Alk. Dosing help.

[reeflife89]

I'm still in the process of setting everything up I want the levels of everything balanced before I add anything. Looking for the best solution to the low alk/ph. Also different brands of tests for these perhaps. I'm using seachem currently.

[asylumdown]

What test kits are you using?

I've been using H2Ocean for a year, and I've found it to be really high in all components - really high in calcium, alk, and magnesium. The last time I tested a fresh batch of H2Ocean I think the alk was somewhere in the 10-11 range, and the pH was definitely above 8. I haven't ever needed to dose magnesium because there's so much of it in the salt.

I'd try testing your water with another test kit before I started adding things to the water

[reeflife89]

Is there any preference you have of test kits?

[reeflife89]

I think I'm just going to go and get a couple different high end tests and compare. I can't understand the results much either.

[PurpleMonkey]

Maybe bring a sample of your water in to JL and ask them to test it? At a pH of 7, your rock would be dissolving.

[gregzz4]

If your current test kits and pH probe are correct, bringing your alk up to around 8dkh ( 2.85 meq/l ) will probably bring your ca down to a more acceptable level and increase your pH

I use Elos kits for the Big 3

As suggested, get J&L to test it for you before you spend any dough unnecessarily

Until I start buying the bulk stuff, I use Reef Builder for Alk, and Reef Advantage for Ca

[asylumdown]

Originally Posted by reeflife89

I'm still in the process of setting everything up I want the levels of everything balanced before I add anything. Looking for the best solution to the low alk/ph. Also different brands of tests for these perhaps. I'm using seachem currently.

Sorry didn't see that.

Seachem reef status? That's weird, I always found that to be a really reliable test. Maybe someone else can chime in, but I have a hard time gronking that H2Ocean can be mixing with such low alk - After every water change with it my alk jumps measurably, from 8 to 9 usually. I'm presently using Red Sea tests, and they've been pretty consistent. Your calcium reading looks spot on though, H2Ocean has tons of it.