Soooo I have no clue what im doing, what am i doing wrong?

[pinchiegringo]

help me out here with my water issues please

Bear with me i know im screwed but please help anyway lol

My Tank is a 75g (former freshwater)
Beet running it since mid/late october
HOB Aquean Filter 75/90
Eheim 2217 Canister Filter
Prizm Duluxe Hang on skimmer (waiting for Reff Octopus bh2000 to show up)
90 lbs of rock (30 live, 60 base)
90 lbs of mixed live sand
Jager 150w Heater
Odyessa HO T5 light with 1 10k 1 zoo-med 420 actinic and two other blues.

I run the temp at 78-79f

And i mix Using Reef Crystals Salt.


now

Salinity is 1.024
CA2 420
PO3 0
NO3 10ppm
NO2 0
NH3 0
KH ?????

Im using API test kits and 1 Safilert and here is my issue

KH using API i ended up using 26 drops using their method thats like 26 roughly?

KH/Alk and using the Safilert it took 1.7ml and im yet to understand this one.

whats the best way to fix this?

I just did a 40gallon wc a week and a half ago and im willing to bet my only option is to go buy some RO/DI. but im looking for any other options also

[sasharotty]

Is there a question in there somewhere? What are you trying to "fix"? Are you cycling?

[capt85]

I am not familiar with the api but if you only use that much on the salifert if you relate it to the sheet included ypu are looking at a dkh of about 2.4 but that sounds WAY to low.

[disc1]

Maybe you are reading it wrong. Did the plunger go all the way down to the .17 mark on the syringe? Or did it barely move?

If it went almost all the way down, then the alkalinity is high (like with the API test). If it barely moved then the alkalinity is way low.

Either way we can fix it, but I have a feeling there's something or another going wrong with your test.

[pinchiegringo]

i had to fill the 1 ml syringe twice so in total 1.7 ml

so yeah my ? is about the dkh and kh/alk

[blanden.adam]

I don't believe that result unless you have been dosing something with alkalinity in it. How new is the Salifert kit?

[pinchiegringo]

I don't believe that result unless you have been dosing something with alkalinity in it. How new is the Salifert kit?

2 weeks old no dosing at all

i left out the part about my water its filtered tap water that i mix using a rubbermaid tub with a heater in it using a small pool filter with a bag of carbon and a bag of phosban, treat with kordans amquel plus. i did use API proper ph 8.2 in the last batch of water.

all my cards are on the table now lol

[blanden.adam]

First, I'd stop panicing. Then, I'd switch to RO/DI (just by a system, you'll save a ton of money and time in the long run), but that number is still really high. That gives you an alkalinity of > 25 dKH, which if frankly absurd :P.

The API proper pH could have bumped your alkalinity, but that would still be a lot. What is the alkalinity of your purified freshwater (before salt), and then what is the alkalinity of a freshly mixed batch of saltwater? Also, I wouldn't use buffer products like that ever. pH will take care of itself generally, and for dosing calcium an alkalinity use one of the 3 tried and true methods (kalkwasser, 2-part, calcium reactor).

[pinchiegringo]

After reading the api proper pH I'm starting to think I found my culprit

[pinchiegringo]

First, I'd stop panicing. Then, I'd switch to RO/DI (just by a system, you'll save a ton of money and time in the long run), but that number is still really high. That gives you an alkalinity of > 25 dKH, which if frankly absurd :P.

The API proper pH could have bumped your alkalinity, but that would still be a lot. What is the alkalinity of your purified freshwater (before salt), and then what is the alkalinity of a freshly mixed batch of saltwater? Also, I wouldn't use buffer products like that ever. pH will take care of itself generally, and for dosing calcium an alkalinity use one of the 3 tried and true methods (kalkwasser, 2-part, calcium reactor).

Testing the purified water before salt comes out at .08

Still gotta convince the wifey on the RO/DI she's almost there

Oh yeah not panicking either just got a bad case of the wtfs lol

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k312/pinchiegringo/20130206_205236.jpg

[reeftivo]

After reading the api proper pH I'm starting to think I found my culprit
Lots of carbonates, yes?

[bertoni]

The Proper pH is in fact an alkalinity supplement. I'd stop using it immediately.

[pinchiegringo]

gonna mix a fresh batch of water and start changing it out.