KH is 16 in new saltwater mix?
 

I have heated and aerated my saltwater mixture for 48 hours and tested the KH and it is at 16. My tank is about 11.5. I am using instant ocean salt and my water is being filtered with a tap water filter that I got for aquariums from J & L. Is it likely the filter is increasing my KH? I rolled the salt bucket around before getting the salt out. Is there something I can use to decrease the KH before adding it to my tank so I don't have to do a new mix?

Leanne

I got a box of io at christmas, same deal. 15.4 alk, I have just been doing smaller waterchanges, and dosing less alk as a result.

Glad to know it's not just me. I was going to do a 20% water change but just did under 10% instead. Kind of a pain.
Leanne

I had the same problem with IO reef crystals I was up around 17 so smaller water changes more often so the kh could come down on its own. Mines still high around 11 or 12 usually

So far all my bucket of Reef Crystal have been consistant at 10 kh for salinity of 1.025. I have been using Reef Crystal for a year now and it is pretty much consistant after 4 buckets.

With a tank dkh at 11 and your IO water at 16, doing a 20% water change will bump your dkh up to 12, only a single degree. I regularly raised my dkh by a degree in a single dose in a heavily loaded sps/lps tank without concern and have had my dkh up at 15 without observing negative impact on any critters. I would not be concerned with doing a full 20% water change. As for cutting your dkh down, liquid phosphate destroyers such as Brad's (Tailored Aquatics) primarily react with phosphate and once depleted, start to pull your dkh down. If I recall correctly, with no phosphate in my tank, one dose of Brad's stuff pulled my dkh down about 1 degree, but again, I don't see the need to do this in your situation.

Thanks for all the replys. And the math lesson Dan. It's good to know that if it gets higher than 12 hopefully nothing too major will happen with the tank. It's just kind of funny since everyone says to do water changes to get the alkalinity down, but in my case up!

Leanne

Yep. Just measured my new batch of IO. It was 16dkh

Well glad I switched to reef crystals but I have. Ever had a problem with IO

So is this a bad batch of IO salt or what? Or is IO salt always at 16 for the KH?

Leanne