keith gray
Member
Is Carbonate Hardness and Alkalinity the same thing ? I was looking to buy some test kits and do not see any that say alkaline.
alkalinity vs. KH
- Thread starter keith gray
- Start date
keith gray
Member
thanks- what do you do for low alkalinity and does it ususally coincide with ph readings ?
kevine6678
Member
Originally Posted by Keith Gray
http:///forum/post/3207628
thanks- what do you do for low alkalinity and does it ususally coincide with ph readings ?
Low KH will cause shifts in pH. You can use Kent DHK or Seachem reef builder to raise KH. Reef buffers will raise KH but I found not as much as one of those products designed to raise KH. Your corals need the carbonate to grow.
http:///forum/post/3207628
thanks- what do you do for low alkalinity and does it ususally coincide with ph readings ?
Low KH will cause shifts in pH. You can use Kent DHK or Seachem reef builder to raise KH. Reef buffers will raise KH but I found not as much as one of those products designed to raise KH. Your corals need the carbonate to grow.
kevine6678
Member
sorry, it's kent DKH. Both of those products are avalable on this site of at your lfs
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by Keith Gray
http:///forum/post/3207628
thanks- what do you do for low alkalinity and does it ususally coincide with ph readings ?
When Alkalinity is low and Calcium levels are on target I use Baking soda to raise only the Alkalinity.
There is a correlation between PH and Alkalinity but it's not one for one.
http:///forum/post/3207628
thanks- what do you do for low alkalinity and does it ususally coincide with ph readings ?
When Alkalinity is low and Calcium levels are on target I use Baking soda to raise only the Alkalinity.
There is a correlation between PH and Alkalinity but it's not one for one.
keith gray
Member
Bang Guy,
How do you compute your Alkaline need ? Im sure you would want to raise it slowly. Do you mix a paricular amount in Ro water per 10 gallons for example or what ?
How do you compute your Alkaline need ? Im sure you would want to raise it slowly. Do you mix a paricular amount in Ro water per 10 gallons for example or what ?
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Keith Gray
http:///forum/post/3207874
Bang Guy,
How do you compute your Alkaline need ? Im sure you would want to raise it slowly. Do you mix a paricular amount in Ro water per 10 gallons for example or what ?
here is a calculator:
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
To be precise pH is a function of carbonates and co2. We use alk as kinda a substitute for carbonate measurement. more precisley:
1. CO2 + H20 <
[hr]
> H2CO2 (Carbonic Acid)
2. H2CO2 <
[hr]
> H+ + HCO3- (Bicarbonate)
3. HCO3- <
[hr]
> H+ + CO3-2(Carbonate)
So the carbonates can combine with h+ as above and therefore raise pH. But also co2 can be removed to reduce carbonic acid and also raise pH.
In my tanks with lotsa algae the pH rose to 8.4-8.8 (api test kit) just before lights out even before I started adding baking soda. Then I brought up kh and (hopefully) the nightly pH drop was much less.
my .02
http:///forum/post/3207874
Bang Guy,
How do you compute your Alkaline need ? Im sure you would want to raise it slowly. Do you mix a paricular amount in Ro water per 10 gallons for example or what ?
here is a calculator:
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
To be precise pH is a function of carbonates and co2. We use alk as kinda a substitute for carbonate measurement. more precisley:
1. CO2 + H20 <
[hr]
> H2CO2 (Carbonic Acid)
2. H2CO2 <
[hr]
> H+ + HCO3- (Bicarbonate)
3. HCO3- <
[hr]
> H+ + CO3-2(Carbonate)
So the carbonates can combine with h+ as above and therefore raise pH. But also co2 can be removed to reduce carbonic acid and also raise pH.
In my tanks with lotsa algae the pH rose to 8.4-8.8 (api test kit) just before lights out even before I started adding baking soda. Then I brought up kh and (hopefully) the nightly pH drop was much less.
my .02
bang guy
Moderator
Beaslbob nailed what's happening with Alkalinity. Borate is the other major component of Alkalinity in saltwater but unless you're using Seachem products Borate is usually a minor contributor.
