Raising Potassium?

jake2045

New member
OK what can I use to raise the K in my tank? I just tested it with the new K test kit from Zeo and it show 250 - 275 ppm, and my Caps don't look good.
 
I tried the banana trick, but it did work and only made my tank cloudy! HAHAHAHA

Stoney I have K-balance and it would seem I would need to add a lot to raise the level, I was hoping Randy would chime in with something that I could make to raise it and then use the K B to maintain it.
 
Have you tried measuring some new salt mix for potassium? I personally wouldn't trust a new potassium test kit without a track record of successful and accurate use in seawater.

You can get some no sodium salt at the grocery store. Often it is potassium chloride.
 
A bunch of people have tested against NSW and it tested accuratey. So would potassium chloride raise the levels, but at what percentage? Any ideas on how to dose?
 
FWIW, I do not recommend adding potassium, since I do not know the reliability of any potassium kits nor do I know of a reason it would drop so much, but for those who choose to do so, potassium chloride is 52.5% by weight potassium.

For a rough estimate using potassium chloride to supplement potassium, use this calculator for calcium, enter anhydrous calcium chloride, and multiply the resulting amount that you need by 0.7 to get how much potassium chloride to add.

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
 
Thanks Randy you are the man!!!!!!!! The reason behind the wanting to add K is becuase my caps are not looking so hot! I have read that Caps/Digitatas are the first to show signs of a K leak.
 
I have a cap that was very light, the color was washed out. I tried dosing potassium and in 3 weeks the color looks great, a major improvement! The wife even noticed!
HTH.
Pat
 
IIRC I have and even posted them (or just a general remark) . I'll look for it later.


EDIT: not tracked it intentionally but as a result from a multi-element scan.
 
The orange cap slowly over 6 to 7 months turned pinkish and very light, I was told by several people who use zeo that was a sign of a potassium deficiency. I have a 135 gallon with mostly sps, I do at least 10 gallon water changes weekly, the cap kept getting lighter. I do not use zeo but have read some things about it so I was reluctant to try any of there additives. I also heard in Germany they have a test kit that is accurate testing potassium in salt water, and they say most all salt mixes are very weak on potassium. So as a last ditch effort I dosed some K balance daily 4 ml for 5 days and then 3 ml. for 5 days then 2 ml. weekly for 3 weeks and the cap has returned to a nice orange in a little over a month. This the only thing I have changed.
Pat
 
Pat that's the same thing I was reading over in Zeo land and it got me thinking also. I ordered the test kit and sure a day it was low. I have not started dosing the tank as I'm setting up a 180 now, and I was looking for a cheap additive the K balance. I tested a locals reef water and his tested in the upper 300, and his tank is rocking.

So Randy do you see any problem with Potassium chloride adding to much chloride to the tank? I followed your direction on how to figure out the amount to add, but was concerned about the chloride. 200 gals need to have 29.12 tsp to begin the K from 250 to 350, once there I would use the k B to keep it in check.
 


So Randy do you see any problem with Potassium chloride adding to much chloride to the tank? I followed your direction on how to figure out the amount to add, but was concerned about the chloride. 200 gals need to have 29.12 tsp to begin the K from 250 to 350, once there I would use the k B to keep it in check. [/B]


I would love to know the answer to this as well..

Mike
 
yes but adding too much chloride in the tank.. Coral can get darker and i think salinity going up as well..

thus are there any high k product we can find without other elements exists in the k supplement that affect the water.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8100138#post8100138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Keigo
thus are there any high k product we can find without other elements exists in the k supplement that affect the water.

Interested to know this as well..I am a zeo user and my cap colors are pretty light as well. I wouldnt be surprised if my K+ is pretty low too....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6022178#post6022178 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Habib
Not one of the 9 brands of salts tested for potassium showed a low concentration. As a matter of fact they all had potassium close to natural seawater values:

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...om/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp



From the scientific data I have seen regarding potassium and corals and from my own data and those of others I have to conclude, so far, that potassium is hardly depleted in aquaria even not if it is fully packed with corals.


In the above I mention also "my own data" so I must have looked them up.

I'll llok them up again and recheck if they were tanks with a lots of SPS.

Besides that I'll add my 2 cents later today when I'm back, I have to go now.
 
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