High kH

Tank is still cycling but I testing with the API kit and got a kH of 16 today. From what I have read that is too high for a reef, no corals in there to suck kH or CA out of the water yet though, and I plan on having it checked at a lfs as well.

Is it indeed to high and would it have detrimental effects on fish or corals?
If so how do you lower it in a SW system?

 

RO/DI water

 

WOuld a high kH hurt the fish or corals?

 

can't say 100% for sure but my tank was at those levels for the first 2 months with no problems. I would say the mixture of sps, lps, scallop and a RO/DI unit lowered it to the point that I now have to dose to keep the alk at 8. Just make sure you do a good acclimation. I think you will have more problems with algae and cyano without using RO/DI water than with fish and coral.

 

16dKH is a bit high but with something like that it should slowly lower on its own i typically run 10-14dkH, i would check everything else to make sure its in check also

 

I wouldnt trust API as far as I can throw it. Mine was testing 27dkh, returned it for a new one then testing 17dkh, took it back and got sailfert and elos, 11dkh. much better. API is great for some tests but when it comes to KH and CA not so much

 

16 shouldn't be high enough to cause t damage to anything. I would just letting come down naturally. I regularly end up as high as 18 an have never seen any adverse effects.

 

ok thanks for the help guys, I didnt think it would be too must of an issue since I have had really high kH levels in all my FW and planted tanks with no ill effects. I will continue to test and see if it drops on its own and have it tested at a lfs as well.

 

retested tonight and kH dropped to 14 pH dropped to 8.0. I am tempted to add more reef buffer but think this would raise the kH as well. Good or bad idea?

 

tested again last nigh, pH was back at 7.8 and kH down to 11. I added some more buffer, what would be eating up my pH and alk in the tank with no corals or alagae? Is it just a new tank syndrome thing as things get balanced?