KH is high!

I just ran my tank through the gauntlet of test that I have-

PH-8.2
Calcium-400+ (always, even without sup.)
Nitrite-0.1
Nitrate-10-20 (was 40-50 but 20 gal refugium as of 01/07 has brought it down)
Phosphate-0.1
Amonia-0
Iron-0
Temp-78
Salinity-1.24
KH (alkaline)-180 (book says it should be 100-125 max)

I suplemnet Iron, Stontium/Moly, Coral Vite, Essential Elements, and feed Phyo and Zoo. I am still have trouble keeping my corals alive. The only thing that seems to be doing well are the bubble anemones, shrooms, bubble coral, and starburst. Even the starburst are having a fit right now. Open only once a week or so. How do I bring the KH down and do I need to even worry about it? Water movement consists of a Wake 2K and two 400gph PHs. My fish are all fine its just the coral that is suffering. HELP ME PLEASE!

 

high Alk shouldn't hurt anything. But the big question is why is it so hight.
I would stop all supplements Iron, Strontium/Moly, Coral Vite, Essential Elements this could be the cause of your Coral troubles. Do you know your Iron and Strontium Levels? do you know what they should be.
I've never heard KH or Alk referred to in the 180 range. What unit of measure is that?

J

 

Before I started using RO water my KH was around 26 GKH. Since switching to RO it stays around 13 to 14. We do have very hard water here, so I'm assuming that explains it? Are you using RO or tap water?

 

I would have to agree with mm2002. It would have to do with you water changes and supplementation. Why are you supplementing for strontium and iron? Do you actually know what these levels are? Your salt mix should have these included. I use Instant Ocean but there are many others that are just as good. Check this out Chemistry and the Aquarium it may help.

 

180 is low actualy I run mie t 500 M/L or near 16 DKH and Calcium upwards of 600 it will fall The 180 level is not your problem.. what type of corals are you not keeping alive ?

 

Well I just got home from work and the Xenia is half gone and the rest is limp. Its not going to make it. 180 is actaully 18 X 10 by the book but I guess you could say it is 18 DKH or GKH. As for what has died, fan coral (gorgonian), Acropora, now xenia, Hammer, Coaral Beauty, and Clams. All over the last two yaers. I just buy one at a time and try. If it dies I fix what I think the problem may be and try again. I thought I had everything squared away but now this. I do not have an Iodine or Strontium test. Perhaps thats my next adventure. I do use RO water in my top offs and water changes. My mistake on the Iron, I do not supplement iron but I do supplement Iodine.

 

I would quit supplementing anything I couldn't test for, do a few water changes, and go from there.
Besides that, I didn't notice you mentioning anything about water turnover, pumps, etc. What is the circulation and evaporation rate like? Could be low oxygen levels?
Don't know, just throwing some things out there that could possibly help.
Sorry to hear about your losses.

 

As for water circ., I have a Wake 2K which advertises at 4000gph, two 400gph powerheads and a quiet one return pump (900gph minus 4' head pressure). Evaporation is about one gallon per day. I guess I will stop all suplementals for now and see what happens next. The strontium test kits are a bit pricey! Not sure if I want to get one or just stop all together. Thanks for the pointers and have a HAPPY EASTER.

 

This may help ? When you post you need to say if you are using DKH Mg/l or PPM I should have questioned it more , My bad But still at 17 DKH all you would hurt or harm would be pumps and equipment really. I run my tanks at 15 always just tested and it was close to 16 and It has been to the point of several 1 mi syringes to change out on a salifert test.

To convert degrees of German hardness (dKH) to parts
per million (ppm), multiply by 17.

To convert degrees of German hardness (dKH) to milliequivalents per liter (meq/l), divide by 2.8.

 

Let me ask this, It there a web site I can go to that tells me what every element should read in the tank? (PH, NA, NI, ECT...) I know most of them but what about Strontium, Magezium, and others that are not in you normal test kits. By the way, the Xenia is dead and gone in onlt three days. Now I have a $50 piece of rock. BUMMER