Quote:
Originally Posted by Boomer  Nikki
I figured there were errors in those tests. First, there were a number of bad batches of Salifert Alk kits and all of them read way to high. It has been so bad that many will not use a Salifert Alk kit anymore. The IO Alk is correct and now that we see the pH is 7.8 that makes sense. IO has low Ca++ to begin with if it is not boosted, ~ 350 ppm or so and you were at 275 ppm. IO also has high Alk usually 11 dKH and if you work it out mathamtically you will get the ~Ca++ and ~ Alk you have more or less and this would fit in with your pH. |
Yep, I was burned by the bad test kits, too. Quite a disappointment considering the high cost. I've actually switched to API for my Ca and Alk tests and have, so far, been happy.
It seems that your readings are most likely the result of a bad kit. If your alk really were that high, I'd use water changes to pull it back down before trying to boost the calcium to bring things back into line. That's Randy Holmes Farley's advice anyway from this thread for cases where Alk or Ca are way out of whack:
http://www.advancedaquarst.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm