Calcium Question
- Thread starter brendac
- Start date
dogstar
Active Member
Calcium levels along with alkalinity levels have alot to do with maintaining a stable pH. IMO, should try to keep both near NSW levels or slightly above. IMO, just testing pH is not enough. KH and GH can slowly get out of balance and lead to a quick pH drop. Best to test for slow changes in both then to be surprised by a quick change in pH.
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by Dogstar
Calcium levels along with alkalinity levels have alot to do with maintaining a stable pH. IMO, should try to keep both near NSW levels or slightly above. IMO, just testing pH is not enough. KH and GH can slowly get out of balance and lead to a quick pH drop. Best to test for slow changes in both then to be surprised by a quick change in pH.
Okay Dogstar, here's one for you and the other experts. These tests were taken a few hours after the lights were off.
PH 7.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 12.5 (just did a water change after that reading)
Nitrite 0.3
Calcium 500 (again, just did a water change)
I just purchased a kh kit and this stupid thing is a different brand and and conversion must be done because the damn thing uses the german system. Can you give me the correct way to do it?
My PH raises to 8.0 but I can't get it to 8.3 during the day.
Can ya help me here?
Always a student & occasionally the teacher...
Denise M.
Calcium levels along with alkalinity levels have alot to do with maintaining a stable pH. IMO, should try to keep both near NSW levels or slightly above. IMO, just testing pH is not enough. KH and GH can slowly get out of balance and lead to a quick pH drop. Best to test for slow changes in both then to be surprised by a quick change in pH.
Okay Dogstar, here's one for you and the other experts. These tests were taken a few hours after the lights were off.
PH 7.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 12.5 (just did a water change after that reading)
Nitrite 0.3
Calcium 500 (again, just did a water change)
I just purchased a kh kit and this stupid thing is a different brand and and conversion must be done because the damn thing uses the german system. Can you give me the correct way to do it?
My PH raises to 8.0 but I can't get it to 8.3 during the day.
Can ya help me here?
Always a student & occasionally the teacher...
Denise M.
dogstar
Active Member
I dont claim to be an expert, just how I understand what I have learned......
First when lights are 'on' on the tank, this allows photosythesis by corals and algeas, ect...photosythesis takes co2 out of the water and puts oxygen into the water and this automaticaly raises the ph, when lights are out, no photosynthesis is happening and the normal gas exchange thru the night allows the gases to balance back out some and lowers pH some...this is why many reefers and some FOers with refugiums use a reverse or 24/7 lighting on the fuge so that the macroalgeas can keep the photosythesis going thru the night so theres not as big of a swing of the gases in the water to effect pH levels as much.
Natural seawater has calcium around 430 ppm and yours is a little high compared to that..Higher than natural levels of calcium and other hardening minerals are not really need for FO sytems unless you shelled animals that need it, or some corals, lowering your calcium will help automatically raise the alkalinity.....or raise the alk with a puffer and that will lower the cal. or use a salt mix with high alk or lower cal...a slightly high alk level will help raise the pH and also help to reduce the amout of the swing also. I know understanding this can be hard and sometimes even harder to explain....Im not a chemist, maybe others can explain better or even correct me....
Your kit gives a german reading in dKH, other ways to measure kh, like in meq/L and ppm, still measureing the same thing, just different units. Like measuring how many quarts or pints or liters of water are in a gallon. You get different numbers but still equal the same amount of water in the gallon...just when giveing the number, should also state the unit that is being counted
To convert ...
dKH x 17.9 = ppm
ppm / 50 = meq/L
meq/L x 2.8 = dKH
First when lights are 'on' on the tank, this allows photosythesis by corals and algeas, ect...photosythesis takes co2 out of the water and puts oxygen into the water and this automaticaly raises the ph, when lights are out, no photosynthesis is happening and the normal gas exchange thru the night allows the gases to balance back out some and lowers pH some...this is why many reefers and some FOers with refugiums use a reverse or 24/7 lighting on the fuge so that the macroalgeas can keep the photosythesis going thru the night so theres not as big of a swing of the gases in the water to effect pH levels as much.
