Carbnate hardness vs alkalinity?

[khaosreign]

OK here is my question. Are they different. lets pretend that i am a newbie which by all rights i am and want to know if i need to test for both or just one. My local LFS says just carbanate hardness but a friend who has been keeping a reef tanks for 10 years has stated that I should test and treat for both. (By the way he move a 210gal reef tank 400miles in one day tear down set up and only lost 1 fish so i trust his judgement)
The reason I ask is i just a had a really hard drop in my calcium and can not get it to raise
Calcium 350
carbanate hardness 11dkh
Nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
PH 8.3
Specific gravity 1.023
phosphates 0
I used the tech CB-A combo my DKH rose to 14 but calcium did not come up at all.

 

[jackri]

It can be measured either way. I do the carbonate hardness... but thats basically your alkalinity.

 

[snakeblitz33]

carbonate hardness and alkalinity are the same thing. I like saying alkalinity more. Your alkalinity is a bit high, IMO at 11dKH. Don't add any baking soda at all right now. Buffering your water for alkalinity won't make your calcium raise. Alkalinity makes the pH more stable and lets corals uptake calcium. It also balances the enzymes in fish and inverts bodies.
You should slowly add calcium to your tank, and lay off the alkalinity for now. I would say to let your alk drop to 8 or 9 dKH.
Then again, I don't use the products that you are talking about. I drip kalkwasser after I balance my chemicals.
Good luck with yah

 

[khaosreign]

Thanks Snake
I stopped the 2 part when my DKH rose. I went out and bought a calcium cupplement and have been dosing twice a week per the instructions so hopefully my DKH will lower and my calcium will rise
thanks again.

 

[snakeblitz33]

If you want to decrease your alk, The best thing to do is a nice water change. Usually water changes definately do the trick.