High KH level. How high is too high?

In the past few weeks our KH test results have ranged from 12 - 14dKH... The past week and a half it was at 13dKH, now today it's at 14dKH...
How high is too high?What could be causing this?How can I get it back down?
Our other test results areH: 8.3SG: 1.025Ca: 400Nitrates: 0Phosphates:0
Any help would be great! 

 

Are you adding any additives to the tank? Dosing kalk or running a CA reactor? Have you tested your freshly mixed saltwater? If your using tap water this could be a source of alk also. Alk will not increase on it's own and it will come down over time. Can you verify your test kit accuracy against someone else's?

 

We added Seachem Marine buffer 2 days ago, to get our ph back up.
Added a few drops of Kent's liquid calcium tonight as our calcium was a little low.
We don't mix our own saltwater, we buy it from our LFS. Have since we started our tank..
And we got the same results as our LFS earlier this week...

 

The buffer you are adding is a alk supplement, it's going to increase your alk more than your pH long term if you don't have many encrusting critters or corals in your tank. The ph effect that it has is only temporary. If you raise your alk to high you will have what looks like a snow storm in your tank this is the high alk precipitating the Calcium right out of the water. If this happens your CA and ALK levels will get messed up and large water changes will be needed to get it sorted out. Stop dosing the buffer and don't chase your pH. If you can keep it above 8 great but down to 7.8 is ok for the most part. Getting fresh air from outside to the tank will raise your ph as well.

 

Dont chase the PH, 7.9-8.4 is what you are looking for. I would not add anything to adjust these elements till you get your alk down to where you want it which is between 8-12.

Now the saltwater you are buying is made with poor quality salt, trust me I buy it from time to time when I am being lazy but it really does not have a good balance of elements and you end up having to dose to adjust. You would be better off mixing your own and it is so much cheaper even if you are buying their ro water which I do as well. It is simple to do and will be glad to help you out if you want.

 

Thanks mike!

I ran tests on the jug we have from there,
SG: 1.026
pH: 8.0
KH:10
Ca: 440
NO3: 0
Phosphates: 0


Our second set of tests tonight read:
SG: 1.025
pH: 8.3
KH: 13
NO3: 0
Phosphates: 0
Calcium: 400

I usually only dose buffer when we get down to 7.8 on our ph.
Thanks for the reassurance everyone! /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif