testing questions/ high alk

[cap11885]

two part question
1) So i use the drop test kits and i had a question about reading the colors. it says to read them against a white back ground in good lighting. do you hold the tube up against your color card or do you hold it a few inches out and view it threw the tube with white behind it?

2) i tested my params just now and got either a PH of 8.0 or a 7.8 depending on how im supposed to read my test via question 1. i also got nitrate 15 it just wont go any lower i dont know why. phosphate at .25, cal at 400, and alk at aprox 18 my test only goes to 12dkh but according to the tred of one drop = to 1 dkh it took me 18 drops to achieve the pale yellow. My leathers and clam arent looking happy at the moment. what should i do?

[nlgill13]

What brand of test kit are you using? 1 drop of titrated = 1dKH sounds a little high...it might be .1ml of titrated = 1dKH

Also how old is the test kit you are using?

[cap11885]

i just got the tests less then a month ago the bottles say exp 12/2016 they are api brand/mars fishcare called reef master test kit. each drop is = to 1dKH or 17.9ppm KH so my results would show 18dKH/332.2 ppm KH

[cap11885]

im just writing what the instructions say.

[nlgill13]

for sure....Well im not experienced with the API Alkalinity test kit. Maybe someone else can chime in.

[jerseygurl]

If your alk really is 18, WOW! And if it was that high your pH should be like 8.2-8.4. Doesn't make sense.

Do you dose for pH or Alk.?

First things first, you need to get your alk down so do a good size water change. You could also dose for cal., if you bring your calcium up alk will go down. And you've got to get your phosphates down so throw a good phos. sponge in there.

I'd consider buying new test kits too, think Seachem or Salifert.

[cap11885]

i only have calcium to dose but i never had to use it yet my cal has never gone below 400. so no i have never dosed alk. and what is a phos. sponge?

[jerseygurl]

It's a product that absorbs phosphate, like Phosguard or Phos-ban. Just make sure you rinse it good before you throw it in

[funkyfish77]

You should take some water to your lfs and have them test your water. Wow 18 that's pretty high you
Have a clam and you don't dose anything? How old is the tank? How big is the tank? Sorry for so many Q's just trying to get an idea of what you have so me an others can help you better.

[disc1]

Originally Posted by jerseygurl

If your alk really is 18, WOW! And if it was that high your pH should be like 8.2-8.4. Doesn't make sense.

How do you figure? Do you know the CO2 concentration in the OPs tank? If not, you can't tell anything about pH from alkalinity alone.

[Humuhumunuku]

Phosphate could lead to a higher alk reading. Do you have a test for magnesium as well? I would get a test kit that has a smaller scale than 1dKh. Does your tank have covers on it or anything like that. Do you have a skimmer adding air to the water? What is the rooms ventilation like. This can all have an effect on CO2 in the aquarium and therefore pH

[jerseygurl]

Originally Posted by disc1

How do you figure? Do you know the CO2 concentration in the OPs tank? If not, you can't tell anything about pH from alkalinity alone.

Alk and pH typically roll together, opposite of calcium. Dose for alk and your pH goes up right. So if you have super high alk I'd expect pH to be on the high end, generally speaking.

If I told you my alk was 18 would you expect a high or low pH?

[cap11885]

ok so i re tested it a few times and im getting a steady 7 for alk. i do have a clam but it dosent seam to suck up calcium like i have heard. i have a 125 its 3 months old i upgraded from my 55. i have a leather and some polyps and shrooms. there is a skimmer in my sump. i have 4 variable powerheads on alternating currents. so my alk and ph are a little low. im going to dose calcium and should i get a ph buffer? i ordered some seachem reef pro. it hasent arrived yet but i hear its good for trace amounts and the like.

also i still need to know how i should read my test tubes? pressed flat against a white background or a few inches away over the white?

thanks everyone. i guess the high alk was just human error. im going to test twice everytime now. and get a phos sponge i hear phos inhibits calcium. but yes i havent needed to dose yet and i have had my clam almost 5-6 months.

[Humuhumunuku]

Get a mag test kit

Then read this http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

I assume pressed against the white background.

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by Humuhumunuku

Get a mag test kit

Then read this http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

I assume pressed against the white background.

I agree with Mr. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. Yeah (bad word) lol.

[cap11885]

so i read the info in the link provided. its a little much to grasp all at once. i slightly understand it more after one reading. i will re-read it a few times to better understand. but if i am to measure against the white background. then my ph is 8.0, my cal is 400, my alk is 7dkh, my phos at .25, i dont have a mag test yet but i will get one soon. oh and my nitrates are relitivly high. 15-20 ppm. if im to understand the article then my nitrates/phos are keeping all my other soluables low. im not sure why my nitrates are so high. i dont over feed i skimm and i dont have any places such as sponges for them to build up. what would and sugesstions be?

[sponger0]

For best situation they should be Mag 1350, Calc 450, alk 9 and phos .03-.04

But depending on what you have in the tank those can vary on the threshold.

For your nitrate issue, we would need to know more about your tank. Bioload, size of tank, the filtration and so on

[Humuhumunuku]

It is very difficult to get a precise reading off any phosphate test kit. All the shades of blue (or whatever) look the same. And 0-.25 is a pretty broad range for something like phosphate. Hanna checker is next on my list.

Your levels don't sound too bad, maybe boost the calc and alk a bit and pH may go up with it, not taht 8.0 is that bad.

15-20 nitrates isn't the worst thing in the world.

The chem relationships can be a bit much at first, but you'll get them. Just understand that alk and calc are limited by mag.

[cap11885]

whats a hanna checker? i made a signature not as much room as i wanted for my tank info.

[Humuhumunuku]