Natural seawater has calcium around 430 ppm and yours is a little high compared to that..Higher than natural levels of calcium and other hardening minerals are not really need for FO sytems unless you shelled animals that need it, or some corals, lowering your calcium will help automatically raise the alkalinity.....or raise the alk with a puffer and that will lower the cal. or use a salt mix with high alk or lower cal...a slightly high alk level will help raise the pH and also help to reduce the amout of the swing also. I know understanding this can be hard and sometimes even harder to explain....Im not a chemist, maybe others can explain better or even correct me....
Your kit gives a german reading in dKH, other ways to measure kh, like in meq/L and ppm, still measureing the same thing, just different units. Like measuring how many quarts or pints or liters of water are in a gallon. You get different numbers but still equal the same amount of water in the gallon...just when giveing the number, should also state the unit that is being counted
To convert ...
dKH x 17.9 = ppm
ppm / 50 = meq/L
meq/L x 2.8 = dKH
oceanblue1
Member
Originally Posted by Merredeth
Okay Dogstar, here's one for you and the other experts. These tests were taken a few hours after the lights were off.
PH 7.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 12.5 (just did a water change after that reading)
Nitrite 0.3
Calcium 500 (again, just did a water change)
I just purchased a kh kit and this stupid thing is a different brand and and conversion must be done because the damn thing uses the german system. Can you give me the correct way to do it?
My PH raises to 8.0 but I can't get it to 8.3 during the day.
Can ya help me here?
Always a student & occasionally the teacher...
Denise M.
:happyfish All you need to do is add a dKH Buffer to your water you can get it at most fish/pet stores by doseing by the label it will raise your PH to a perfect 8.3 and dKH Buffers are desigened to not go over 8.3 or so in most tanks not all tanks the PH drops at night to about 8.0 or high 7.8 or so this will happen every night its part of the Nitrogen cyl. when the PH drops at night nitrates turn in to nitrogen gas and flote to the top of the water in the form of nitrogen bubbels this happens during the day also the droping PH cyl. at night helps this to happen more rapadley. You still want to maintain a 8.3 during the day because its safer for the fish, coral, inverts, so on... And for really old or astablished Reef tanks you can use coral buffer dKH to lower PH to a 8.3 or 8.4 just some good future info... I noticed DOGSTAR was talking about photosythesis he is correct this in simple terms from some things Ive read on photoplankton,a natual food in the ocean... Photosythesis is what Corals do after they catch micoscopic Photoplankton 2, to 15, microns in size and they catch it and it starts to grow and propagate, in side the tissue of the Coral this is called photosythesis the blue, and purple like actinic aquarium lighting and the 10.000K to 20.000K white liteing HQI,Compact,MetalHailide, Causes the Photoplankton that they have captured in there tissue to grow like a plant would grow in light the corals absourb the nutreants like omega 3 fatty acids, carbs,so on and turn it in to energey most coral can reproduce the Photoplankton, in the form of photosythesis, for a while but they do need replenishment of the Photoplankton quite often so new studys show the old way of thanking and was evan writen in a lot of books that corals only need light or good lighting for photosythesis to take place in coral and that that was all they needed to live, that they did not need food that they made ther owen this is a half truthe what new in debth studys have shown is that only good lighting leads to loss os bright coler in coral and makes them look very brown and bouring with age and not liveing to there lifes potinchal of great bright coler that you see more now in REEF aquria!!!! :happyfish The reason co2 is taken out of the water during photosythesis is from the Photoplankton, algeas, & plantlife they ubsurb co2,ommona,nitrates,phosphates with the lights on and release some co2,ommonia,nitrates,phosphates with the lights off while ubsurbing co2,ommonia,nitrates,phosphates with the lights on they release oxogen as a bi broduct. This is why the PH go's down at night because the co2,ommona,nitrates are not being obsourbed by Photoplankton,algeas,plantlife at night as rapidley or with the lights off this causes the water to be more acidic with the lights off...
