Suggestions for bringing down really High KH

[vetteguy53081]

Ok, thanks. I will test the KH in the new water to see what it is. They also told me @ lfs that I shouldn't add all of the salt mix @ once in the bucket, 1 scoop @ a time then mix it, then repeat. Something about disapating elements. Never heard that before.

Time to seek a new LFS.

 

[Fishguy1079]

Time to seek a new LFS.

Let me ask you this with the KH. I've got live sand and live rock in the tank but no corals or inverts yet. I've been wanting to add some softies(mushrooms and polyps) to the tank but it's been so screwed up I haven't dared. Is it true that once I have corals in the tank it'll pretty much take care of my high KH problem? Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Let me ask you this with the KH. I've got live sand and live rock in the tank but no corals or inverts yet. I've been wanting to add some softies(mushrooms and polyps) to the tank but it's been so screwed up I haven't dared. Is it true that once I have corals in the tank it'll pretty much take care of my high KH problem? Thanks!

To clarify. . . part of the problem is no corals. Once you add coral especially stony/sps type, they will consume alk and balance the level for you

 

[Fishguy1079]

To clarify. . . part of the problem is no corals. Once you add coral especially stony/sps type, they will consume alk and balance the level for you

Thanks! Well that's good to know. That will at least take care of one tank. But my 210 is more predator(puffers, triggers, lionfish, Angels, stingray eventually) and i wasn't planning on getting any corals for it. For that tank is the only way to keep it down water changes and cutting back on ph increaseer if PH isn't too low?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks! Well that's good to know. That will at least take care of one tank. But my 210 is more predator(puffers, triggers, lionfish, Angels, stingray eventually) and i wasn't planning on getting any corals for it. For that tank is the only way to keep it down water changes and cutting back on ph increaseer if PH isn't too low?

best and safest way. Try a small box of instant ocean versus reef crystals and see if alk is lower

 

[Fishguy1079]

best and safest way. Try a small box of instant ocean versus reef crystals and see if alk is lower

Ok. Thanks again for your help, I appreciate it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it true that once I have corals in the tank it'll pretty much take care of my high KH problem? Thanks!

Many soft corals do not consume any alkalinity, while a few use a small amount to make internal spicules (leather corals, for example).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks! Well that's good to know. That will at least take care of one tank. But my 210 is more predator(puffers, triggers, lionfish, Angels, stingray eventually) and i wasn't planning on getting any corals for it. For that tank is the only way to keep it down water changes and cutting back on ph increaseer if PH isn't too low?

pH increaser is a very poor way to raise pH in a low alk demand tank since it must raise alkalintiy. It also likely is not the best chemical for even that purpose. If you want to raise pH with a chemical, sodium hydroxide is the best you can do, but note that it also raises alkalinity.

 

[Fishguy1079]

Many soft corals do not consume any alkalinity, while a few use a small amount to make internal spicules (leather corals, for example).

Got any suggestions for some hardy, low to moderate light corals that do?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Got any suggestions for some hardy, low to moderate light corals that do?

I would not pick corals based on their alk lowering potential, since lowering alk is not hard, but some that may fit that description include:

Bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
Trumpet coral (Caulastrea furcata)
frogspawn (euphyllia)
Hammer Coral (Euphyllia ancora)

 

[I never finish anythi]

Where do you get the source water from ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

With patience, performing 20% water changes every 5 days will gradually bring it down But assure when you mix new water that the alk level is not already high from salt mix. One method I used that worked was adding small amounts of vinegar every 24 hours BUT if you do this, assure PH is not affected.

I do not recommend vinegar for this purpose, since as soon as the acetate is metabolized, all the alk comes back.

i recommend sodium bisulfate or hydrochloric acid for this purpose:

Sodium Bisulfate to Reduce Alkalinity in New Salt Water or in Display Tanks

I just want to record these calculations in their own thread to refer back to in other threads. When alkalinity is too high in new salt water or in a display tank, acid can be used to lower the alkalinity. You can easily use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or sodium bifulfate (e.g...

www.reef2reef.com

Muriatic acid?

Can I use this to lower ALK in freshly mixed saltwater.? Do I just add a little bit at a time and test until it gets to the level I would like it?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Fishguy1079]

I would not pick corals based on their alk lowering potential, since lowering alk is not hard, but some that may fit that description include:

Bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
Trumpet coral (Caulastrea furcata)
frogspawn (euphyllia)
Hammer Coral (Euphyllia ancora)

I would not pick corals based on their alk lowering potential, since lowering alk is not hard, but some that may fit that description include:

Bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
Trumpet coral (Caulastrea furcata)
frogspawn (euphyllia)
Hammer Coral (Euphyllia ancora)

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been trying to lower my Alk for while now, just trying to find something that may do it. Doing water changes when everything else is in balance is frustrating.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been trying to lower my Alk for while now, just trying to find something that may do it. Doing water changes when everything else is in balance is frustrating.

Lowering the alk in the new salt water to 1 or 2 dKH makes it a lot faster to lower alk by water change.

 

[Fishguy1079]

Lowering the alk in the new salt water to 1 or 2 dKH makes it a lot faster to lower alk by water change.

Thanks. That makes sense, what would you use to lower it ?

 

[Fishguy1079]

Where do you get the source water from ?

Currently from the tap(use prime to detoxify), I plan on getting a R/O system when we add a utility sink to our laundry room but right now I have no where put it.

 

[jda]

I don't expect most LFS employees to know this stuff. However, there is no law or rule against them doing so. In general, never believe the LFS without verification. Never believe anything printed on a bottle since there is a cocktail of products being sold that don't do much, others that do nothing and many that overstate or lie about what they do - other than calcium, alk and magnesium supplements, there is no reason to ever use anything in a bottle anyway.

Prime is one of those products that does not do what it says. Just get a cheap dechlorinator and use a drop or two if it and don't support SeaChem with your money, IMO.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. That makes sense, what would you use to lower it ?

I posted the recipe links above.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do not recommend vinegar for this purpose, since as soon as the acetate is metabolized, all the alk comes back.

i recommend sodium bisulfate or hydrochloric acid for this purpose:

Sodium Bisulfate to Reduce Alkalinity in New Salt Water or in Display Tanks

I just want to record these calculations in their own thread to refer back to in other threads. When alkalinity is too high in new salt water or in a display tank, acid can be used to lower the alkalinity. You can easily use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or sodium bifulfate (e.g...

www.reef2reef.com

Muriatic acid?

Can I use this to lower ALK in freshly mixed saltwater.? Do I just add a little bit at a time and test until it gets to the level I would like it?

www.reef2reef.com

Bisulfate, of course. . . forgot about that

 

[Fishguy1079]

Bisulfate, of course. . . forgot about that

Bisulfate, of course. . . forgot about that

Oh okay thanks. I followed the link and have it in my Amazon cart. Thanks! How much do I want to use ? When I do water changes I use 5 gallon buckets . Also my magnesium is fairly low and it was recommended that if I increased it it may help bring down alkalinity and balance things out? It was suggested to me that if I were to add magnesium to the new saltwater before adding it to the tank that should drop the KH before putting it in the tank and that may be the safest way to lower it. Thoughts please