water test

[chrisx420]

i just tested my water for the first time with the test kit from hagen(nutrafin) im pretty sure im reading it right it said count each drop for alka it took 22 drops to change color and times it bye ten that means my alk is 220 ? isnt that really high and my calcium came back as 580 i know thats high phosphate was 0.5 nitrate =20 and nitrite=0.1 and ph was 8.3 i did take out the fake substriaght and added 40lbs of live sand last night could that be whats causing the high nitrate trite and phos ? iv never used this test kit before and iv been adding kalserwaxxer when i need to top off cause of evap thats it last week i tested with api and all the nitrite nitrate and phos wher at zero

 

[Piratefish]

Are you adding the kalkwasser all at once or dripping it in. It should be dripped in slowly.

I use API test kits and it takes 7-12 drops for the dkh That must be reading ppm. I don't think 220ppm is that high. Maybe on the upper end.

This may help SaltyZoo's Alkalinity Reading Conversion (meq/l / dKH / ppm CaCO3) Utility

 

[chrisx420]

Are you adding the kalkwasser all at once or dripping it in. It should be dripped in slowly.

I use API test kits and it takes 7-12 drops for the dkh That must be reading ppm. I don't think 220ppm is that high. Maybe on the upper end.

This may help SaltyZoo's Alkalinity Reading Conversion (meq/l / dKH / ppm CaCO3) Utility

i mix at most 1 teespoon with one gallon R/O water let sit for a few hours then pour it in the over flow but not the milky stuff on bottom only when the water evaperats my alk is 12.23

 

[Piratefish]

I think thats too fast.IMO. Kalkwasser is strong stuff. You can make a home made dripper out fo a gallon jug, some air tubing and ridged plastic tubing. I think everything cost me $8. I will try to find the link. Oh it works great.

 

[chrisx420]

should i get a dosing pump ?

 

[Piratefish]

You can. It's really easy to make a drip system. I will look for the link when I get home.

 

[Piratefish]

Here you go A Simple DIY Kalk Dripper by Agu Luuk

 

[ccCapt]

i mix at most 1 teespoon with one gallon R/O water let sit for a few hours then pour it in the over flow but not the milky stuff on bottom only when the water evaperats my alk is 12.23

Yikes...I hope your not dumping that all in at once. Saturated kalk has a pH of 12.54, clacium level of 808 and 114.24 dKH alk.
Kalk MUST BE slowly dripped into your system.