stupid question

[CEDRIC]

i bought the Salifert KH/ALK tester because i cant seem to get my ph up to 8.3 ....its reading between 8.0 and 8.1....here is the question,

Youre supposed to add the KH with the little syringe to the solution until it turns from a blue/green color to a reddish pink...what happens if it never turns?......meaning i added the KH-ind to the water like it said and took 1ml of KH and started adding, it never turn from the blue geen color...the instruction doesnt say get another 1.0 ml....i have some kent super buffer should i add this......by the way i dont have a water softner on the house.....does that make a diff..

[::pete::]

If it never changed its VERY HIGH. Try it again and if that is still the case fill the syringe again and then when it changes add the 2 together.

If that is the case you need to lower it. This can be done with water changes gradually.

Is there any livestock in the tank?

[CEDRIC]

yea i have a few triggers and a eel......if it is to high, how do i lower it?

[Richard]

The kit reads up to 16 dKH. If you are using tap water you could be over that in which case you just get another ml and add 16 to that reading. Also test your tap water - if is very high (my well water is about 15dKH) then that could be the source of your problem. This is really too high and you should start using RO/DI water - for top off at the minimum.

If your tap water is not too high then I would suspect that you have a bad test kit. Maybe try it on someone else's water for comparison. I would think it is unlikely you would have driven it that high unless you were adding way too much buffer.

[CEDRIC]

i just changed my water all the other readings are good....i added 2 of those calcium squares about 2 weeks ago..

[GaryP]

Cedric,

If your alkalinity is in fact as high as we seem to think it is, all you did by adding the calcium cubes is make more sand. As the calcium dissolved it would immediately react with the very high carbonate concentration and precipitate as calcium carbonate (sand).

In a reef tank we try to maintain a balance between alkalinity and calcium. Im my reef tank, I try to keep the alkalinity around 8 and the calcium around 425. If either calcium or alkalinity is to high you have reached a saturation point and the addition of eith just causes precipitation of calcium carbonate. In some cases this can cause a "blizzard" where the water turns white.

It looks like you are running a fish only tank but even so calcium is important to fish too. It has an effect on stimulating their appetite. Calcium and alkalinity is not as important in a fish only tank but it should be tested for and kept at least close to seawater concentrations.

Gary

P.S. There is no such thing as a stupid question. That's what we are here for. To help folks like you that are just getting started in the hobby. Please feel free to ask anything we can help with.