How do you restore depleted potassium?

[jmckdvm]

I just had my water tested by www.aquariumwatertesting.com and learned that my potassium is low. (338; Normal: 350-450). Does anyone know of a potassium supplement made for marine tanks?
Is it safe to use potassium supplements intended for freshwater tanks (which is the only type of supplement I could find; in particular, Seachem's Flourish Potassium, containing potassium sulphate)?

Also, the boron was a little low (1.7; Normal: 3.0-6.0). I know buffers contain boron, but my alkalinity is normal at 3.01. Does anyone know if there is an additive specifically for increasing boron?

Thanks for your help!
Jim

[jansenwrasse]

water softner systems use Potassium Chloride (KCl) it would depend on which system you were planning on using it in but it should not require to much KCl.

Sodium tetraborate would work for boron. 20 mule team borax is a good choice.

[jmckdvm]

Thank you, jansenwrasse,

....but would you mind clarifying "it would depend on which system you were planning on using it"? I'm using it in a marine reef tank.

Is KCL the proper form of potassium rather than pot. sulphate?

I guess the next problem would be how much to add of each. (I was hoping to find a commercial product made for aquarium use with dosages provided with product).

How sure are you that Borax is safe?....that seems a little scarey :)

[PSam]

I use Fauna Marin's potassium supplement.

I also don't believe awt's K results.

[HowardW]

Warner Marine makes a nice potassium suplement, however if you look at AWT's "salt tests" they came up with low potassium numbers for every salt brand they tested, so I may not be so quick to begin dosing potassium based on your AWT test results alone.....JMO.

[einsteins]

K overdose can be fatal to your tank!

You need to get a K test kit from Fauna Marin or Zeovit. I dont recoment adding K without a test kit.

Both of those companies have a K additive that you can purchase.
I believe that you wont want to take K past 400ppm 380 is NSW.

The Warner Marine looks very cheap compared to the others but it will take so much more of it to raise your K levels (its ok to use as a maintenance dose once levels are where you need them) that it makes more sense to go with the FM or Zeo additives.

Salifert has a boron additive also....check the online stores I dont remember which store I got mine from.

Hope that helps....

eins

[jansenwrasse]

I was refering to the number of tanks you have listed under current tanks ;) there are quite a few there and how much to dose would depend on which tank.

The effects of elevated K and low K levels I do not know If it were to be fatal I would probably not dose it, but again I do not know much about K in marine tanks :)

Good Luck!

[jansenwrasse]

The borax is fine to use. I have used it several times :)

Cl is a major ion in seawater and would be forgiving of elevated Cl levels, KSO4 would also be a fine choice just go with the better purity product.

[jmckdvm]

Thanks everyone for your help.

I will order test kits that were recommended and commercially available solutions of potassium and boron. I guess I should have been testing for these elements all along, but am excited that at least my water chemistry, and corals, can only get better now!

PSam and Howard W: I would think that AWT's analytical equipment has got to be a lot better than the inexpensive test kits available to us...so, I wonder why you don't have confidence in them. I was pretty excited to learn about them plan to use them on a regular basis (unless convinced to do otherwise).

[HowardW]

<<< PSam and Howard W: I would think that AWT's analytical equipment has got to be a lot better than the inexpensive test kits available to us...so, I wonder why you don't have confidence in them. I was pretty excited to learn about them plan to use them on a regular basis (unless convinced to do otherwise). >>>



If you do a search there are quite a few posts here from some very knowledgeable people who clearly said they neither trust nor believe some of AWT's test results, and I believe potassium may be one of them. That's why I said I would not necessarily begin dosing potassium based on their results only.

[PrangeWay]

my AWT potassium results, KZ K kit and Fauna Martin K kit all come at least ballpark close (20 or 40 ppm or so) which I guess is as good as I'm gonna get.

PW