.

 

[Zfishman]

I started testing and dosing after an ICP test, apparently my water changes were keeping up with all the other trace elements but Potassium was ~30 ppm low. My reds and pinks had only been showing up on new growth, I've had it up to recommended levels for a couple of weeks now. I haven't seen any real change in those colors still have my fingers crossed though.

I'm in the same situation. Triton water test said I was -49 ppm on potassium. I ordered it but haven't started dosing it yet. My main problem is my Monti's are fading and grayish color.

 

[NickK]

Salifert Potassium test is easy, cheap, and it works. I've compared it to ICP.

My Potassium got low once, I dosed to get it back to 400 and it hasn't been an issue for the last year. I still test it once a month, but it never really moves.

It is important, but a lot of tanks don't fluctuate for some reason. Test it and know your tank.

 

[rkpetersen]

I would like to hear from just one other person who has experienced inadvertent elevated tank potassium. I know from long personal experience in other areas that I am rarely so unique.

 

[BigJohnny]

Yes I test potassium via salifert (only potassium test worth using imo) and via icp every 2 months. I would recommend taking 2 salifert potassium tests (my first one on a kit is always off, then the rest are fine) and then sending a sample to icp so you can calibrate your salifert results to icp to make your results more accurate/in line. I would never make a large adjustment based on salifert alone however, confirm via icp.

I dose it weekly or biweekly, depending on laziness. My dose is calculated and updated solely based on changes in icp results.

I lost a ton of acros to a bad batch of hw marinemix which had extremely low potassium, and after only correcting potassium, others recovered and became more vibrant. From then on i test and maintain at 420ppm.

I never had to dose much potassium in that tank though, it pretty much stayed constant after correcting except for a few drops periodically. My new tank drops almost 10ppm per week if I don't dose and it is only frags and mini colonies. Unclear why.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that for some reason my red Monti caps (or in this tank starburst but it's still red) turn ever so slightly pale when potassium is starting to drop below 360-380ish. I don't think potassium has been traditionally associated with red coloration but for my red montis it is. All acros just look better at proper potassium levels as well ime, regardless of color. 380+ is good but I do 420 so I have some extra just in case.

 

[BigJohnny]

I would like to hear from just one other person who has experienced inadvertent elevated tank potassium. I know from long personal experience in other areas that I am rarely so unique.

What 2 part?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What 2 part?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-reef-fusion-2-cause-elevated-aquarium-potassium.328612/

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great topic !! Just went and added Potassium as it has importance with SPS and zoas, reef trace and aminos to tank !! Forget once in a while to do so as tank is always happy !

 

[Rick Mathew]

I had similar experience with coloration of Monties ...bumping up K appeared to bring the color back...being as I made no other changes...took about 3-5 days but definate change...

I test as well as dose.

 

[vic5hands]

Hard to test
Use Red Sea test kit

 

[UpNorthTom]

I test potassium once a week with the Salifert kit. It's easy use and the color change it very easy to detect. I keep mine at the high end of the test, around 470ppm. I do end up dosing it every other week with Red Sea's Coral Colors B which is potassium and Boron.