KH 170, Ca 260, Can't get it up.

[Myanth]

I do not have a mg test kit. That will be the first answer I am sure. But here goes.

I have my calcium at 260-280 and cannot get it any higher. I have been using aragamilk and seachem reef calcium. My KH is 170. I should be adding Mg right?

This will lower my KH and allow for more dissolution of Ca.

I think.
Thanks
Mike

[seashells]

Need to know your Mg readings for a start. Use something like kents dkh superbuffer and turbo calcium to get into range then an ionic combination to maintain. I would read over this link first: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Myanth

I do not have a mg test kit. That will be the first answer I am sure. But here goes.

I have my calcium at 260-280 and cannot get it any higher. I have been using aragamilk and seachem reef calcium. My KH is 170. I should be adding Mg right?

This will lower my KH and allow for more dissolution of Ca.

I think.
Thanks
Mike

Ok, first you need to test your Mg, but you also need to test your ALK and not give us a KH as most probably don't even know what that one is.. I use KH for my fresh water tanks but I don't bother for my salt.

if you can get Alk, Ph, Sg, we could make a pretty good guess of the issue but the only real way to know would be to add Mg in there also.

Steve

[Murminator]

Mike try the Seachem powder that I use I never have an issue couple teaspoons a week of calcium and Mag.
......as for getting it up I can't help you with that

[Myanth]

KH is carbonate hardness, or Alk is it not? And it seems like it is remarkably high. It should be in the 100-120 range and it is 170. I will be double dosing Mg this morning. It has a warning that it can reduce KH, but that's what I want. I will get an Mg test kit soon. I have not dosed Mg at all in this tank but used to have to suppliment weekly in my 10 gallon to keep KH down and Ca up. Hopefully the Ca will come up after that. Has anyone tried the liquid reactor Ca suppliment. The LFS had nothing but good to say about it.

[Myanth]

It's GH, or general hardness for fresh water, and KH for salt, being the total disolved carbonates, or Alkalinity of the water. It's ability to neutralize acids.

That's how I understood it. I could be wrong.

PH is 8.3,
temp 78-79,
SG 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <5

[Beverly]

I have used Aquarium Pharmaceuticals KH test kit for measuring alk in my reefs for years. It's not as refined a test kit as I assume Salifert's would be, but it is still a good test kit.

Myanth, what I don't understand is the number 170. Is that ppm, dKH, meq/L? It's got to be ppm, as dKH and meq/L don't add up to me at all. If you convert the 170 to dKH (should be on your test instructions), what number do you get?

[Ruth]

IMO you are taking a chance dosing magnesium without testing first to see where it is at and if that is your problem. I would get a mag. test, make sure your calcium and alk/KH tests are not expired and go from there.
If you can't get test kits right away an interim measure may be to do a couple of large water changes as "most" salt mixes are pretty close to being balanced - give or take a little.

[Myanth]

I am not sure what the 170 is but I'll check when I get home. It says that a normal aquarium should be 100-120 and if you are lower add buffer and higher consult an aquarium store. Using IO salt and have always had this problem. I am using and have always used nano-filtered well water. May have higher disolved solids. Using Nutrifin test kit where you add drops and multiply result by 10. took 17-18 drops to get the lime colour. I will check what the measure is when I get home.

Mike

[Ruth]

As a good reference point natural sea water has a KH of 8dKH or alkalinity of 2.9 meg/L.