alkalinity too high??

[addicted2reefin]

i just did a test with my salifert kit and got a alk of 15.4 or 5.5 meg/l. ph is around 8.3 - 8.4 so thats not off.

doesn't a high kh and an uncorresponding level of ph mean the system is not ionically ballanced?? unbalanaced levels of mag/calc?

[Percula9]

Let the alk level go down on its own, don't add any buffer. A high alk doesn't mean a high level of pH. The alkalinity of the water not only prevents pH from going to low but also to high. It buffers both sides of the pH scale. You can still have high alk and low pH due to high levels of CO2 in your house. I wouldn't say your water is ionically unbalanced. What are the levels of calcium and magnesium?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

doesn't a high kh and an uncorresponding level of ph mean the system is not ionically ballanced?? unbalanaced levels of mag/calc?

No, if the test is accurate, it just means you've added too much alkalinity somehow.