should... yes..
but it doesnt always happen by the book...
basically what you want to really watch for is that they all do spike, then that they all drop.
i think you are doing fine, just continue to test as see how they continue to react.
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All test kits are not created equal. What brand are you using?
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
While at work I received the Hagen test kit the deadbeat on E-may stiffed me for over a month ago(long story). I know...a Hagen, but I decided since I paid for it a month ago I would compare it with my Red Sea Test kit that I am currently using. I didn't know that the Salfert kit would be better at the time I purchased the above two kits. Anyway, I came home and tested using the Hagen.
Ammonia .1 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 5 PH - OFF THE CHART!
KH (I think this is another ALK test, I am still trying to figure this out) 170 mg/L
Itested my SW in the trashcan I have which is just being stirred with a powerhead. The PH was off the chart on that one as well.
Tap water was at 7.6
I am not sure what to do. I am using Aragamax sand, so shouldn't it naturally buffer the PH?
I have a small bottle of PH buffer, can I use that to buffer the PH? What would make SW that is in a trashcan have such a high PH???
First of all, KH is buffering capacity of water or ability to absorb and neutralize acid without major changes to the pH - it's a German term, which stands for carbonate hardness or temporary hardness. I'm not familiar with the other value that you previously gave.
Ideally, you should have your KH values between 8-12.
One very easy, cheap and quick way to increase the KH is to add sodium bicarbonate (aka Baking Soda - Tropic Marine also has a product called Triple Buffer).
Just add 1 tsp at a time and keep measuring until you've got your KH back up again. The pH should then, hopefully, come back down again.
Also, how's your flow? Are you getting the water well aerated?
All I wanted was a reef tank, not a science project!
OK it is very evident that I should have paid more attention in chemistry class.
I have 2 test kits, a Red Sea and a Hagen. In this discussion I will only be talking about PH and Alkalinity.
I ended up deciding to leave nothing to interpitation and I contacted RED SEA to inquire what exactly they were reading in (since I was at work on lunch and didn't have my test kit manuals). The gave me a cell phone number of a nice guy named David. David answered my call and said that the test was reading in the mEq/L scale and that my desired range was 2.6 to 2.8. I told him mine was 3.5 and he obviously said it was way too high. I then asked him about his PH test and asked if I was reading it correctly at 8.6+, he said with an ALK that high he would expect the high PH.
I then found this conversion calculator which if you plug in the 3.5 for the Red Sea Test gives you 175 for the mg/l which is close to what the Hagen test read (170).
So I am convinced that the tests are right, I have a ALK that is high and a high
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