Introducing New Coral to 11.5 Kh...is this ok?

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hey guys, so i bought a Porites coral with Christmas Tree Worms a few weeks ago for my one tank and love it (fell in love with them even more diving and snorkeling last week) so I'm planning to get one for my other tank that currently doesn't have any coral in it...the only thing is for some reason when testing my Kh i found it to be 11.5 which I'm not sure how it got so high but since i never had corals in it I never bothered testing. Would it be inadvisable to introduce the Porites to a Kh this high? Should I work on lowering it over the next few days? I just did a decent size water change to no avail...
Here's a pic of the coral with the worms if anyone wants to see.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

The weird thing is that i use the same water for my other nano tank and Kh has never been that high. My salt also doesn't mix to that level...
Was gonna get it today but don't want to do anything too risky...i know some people maintain their alk at that level though.

 

[brendans_life]

sounds like your salt mix might not have been mixed well at the factory, this can happen. If you can just do a water change with some new salt, or of you are pressed for time you can dilute it by mixing the water from the other tank but this might stress the other tank depending on the amount you move around. i fully recommend drip acclumating the rock to the new tank conditions

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

sounds like your salt mix might not have been mixed well at the factory, this can happen. If you can just do a water change with some new salt, or of you are pressed for time you can dilute it by mixing the water from the other tank but this might stress the other tank depending on the amount you move around. i fully recommend drip acclumating the rock to the new tank conditions

That's a possibility...I'm mixing some new saltwater now and i guess i can go ahead and buy the coral and have the guy hold it for me...i really don't wanna miss out on a piece this size at this price but like i said, don't wanna do anything too risky that could jeopardize the health of the coral...they're the Julian Sprung Accurasea1 individual pouches so the next bag should be of the right consistency if that is the issue. It's just weird since i use the same water each time for both nano tank water changes

 

[Spare time]

I don't think its an issue

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I don't think its an issue

You don't think the high alk would shock it initially? I'd imagine it's being kept at an alk closer to 7 or 8 by the seller

 

[brendans_life]

That's a possibility...I'm mixing some new saltwater now and i guess i can go ahead and buy the coral and have the guy hold it for me...i really don't wanna miss out on a piece this size at this price but like i said, don't wanna do anything too risky that could jeopardize the health of the coral...they're the Julian Sprung Accurasea1 individual pouches so the next bag should be of the right consistency if that is the issue. It's just weird since i use the same water each time for both nano tank water change

that is weird since those should be mixed perfectly and thats the whole reason for the packets. whats your source water looking like? is your RoDI looking good?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

that is weird since those should be mixed perfectly and thats the whole reason for the packets. whats your source water looking like? is your RoDI looking good?

Yeah, I have an RODI filter and I'll check it again right now but it seems like that would be an unlikely source unless it was way out of whack and still wouldn't explain how the other tank doesn't have alk nearly that high although it does have corals and a clam that suck up alk...I'll test my fresh saltwater after mixing this time since i don't always do that

 

[Spare time]

You don't think the high alk would shock it initially? I'd imagine it's being kept at an alk closer to 7 or 8 by the seller

You can drip the coral if you want but I honestly don't think it matters. I think that the concerns with sudden alk jumps has to do more with pH spikes rather than the carbonate itself. Hence why you can dose bicarb at larger amounts at a time compared to carbonate (or kalk)

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Well unfortunately I can't get it until Sunday or Monday so I'll try to lower my alk a tad in those couple days...I'm hoping the lighting in that tank will be sufficient...since it was up until this point fish/starfish only the light i put on it was only 30 watt (it's only a 20 gallon tank though) and am supplementing that with an 18 watt light.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

@Randy Holmes-Farley can I please have your opinion on this? I've managed to lower the alk to 11 after a few water changes. Do you think it would be safe to introduce a Porites coral with Christmas Tree Worms at this high of an alk? I'd assume the seller is keeping it around 7-8 but not sure. Is this inadvisable? I know some people do keep their alk at those levels...

 

[Apotack]

Can you do a water change with water from the other tank?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Can you do a water change with water from the other tank?

I've mixed omfresh saltwater with a lower Kh and done a couple water changes but its coming down VERY slowly...it's at about 11 now

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'm gonna bump this so maybe @Randy Holmes-Farley sees it...I'd like his opinion...