Buffer question

[jaded]

In an earlier post I reported these test results

Calcium concentrated in ppm: 415
KH value in dKH: 7.7
Alkalinity in meq/L: 2.74

I was told that I should add buffer to raise the dKH to 8-12 (my goal is 10). I have search for an hour now and I cant find a clear way to do this. Can someone give me a step by step proceedure?

I doubt if you need all the info below but I already had it typed out so I figured what the heck!!!


Heres where I am now:

• 1. I've been doing water changes battling a spike after the new tank was moved to the house about 6 weeks ago.
  2. I figure I still have a little work to do before the levels are solid at 0 (currently: trace of ammonia, 5-10 Nitrate, 0 Nitrite, 8.2-8.3 PH)
  3. I don't run rodi water, I have plans to add a system nest week
  4. The temp issue seems to be solved... solid 80° with very little flux day/night

Inhabitant:

• 1 Hippo ~4"
  1 Scopas ~4.5"
  1 Tomato Clown
  1 Purple Fire Fish
  1 Abili Angle
  1 Mandarin Goby
  1 Lawnmower Blenny
  1 cleaner shrimp
  1 coral banded shrimp
  lots of emerald crabs, hermits, snails...
  ~175 lbs LR
  ~LS bed (~2.5"

Equipment:

• 135rr
  3 250w MH (1 10K, 2 12K)
  2 48" 54w T5 actinic
  50 gallon sump/fuge. The fuge is new with rubble, new "seeded" sand & pompom xenia only but I'm picking up cheato tomorrow
  32" dual beckett skimmer running well
  Dart return pushing most of the water back to the skimmer so my tank is getting under 1000gph

Reef Life:

• frog spawn with about 5 heads
  bubble coral
  Bali xenia
  many zoo colonies
  many mushrooms (purple, red, green, frilly...)
  colt
  ricordia
  unidentified coral that looks like a small "stubby" kenya tree
  cabbage leather
  devils hand leather
  other stuff I'm forgetting

[Richard]

Well you can can add an off the shelf buffer such as Kent super buffer (dissolve in di/ro water first) or the alkalinity part (part 1 I think) of B-ionic if your using that. I like to keep my alkalinity around 10 DKH.

Some might say just use baking soda but I like to use a balanced buffer (carbonates & bicarbonates). You can make your own with baking soda and I think washing soda. I'm sure GaryP can give you the recipe.

BTW, are you using two seperate test kits to measure alkalinity(meq/l) and one for KH(dKH)? If so, it really isn't necessary since they are the exact same thing. (meq/l * 2.8 = dKH)

[jaded]

I used the salifert test (both)