Okay Dogstar, here's one for you and the other experts. These tests were taken a few hours after the lights were off.
PH 7.7
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 12.5 (just did a water change after that reading)
Nitrite 0.3
Calcium 500 (again, just did a water change)
I just purchased a kh kit and this stupid thing is a different brand and and conversion must be done because the damn thing uses the german system. Can you give me the correct way to do it?
My PH raises to 8.0 but I can't get it to 8.3 during the day.
Can ya help me here?
Always a student & occasionally the teacher...
Denise M.
:happyfish All you need to do is add a dKH Buffer to your water you can get it at most fish/pet stores by doseing by the label it will raise your PH to a perfect 8.3 and dKH Buffers are desigened to not go over 8.3 or so in most tanks not all tanks the PH drops at night to about 8.0 or high 7.8 or so this will happen every night its part of the Nitrogen cyl. when the PH drops at night nitrates turn in to nitrogen gas and flote to the top of the water in the form of nitrogen bubbels this happens during the day also the droping PH cyl. at night helps this to happen more rapadley. You still want to maintain a 8.3 during the day because its safer for the fish, coral, inverts, so on... And for really old or astablished Reef tanks you can use coral buffer dKH to lower PH to a 8.3 or 8.4 just some good future info... I noticed DOGSTAR was talking about photosythesis he is correct this in simple terms from some things Ive read on photoplankton,a natual food in the ocean... Photosythesis is what Corals do after they catch micoscopic Photoplankton 2, to 15, microns in size and they catch it and it starts to grow and propagate, in side the tissue of the Coral this is called photosythesis the blue, and purple like actinic aquarium lighting and the 10.000K to 20.000K white liteing HQI,Compact,MetalHailide, Causes the Photoplankton that they have captured in there tissue to grow like a plant would grow in light the corals absourb the nutreants like omega 3 fatty acids, carbs,so on and turn it in to energey most coral can reproduce the Photoplankton, in the form of photosythesis, for a while but they do need replenishment of the Photoplankton quite often so new studys show the old way of thanking and was evan writen in a lot of books that corals only need light or good lighting for photosythesis to take place in coral and that that was all they needed to live, that they did not need food that they made ther owen this is a half truthe what new in debth studys have shown is that only good lighting leads to loss os bright coler in coral and makes them look very brown and bouring with age and not liveing to there lifes potinchal of great bright coler that you see more now in REEF aquria!!!! :happyfish The reason co2 is taken out of the water during photosythesis is from the Photoplankton, algeas, & plantlife they ubsurb co2,ommona,nitrates,phosphates with the lights on and release some co2,ommonia,nitrates,phosphates with the lights off while ubsurbing co2,ommonia,nitrates,phosphates with the lights on they release oxogen as a bi broduct. This is why the PH go's down at night because the co2,ommona,nitrates are not being obsourbed by Photoplankton,algeas,plantlife at night as rapidley or with the lights off this causes the water to be more acidic with the lights off...
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by Dogstar
I dont claim to be an expert, just how I understand what I have learned......
First when lights are 'on' on the tank, this allows photosythesis by corals and algeas, ect...photosythesis takes co2 out of the water and puts oxygen into the water and this automaticaly raises the ph, when lights are out, no photosynthesis is happening and the normal gas exchange thru the night allows the gases to balance back out some and lowers pH some...this is why many reefers and some FOers with refugiums use a reverse or 24/7 lighting on the fuge so that the macroalgeas can keep the photosythesis going thru the night so theres not as big of a swing of the gases in the water to effect pH levels as much.
Natural seawater has calcium around 430 ppm and yours is a little high compared to that..Higher than natural levels of calcium and other hardening minerals are not really need for FO sytems unless you shelled animals that need it, or some corals, lowering your calcium will help automatically raise the alkalinity.....or raise the alk with a puffer and that will lower the cal. or use a salt mix with high alk or lower cal...a slightly high alk level will help raise the pH and also help to reduce the amout of the swing also. I know understanding this can be hard and sometimes even harder to explain....Im not a chemist, maybe others can explain better or even correct me....
