High KH on new tank

[J&T]

Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible too
much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.

100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor. Tank
maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000 ltrs/hours
plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide & marine
blue tubes for lighting.

Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
Temp 26deg C
SG 1.025
PH 8.3-8.6
Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
Nitrite 0.3mg/l
Nitrate 12.5mg/l
Oxygen 5.0mg/l
Phosphate 0.25mg/l
Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)

Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any

[Marc Levenson]

If "Carbonate Hardness is the same as Alkalinity, alkalinity will drop if you
don't add any further buffers to your tank, and you are using RO/DI water. 19
dKH is very high, higher than the scale on my Salifert test kit.

Marc


J&T wrote:

> Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
> except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible too
> much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.
>
> 100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor. Tank
> maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000 ltrs/hours
> plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide & marine
> blue tubes for lighting.
>
> Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
> Temp 26deg C
> SG 1.025
> PH 8.3-8.6
> Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
> Nitrite 0.3mg/l
> Nitrate 12.5mg/l
> Oxygen 5.0mg/l
> Phosphate 0.25mg/l
> Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)
>
> Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Dragon Slayer]

FWIW Marc the Salifert kit is accurate to well above the instruction sheet.

you can add more then a full syringe (of the reagent) (up to 2 maybe more)
and just multiply the total used by 16 if you used 4ml of tank water and 2
drops, or by 32 for 2ml and 1 drop.

example: 2ml tank water w/ 1 drop KH Ind and it takes 1 full syringe and
you have 0.8 left in the second......you used 1.2, so 1.2x32=38.4 dKH

that's how I've been doing the Ca reactors I have setup and its as accurate
as the much more $$$ high range kits IME.

hth
kc

[Marc Levenson]

That's good to know, because I'm soon going to build a Ca reactor of my own.

Marc


Dragon Slayer wrote:

> FWIW Marc the Salifert kit is accurate to well above the instruction sheet.
>
> you can add more then a full syringe (of the reagent) (up to 2 maybe more)
> and just multiply the total used by 16 if you used 4ml of tank water and 2
> drops, or by 32 for 2ml and 1 drop.
>
> example: 2ml tank water w/ 1 drop KH Ind and it takes 1 full syringe and
> you have 0.8 left in the second......you used 1.2, so 1.2x32=38.4 dKH
>
> that's how I've been doing the Ca reactors I have setup and its as accurate
> as the much more $$$ high range kits IME.
>
> hth
> kc

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Chris Taylor]

My tank had similar issues when first set up and went up to 20 dKH. It did
drop on its own after about 4 weeks. Its worth noting that Salifert
Phosphate readings become erroneous if dKH>20 and you're close enough here.

You needn't worry too much about the hardness as the tank is still cycling.
Do you have a calcium test kit? If you're monitoring hardness, you may as
well monitor calcium also.

Are you using RO water? your nitrate readings may wish to see themselves
lower once the tank has cycled. If you're not using RO or DI water you might
want to find some way to reduce nitrates (and phosphates) from your source
water.



"J&T" > wrote in message
...
> Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
> except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible too
> much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.
>
> 100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor. Tank
> maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000
ltrs/hours
> plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide & marine
> blue tubes for lighting.
>
> Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
> Temp 26deg C
> SG 1.025
> PH 8.3-8.6
> Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
> Nitrite 0.3mg/l
> Nitrate 12.5mg/l
> Oxygen 5.0mg/l
> Phosphate 0.25mg/l
> Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)
>
> Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any
>
>

[Dragon Slayer]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> That's good to know, because I'm soon going to build a Ca reactor of my
own.
>
> Marc
>
just curious Marc, are you going with the square design or acrylic tube?

kc

[Marc Levenson]

I'm gonna make Darren's square unit one of these days. I found a decent source
for the regulator and tank finally, so building the reactor is next.

Marc


Dragon Slayer wrote:

> "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > That's good to know, because I'm soon going to build a Ca reactor of my
> own.
> >
> > Marc
> >
> just curious Marc, are you going with the square design or acrylic tube?
>
> kc

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[John]

Thanks for your replies.

I produce my own RO water which I've tested and is phosphate & nitrate free.
I assume the phosphate and nitrate was introduced with the live rock as all
other inputs are supposed to be clean.

Ammonia & Nitrite are rising and the water has developed a green hue .......
so I guess it's started cycling. I haven't installed my calcium reactor yet
...... will wait until cycling is complete and dKH has dropped to 10 or so.
What was your KH value after 4 weeks?

