Help with very high KH

[Firestarter]

Guys,

I have this problem with very high KH.

KH: 13

CAL: 440

I am using Red Sea salt (normal type, not the pro) and tested the freshly mixed salt to be KH: 8 & CAL 380.

Previously I was dripping kalk which explains the increase in KH & CAL, but I've since stopped dripping it for a week.

The last I checked before doing a 10% water change, my KH was 11, CAL 400

I dosed Seachem Reef calcium hoping to lower the KH and increase my CAL.

Two days later I tested again and my KH increased to 13, CAL was 440.

Any idea what can contribute to the increase in KH? I'm stumped.

Only other thing I dosed was RedSea Reef Energy A & B, and one tablet of bacteria (which I can't remember the brand).

Hope anyone here can help.

[Firestarter]

Just did a KH test. KH has dropped back down to 11. How do you guys get an accuate regime for testing the drop in KH and CAL?

[hammy]

What type of coral are u keeping. KH will decreases with time. of course u can change water with a good salt mix. IMO, 11 for kH is quite comfortable. without doing anything significant, your kH will decrease with time.

accuracy in testing is diiferent for different brand of testkit. most of us .... agar agar the colour change, we take that reading for DD testkit, the colour definition is good and they also state it is valid for certain time frame for nitrate.

[bezz]

Just did a KH test. KH has dropped back down to 11. How do you guys get an accuate regime for testing the drop in KH and CAL?

I've done Alk tests with both Salifert and Red Sea test kits and both gave me same results so should be quite reliable.

One way I use to determine the change is colour is by doing the tests on a white table or paper, under white LED lights and checking for colour change from top down instead of side ways. This way, I can detect colour changes very reliably.

[Firestarter]

I'm using API test kits. Planning to switch to Salifert when its finished as I read that API can be inaccurate.

I'm keeping SPS only.

One more qns guys, is the consumption of KH and CAL constant? How many days to wait to determine the tank consumption rate? I do not want to let the KH and CAL drop too low though.

[kenny1111]

if u do not have alot or Big colony of SPS in tank, the KH & CA consumption rate should be quite constant. unless u add in colony of SPS.

But remember your SPS will grow and the consumption do increase over time. need to check constantly.

[black tank]

It best to determine the KH value, eg 9dkh. Test kh every 24 hr to determine the consumption n add sodium bicarbonate by trial n error to maintain. Check every alternate day n make necessary adjustment. Take note that if u add more sps, check the kh n cal consumption again.

[Firestarter]

Thanks for the advice guys. Guess its all based on trial and error.

[nicreef]

Get the hanna checker...i got so fed up with manual testing decided to use hanna checker to minize human error (i really suck at those test kit)