Your kit gives a german reading in dKH, other ways to measure kh, like in meq/L and ppm, still measureing the same thing, just different units. Like measuring how many quarts or pints or liters of water are in a gallon. You get different numbers but still equal the same amount of water in the gallon...just when giveing the number, should also state the unit that is being counted
To convert ...
dKH x 17.9 = ppm
ppm / 50 = meq/L
meq/L x 2.8 = dKH
Dogstar:
I understand the photosynthesis part but the new dKH test is what confused me. However, I know there is going to be others that will be taking notes on your note, and I think it is right on the money.
Thanks so much for your help - especially since I do not want to walk into the LFS again this week. I end up dropping way too much money whenever I go to an LFS. :scared:
Denise M.
I dont claim to be an expert, just how I understand what I have learned......
First when lights are 'on' on the tank, this allows photosythesis by corals and algeas, ect...photosythesis takes co2 out of the water and puts oxygen into the water and this automaticaly raises the ph, when lights are out, no photosynthesis is happening and the normal gas exchange thru the night allows the gases to balance back out some and lowers pH some...this is why many reefers and some FOers with refugiums use a reverse or 24/7 lighting on the fuge so that the macroalgeas can keep the photosythesis going thru the night so theres not as big of a swing of the gases in the water to effect pH levels as much.
Natural seawater has calcium around 430 ppm and yours is a little high compared to that..Higher than natural levels of calcium and other hardening minerals are not really need for FO sytems unless you shelled animals that need it, or some corals, lowering your calcium will help automatically raise the alkalinity.....or raise the alk with a puffer and that will lower the cal. or use a salt mix with high alk or lower cal...a slightly high alk level will help raise the pH and also help to reduce the amout of the swing also. I know understanding this can be hard and sometimes even harder to explain....Im not a chemist, maybe others can explain better or even correct me....
Your kit gives a german reading in dKH, other ways to measure kh, like in meq/L and ppm, still measureing the same thing, just different units. Like measuring how many quarts or pints or liters of water are in a gallon. You get different numbers but still equal the same amount of water in the gallon...just when giveing the number, should also state the unit that is being counted
To convert ...
dKH x 17.9 = ppm
ppm / 50 = meq/L
meq/L x 2.8 = dKH
Dogstar:
I understand the photosynthesis part but the new dKH test is what confused me. However, I know there is going to be others that will be taking notes on your note, and I think it is right on the money.
Thanks so much for your help - especially since I do not want to walk into the LFS again this week. I end up dropping way too much money whenever I go to an LFS. :scared:
Denise M.
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by oceanblue1
:happyfish All you need to do is add a dKH Buffer to your water you can get it at most fish/pet stores by doseing by the label it will raise your PH to a perfect 8.3...
Very good information!!! I really appreciate the information. However, like the other person wrote, the lack of punctuation and capitalization when starting a new sentence lost me.
I had to read it three times to comprehend what you are saying.
Very good information... obviously you are one of those people who is extremely intelligent when it comes to aquaria life.
Thanks again!
Denise M.
:happyfish All you need to do is add a dKH Buffer to your water you can get it at most fish/pet stores by doseing by the label it will raise your PH to a perfect 8.3...
Very good information!!! I really appreciate the information. However, like the other person wrote, the lack of punctuation and capitalization when starting a new sentence lost me.
I had to read it three times to comprehend what you are saying.
Very good information... obviously you are one of those people who is extremely intelligent when it comes to aquaria life.
Thanks again!
Denise M.
S
saltfreak4
Guest
Photosynthesis is the process in which the plant like symbiots in the coral produce glucose and CO2. It has nothing to do with propegating the algae in the coral. But you are on the right track. And the buffer should work to help stabilize the tank's pH.