water test parameter

[ANDREA]

good morning...
all this week i try to fix up all my parameter but i have searius problem with alkalinity is way off the chart

calcium 450ppm
salinity 34ppt
temperature 82F
ph 8.4
magnesium 1200
ammonia 0
nitrite0
nitrateo
and ALKALINITY +/- 500
HOW I CAN LOWER MY ALKALINITY TO A GOOD 200PPM????

 

[yote]

I'll bet that you got a bad test kit there.Either that or made a mistake testing,which is easy to do.
But just in case,lets start with with :
What brand salt are you using?
what are you dosing and how much?

 

[ANDREA]

for calcium red see
mg red sea for the rest i use master liquid test
salt i use istan ocean and i pre mix in the bucket and make sure salinity and gravity are good and then transfer to my tank
for the alkalinity i use test strip because i dont have any other test now to use, monday i will have in the mail a new test kit from salfert ...
i dont trust the test strip at all but if my ph is good why my alk.. is off that much for a test strip
Sorry for my english but i am from italy .....
maybe i should wait monday before do anything to the tank,
****what can happen IF my alkalinity is very high???***

 

[Bifferwine]

I would also bet it's a bad test kit. If your alkalinity was too high, stuff in your tank would be dying. Have you added any chemicals that raise alkalinity? Have you added baking soda?

 

[sen5241b]

Take water sample to LFS. They actually need a few pints to really do the whole gamut of tests.

 

[ccCapt]

500ppm (10 meq/l or 28 dKH) is impossible. You either tested incorrectly or you need a new test kit.

 

[tankedchemist]

maybe i should wait monday before do anything to the tank,
****what can happen IF my alkalinity is very high???***

yes, wait for monday. Test strips are extremely inaccurate, and alk test strips are generally made for freshwater, not saltwater, so I'd expect the results to be even more inaccurate than other test strips are. Run the alk test tomorrow when you get a proper test kit. good luck :)

 

[ANDREA]

I will let you know tonight......

 

[ANDREA]

OK I JUST DID THE TEST AND I HAVE VERY LOW ALKALINITY 1.3 DKH
i see in the forum people is using baking soda for the alkalinity to go up..
now is the question how much baking soda can i statr with in my 75 gl ????
this is the first time i am testing alkalinity in +/_ 16 month
thank you for your help

 

[ANDREA]

how you do with the baking soda need to be baked???

 

[yote]

Run that test again.You've gone from one extreme to the other.
What brand kit did you get?

 

[ANDREA]

SALIFERT KH/ALKALINITY TEST KIT
at this point i don't know what to do......

 

[ANDREA]

maybe i was reading the test with the strip's in the wrong way and was very low!?!?

 

[Bifferwine]

Give it another shot with the Salifert test kit. Whatever you do, don't change anything to fast. If you are going to raise or lower alk, it needs to be done over a period of several days.

 

[ANDREA]

i try the test 3 more time at this point i start to beleve the test is not good because over 4 hr i use all the baking soda from the reef chemistry calculator with any differencenow better stop and order a different test box over night shipping ....
thankx to all and talk to you tomorrow

 

[yote]

You didnt add a whole box of baking soda to your tank did you?
If you did,You shot the alkalinity through the roof.

 

[Bifferwine]

i try the test 3 more time at this point i start to beleve the test is not good because over 4 hr i use all the baking soda from the reef chemistry calculator with any differencenow better stop and order a different test box over night shipping ....
thankx to all and talk to you tomorrow

Give it another shot with the Salifert test kit. Whatever you do, don't change anything to fast. If you are going to raise or lower alk, it needs to be done over a period of several days.

......

 

[ANDREA]

no i didn't just 20 tsp but after that i stop and change some water because the test is not working i order next day air a Red Sea Alkalinity Pro Lab Test Kit
for see if there is any difference in the test...hope the tank will be ok
now is all ok will see tomorrow morning if are all alive
my ph is good 8.2 and all the rest are in a good range

 

[yote]

Go to your LFS in the morning and get you an API GH/KH test kit.
They are the easiest to use and will you get you close enough for half the price.

 

[ANDREA]

Red Sea kit is not good??!!