High KH/Alk; How do I lower it

Fishfish0001 · 12/15/2010, 07:10 PM

Hi all.

My KH/Alk is almost reaching 15 right now, and I'm not sure if it should ever be this high. How do I go about lowering it back to an acceptable range? Im about to test my calcium for the first time if that has any impact on Alk.

I would asume water changes would do it, but is there something else I should be checking?

Sea-nut · 12/15/2010, 07:21 PM

Are you adding anything to your tank ? If you not then it shouldn't be that high.
Test your Kalk again . If it is that high do small water changes.
What ever you do ,do it real slow.

Fishfish0001 · 12/15/2010, 07:32 PM

Ill test again later tonight. I haven't been adding anything unusual. Just my normal Iodine, and Reef Supplements after water changes. I had added Iodine a few minuets before I tested, although I don't see how that would have impacted it. I might have put a little too much calcium in the tank after the water change, but my Calcium test kit appears to be destroyed, since I got it used (cheapo me).

Is it anything really dangerous right now, or will my normal water changes slowly even out the problem?

mallorieGgator · 12/15/2010, 07:39 PM

Unless you have a lot of corals, you don't need to dose supplements. It should come in your salt already. The only reason to dose is if you have many stony corals growing well which will use up a lot of calcium, magnesium, etc.

Fishfish0001 · 12/15/2010, 07:55 PM

Thanks for the advice. Will stop dosing things for now

Going to keep dosing Iodine though as my nem seems to do a little better when I add some, and I've read that they need some.

brandon7491 · 12/15/2010, 07:58 PM

stop dosing and do a water change. I would not dose iodine daily due to the fact that there is not a great test kit for it and because iodine is very plentiful in the salt we use. Follow the directions on the iodine bottle. Do not try to do to much or try to hard, your tank is only 14gallons and unecessary dosing will only cause more harm than good.

Fishfish0001 · 12/15/2010, 08:09 PM

I don't dose every day, maybe once a week, and about half of what is recommended for a tank my size. Thanks for all the advice. Will do a water change tomorrow since I have the day off school.

sslak · 12/16/2010, 09:53 AM

With a 14g tank you don't need to dose anything, in fact if you stop dosing you may see things doing better.

Water changes are plenty. I ran a 14g Biocube for years and did nothing but water changes.

Fishfish0001 · 12/16/2010, 10:21 PM

Awesome. I tested today and it was back at 9 so it appears it was an odd test result. Thanks guys!

12/15/2010, 07:10 PM	#1
Fishfish0001 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Posts: 353	High KH/Alk; How do I lower it Hi all. My KH/Alk is almost reaching 15 right now, and I'm not sure if it should ever be this high. How do I go about lowering it back to an acceptable range? Im about to test my calcium for the first time if that has any impact on Alk. I would asume water changes would do it, but is there something else I should be checking? __________________ 14 Gallon Biocube - 1 Maroon Clownfish, 1 Fireshrimp, 1 Pincushin Urchin, GSP, BTA Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube; 1 Maroon Clownfish, a few small corals, Fire Shrimp

12/15/2010, 07:21 PM	#2
Sea-nut Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 263	Are you adding anything to your tank ? If you not then it shouldn't be that high. Test your Kalk again . If it is that high do small water changes. What ever you do ,do it real slow. __________________ . Current Tank Info: 120 gallon Reef , 40 gallon frag tank , 75gallon sump, 36gallon planted, Deltec APF600 skimmer, Nova Extreme T5

12/15/2010, 07:32 PM	#3
Fishfish0001 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Posts: 353	Ill test again later tonight. I haven't been adding anything unusual. Just my normal Iodine, and Reef Supplements after water changes. I had added Iodine a few minuets before I tested, although I don't see how that would have impacted it. I might have put a little too much calcium in the tank after the water change, but my Calcium test kit appears to be destroyed, since I got it used (cheapo me). Is it anything really dangerous right now, or will my normal water changes slowly even out the problem? __________________ 14 Gallon Biocube - 1 Maroon Clownfish, 1 Fireshrimp, 1 Pincushin Urchin, GSP, BTA Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube; 1 Maroon Clownfish, a few small corals, Fire Shrimp

12/15/2010, 07:55 PM	#5
Fishfish0001 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Posts: 353	Thanks for the advice. Will stop dosing things for now Going to keep dosing Iodine though as my nem seems to do a little better when I add some, and I've read that they need some. __________________ 14 Gallon Biocube - 1 Maroon Clownfish, 1 Fireshrimp, 1 Pincushin Urchin, GSP, BTA Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube; 1 Maroon Clownfish, a few small corals, Fire Shrimp

12/15/2010, 08:09 PM	#7
Fishfish0001 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Posts: 353	I don't dose every day, maybe once a week, and about half of what is recommended for a tank my size. Thanks for all the advice. Will do a water change tomorrow since I have the day off school. __________________ 14 Gallon Biocube - 1 Maroon Clownfish, 1 Fireshrimp, 1 Pincushin Urchin, GSP, BTA Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube; 1 Maroon Clownfish, a few small corals, Fire Shrimp

12/15/2010, 07:39 PM	#4
mallorieGgator Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Gainesville, Fl Posts: 1,134	Unless you have a lot of corals, you don't need to dose supplements. It should come in your salt already. The only reason to dose is if you have many stony corals growing well which will use up a lot of calcium, magnesium, etc.

12/15/2010, 07:58 PM	#6
brandon7491 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: tampa,fl Posts: 850	stop dosing and do a water change. I would not dose iodine daily due to the fact that there is not a great test kit for it and because iodine is very plentiful in the salt we use. Follow the directions on the iodine bottle. Do not try to do to much or try to hard, your tank is only 14gallons and unecessary dosing will only cause more harm than good.

12/16/2010, 09:53 AM	#8
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	With a 14g tank you don't need to dose anything, in fact if you stop dosing you may see things doing better. Water changes are plenty. I ran a 14g Biocube for years and did nothing but water changes. __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

12/16/2010, 10:21 PM	#9
Fishfish0001 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Posts: 353	Awesome. I tested today and it was back at 9 so it appears it was an odd test result. Thanks guys! __________________ 14 Gallon Biocube - 1 Maroon Clownfish, 1 Fireshrimp, 1 Pincushin Urchin, GSP, BTA Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube; 1 Maroon Clownfish, a few small corals, Fire Shrimp

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