John


"Chris Taylor" > wrote in message
...
>
> My tank had similar issues when first set up and went up to 20 dKH. It did
> drop on its own after about 4 weeks. Its worth noting that Salifert
> Phosphate readings become erroneous if dKH>20 and you're close enough
here.
>
> You needn't worry too much about the hardness as the tank is still
cycling.
> Do you have a calcium test kit? If you're monitoring hardness, you may as
> well monitor calcium also.
>
> Are you using RO water? your nitrate readings may wish to see themselves
> lower once the tank has cycled. If you're not using RO or DI water you
might
> want to find some way to reduce nitrates (and phosphates) from your source
> water.
>
>
>
> "J&T" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
> > except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible
too
> > much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.
> >
> > 100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor. Tank
> > maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000
> ltrs/hours
> > plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide & marine
> > blue tubes for lighting.
> >
> > Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
> > Temp 26deg C
> > SG 1.025
> > PH 8.3-8.6
> > Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
> > Nitrite 0.3mg/l
> > Nitrate 12.5mg/l
> > Oxygen 5.0mg/l
> > Phosphate 0.25mg/l
> > Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)
> >
> > Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any
> >
> >
>
>

[Boomer]

Carbonate hardness is the same as Alk. I would also leave it alone, it will fall in time
on its own. Furthermore, Nitrification will use up Alk components as it proceeds.There are
some nasty means of lowering it but I wouldn't get into it

NH4+(ammonia) + 2 02 + 2 HCO3(Bicarbonate)- ---> NO3(Nitrate) - + H2CO3(Carbonic Acid)
+ H20

--
Boomer

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If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up
"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message ...
: If "Carbonate Hardness is the same as Alkalinity, alkalinity will drop if you
: don't add any further buffers to your tank, and you are using RO/DI water. 19
: dKH is very high, higher than the scale on my Salifert test kit.
:
: Marc
:
:
: J&T wrote:
:
: > Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
: > except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible too
: > much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.
: >
: > 100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor. Tank
: > maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000 ltrs/hours
: > plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide & marine
: > blue tubes for lighting.
: >
: > Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
: > Temp 26deg C
: > SG 1.025
: > PH 8.3-8.6
: > Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
: > Nitrite 0.3mg/l
: > Nitrate 12.5mg/l
: > Oxygen 5.0mg/l
: > Phosphate 0.25mg/l
: > Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)
: >
: > Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any
:
: --
: Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
: Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
: Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
:
:

[....]

i would like to see the plans/finish photos of a homemade ca reactor



"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> I'm gonna make Darren's square unit one of these days. I found a decent
source
> for the regulator and tank finally, so building the reactor is next.
>
> Marc
>

[Marc Levenson]

I built the webpage for Darren, and as soon as he uploads it to his site, I'll
post the link here.

Marc


"...." wrote:

> i would like to see the plans/finish photos of a homemade ca reactor
>
>

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Chris Taylor]

KH Dropped rapidly over the 4 weeks to about 14 and has since taken a couple
of months to get down to a normal 12. 14 isn't a whole lot to worry about
though.

Good luck

Chris


"John" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for your replies.
>
> I produce my own RO water which I've tested and is phosphate & nitrate
free.
> I assume the phosphate and nitrate was introduced with the live rock as
all
> other inputs are supposed to be clean.
>
> Ammonia & Nitrite are rising and the water has developed a green hue
........
> so I guess it's started cycling. I haven't installed my calcium reactor
yet
> ..... will wait until cycling is complete and dKH has dropped to 10 or so.
> What was your KH value after 4 weeks?
>
> John
>
>
> "Chris Taylor" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > My tank had similar issues when first set up and went up to 20 dKH. It
did
> > drop on its own after about 4 weeks. Its worth noting that Salifert
> > Phosphate readings become erroneous if dKH>20 and you're close enough
> here.
> >
> > You needn't worry too much about the hardness as the tank is still
> cycling.
> > Do you have a calcium test kit? If you're monitoring hardness, you may
as
> > well monitor calcium also.
> >
> > Are you using RO water? your nitrate readings may wish to see themselves
> > lower once the tank has cycled. If you're not using RO or DI water you
> might
> > want to find some way to reduce nitrates (and phosphates) from your
source
> > water.
> >
> >
> >
> > "J&T" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Have a new reef tank which was filled 5 days ago - water tests seem ok
> > > except for high KH which I'm not sure what to do about. It's possible
> too
> > > much buffer was added by the supplier who installed my tank.
> > >
> > > 100 gallon tank with Ratz sump/trickle filter/skimmer/calc reactor.
Tank
> > > maturing with 100lbs fresh live rock and rotifers, flow rate 2000
> > ltrs/hours
> > > plus additional flow off 4x1800ltr/hr power heads. Metal Halide &
marine
> > > blue tubes for lighting.
> > >
> > > Test readings at 5.30pm today were:
> > > Temp 26deg C
> > > SG 1.025
> > > PH 8.3-8.6
> > > Total Ammonia 5.0mg/l
> > > Nitrite 0.3mg/l
> > > Nitrate 12.5mg/l
> > > Oxygen 5.0mg/l
> > > Phosphate 0.25mg/l
> > > Carbonate Hardness 19dKH (340ppm)
> > >
> > > Can anybody suggest what action do I need to take? ..... if any
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>