Hello everyone. I was curious to know where everyone keeps their Alkalinity levels at. I'm waiting to test mine in the morning and curious as to what is the recommended range for a Reef Aquarium. Also I was curious to know how to stabalize Alkalinity within the Reef Aquarium if it is to high or to low? If anyone can point me to some good documentation on how Alkalinity is related to the Reef Aquarium that would be great.

recommeded range is:
meg/L: 3.5-4.5
dKH: 9-12

180 gallon Reef Aquarium Test Readings Thursday, July 27, 2006

Temp: 79.9
Salinity: 1.025ppm
Alkalinity: 17dkh
Calcium: 440ppm
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

I think my Alkalinity is out of the recommended range but still within acceptable. How do I get it down? Any thoughts on this?

180 gallon Reef Aquarium Test Readings Thursday, July 27, 2006

Temp: 79.9
Salinity: 1.025ppm
Alkalinity: 17dkh
Calcium: 440ppm
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm

I think my Alkalinity is out of the recommended range but still within acceptable. How do I get it down? Any thoughts on this?

Alkalinity: 17dkh?

That is what the test said. It's a brand new Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Test Kit. started to turn to the final color aroun 14 or 15 drops which each drop represents 1dkh then it was completely yellow at 17 so 17dkh was the final reading. Any thoughts on this?

That is what the test said. It's a brand new Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Test Kit. started to turn to the final color aroun 14 or 15 drops which each drop represents 1dkh then it was completely yellow at 17 so 17dkh was the final reading. Any thoughts on this?My thoughts on this are, beyond your Alk being very high, that the test kit is crazy or you missed calculated something along the way. I'm not familiar with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Test Kit on Alk. I do use their kits on Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. My Alk test kit is from Sea Chem.

One thing to keep in mind as you test your water is, the sample of water to be tested is so small that any deviation in size of the sample, dilution water if called for (RO/DI), chemical additives for color and the measurement of titrant to affect the color change, will give you false readings.

I think in a different post I suggested you test for Magnesium. You didn't post a Mag reading so I'm guessing you haven't picked up a Mag test kit yet. I'd do that before I try and adjust your current readings by adding chemicals for that purpose. Find the source of the problem and fix that and the other readings will probably magically fall into place.

In a chemically balanced aquarium system things change for a reason. It behooves us to learn the reasons and to add the proper solutions to maintain that balance for the good of the critters we are housing.

Here's a link to an article by Randy Holmes-Farley about Mag and how it affects calcium and Alk in our aquariums. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

It's good you are asking questions Jay. The chemical makeup of seawater and how it changes over time in our glass (or Acrylic in my case and blubbers, too. :agree: ) boxes can be a bit daunting to someone that is in the early stages of the learning curve. I'm not sure where you are on the curve but I know I'm still on it. :)

yeah got to agree with Amp, Sea water has to be one of the fastest changing chemical compositions in a captive environment! so many factors come into play when gaining knowledge on whats happening in our tanks! u know the hardest thing is there too many factors in play to just narrow it down in one hit! oh ive got a breakout of HA! but my readings are fine.....oh ive got a skyrocketing Ca, but my alk is low.........help i have a film on the surface, does this effect gas exchange?! we can narrow these types of questions with the help of science, A teaspoon of common sence, & plain out extended observations!

yeah got to agree with Amp, Sea water has to be one of the fastest changing chemical compositions in a captive environment!That reminds mean, along the same train of thought, while that statement is totally true, remember the oceans are probably the most stable entity on earth. Remaining literally unchanged for millennium.

Everyone who has kept freshwater aquariums and then went into saltwater aquariums must have noticed that FW fish can take a change in water parameters much better than saltwater fish. We have to painstakingly acclimate our saltwater critters where many times our freshwater acclimation habits are float to correct temps, change about half the water in the container and dump. Not so with saltwater. It's because of this long term stability of saltwater that we must acclimate in a more thorough manner.

Thanks for pointing that out V.

yup:agree::agree::agree:agreed

Well I have not picked up a Magnesium kit just yet. I may do so this evening after work if the girlfriend accompanies me. Here is what the Aquarium Pharmecuticals Test Kit for Alkalinity states.

1. 5ml of aquarium water and then 1 drop of the test chemical and it will turn blue. Each drop represent 1 dkh. What will happen is that when your blue turns yellow then your at your present Alkalinity reading. so mine started turning yellow around 14 or 15 drops but was not completely yellow until I hit 17 drops which equals taddaaaa 17 dkh. LOL

i woudl actualyl read it at the 14-15 point..
if you continue adding drops it will jsut continue to get darker yellow. what you are looking for is the actual "change" more so than the actual "shade of yellow"

of course i havent used that kit, but thats how i handle my salifert kits

this is only my experience jay, but i grab a white white card or background& look down though the test tube, not from the side! if that helps at all! but i can not explain why why the levels are so high> except for ur dosing! stop for a week to see what your tank does chemicly! u have to understand the worst act u can do can always be undone with early identication! so dilutions will always be your solution!

Make sure you are reading it under the right type/color of light.

i woudl actualyl read it at the 14-15 point..
if you continue adding drops it will jsut continue to get darker yellow. what you are looking for is the actual "change" more so than the actual "shade of yellow"

of course i havent used that kit, but thats how i handle my salifert kits

i agree with Rob. it is the sudden change in color, not the final color that you may interprete from a color chart in the intructions that will dictate the result of a test. also don't overlook the accuracy of the test due to contaminated test vials.