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda will raise the Alkalinity of 20 gallons of saltwater 1 Meq/L. You are wise to raise it slowly but you definately need to test levels beforehand. When using Baking Soda my suggestion is to just add it to your topoff water.
For midsized tanks and smaller I recommend 3.5 Meq/L. Larger tanks can usually maintain it safely at a lower level because with the added water volume it drops slower but a level below 2.5 Meq/L should be avoided unless you have a tank in the thousands of gallons category.
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda will raise the Alkalinity of 20 gallons of saltwater 1 Meq/L. You are wise to raise it slowly but you definately need to test levels beforehand. When using Baking Soda my suggestion is to just add it to your topoff water.
For midsized tanks and smaller I recommend 3.5 Meq/L. Larger tanks can usually maintain it safely at a lower level because with the added water volume it drops slower but a level below 2.5 Meq/L should be avoided unless you have a tank in the thousands of gallons category.
keith gray
Member
Thanks - I am getting test kits now and will let you know how it turns out.
keith gray
Member
Has anyone here used the Seachem reef complete ? I don't have the time, energy or money to do a drip system. I was curious if anyone had used this product and found it beneficial
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by Keith Gray
http:///forum/post/3208408
Has anyone here used the Seachem reef complete ? I don't have the time, energy or money to do a drip system. I was curious if anyone had used this product and found it beneficial
I use reef complete daily but reef complete is a calcium supplement (calcium chloride with proportional amounts of mg and sr) for maintaining or raising calcium. seachem reef carbonate is the alkalinity counterpart to reef complete and what your looking for to raise or maintain alk.
I use that daily to maintain alkalinity. its just a baking soda and baked baking soda mix in water (baking the baking soda does the same for alkalinity but also raises pH where straight baking soda has little effect on pH). most off the shelf buffers combine both (and most add borate salts too. seachem interesting doesn't which is odd because their salt is loaded with it).
seachem reef carbonate, kent pro buffer dkh or brightwell alkalin8.3 are probably the easiest locally found liquid alkalinty buffers (or any alk part of a 2 part). at this point it only cost me $16 a month ($9 for 500ml of reef complete and $7 for 500ml of reef carbonate) to maintain ca/alk so while it may cost way more than buying BRS dry (or even from the same companies dry) the cost is still trivial and I can just pour it straight in.
http:///forum/post/3208408
Has anyone here used the Seachem reef complete ? I don't have the time, energy or money to do a drip system. I was curious if anyone had used this product and found it beneficial
I use reef complete daily but reef complete is a calcium supplement (calcium chloride with proportional amounts of mg and sr) for maintaining or raising calcium. seachem reef carbonate is the alkalinity counterpart to reef complete and what your looking for to raise or maintain alk.
I use that daily to maintain alkalinity. its just a baking soda and baked baking soda mix in water (baking the baking soda does the same for alkalinity but also raises pH where straight baking soda has little effect on pH). most off the shelf buffers combine both (and most add borate salts too. seachem interesting doesn't which is odd because their salt is loaded with it).
seachem reef carbonate, kent pro buffer dkh or brightwell alkalin8.3 are probably the easiest locally found liquid alkalinty buffers (or any alk part of a 2 part). at this point it only cost me $16 a month ($9 for 500ml of reef complete and $7 for 500ml of reef carbonate) to maintain ca/alk so while it may cost way more than buying BRS dry (or even from the same companies dry) the cost is still trivial and I can just pour it straight in.
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/3208485
baking the baking soda does the same for alkalinity but also raises pH where straight baking soda has little effect on pH
The PH effect of Sodium carbonate is very temporary. It usually only lasts a few hours.
http:///forum/post/3208485
baking the baking soda does the same for alkalinity but also raises pH where straight baking soda has little effect on pH
The PH effect of Sodium carbonate is very temporary. It usually only lasts a few hours.
keith gray
Member
Thanks for all of the good information as usual !