Help with alkalinity
- Thread starter reb
- Start date
the reef
Member
Originally Posted by Reb
I see everyone referring to alkalinity being good around 2.5. My test kit reads it in ppm with 180 ppm being good. Is there a conversion chart or a way to know if my tests are in line?
your reddings are in kh form in that your alkalinity is 18 kh and should be in the range of 10-12 for fish only and 8-11 for reef
I see everyone referring to alkalinity being good around 2.5. My test kit reads it in ppm with 180 ppm being good. Is there a conversion chart or a way to know if my tests are in line?
your reddings are in kh form in that your alkalinity is 18 kh and should be in the range of 10-12 for fish only and 8-11 for reef
wax32
Active Member
KH is Carbonate Hardness and the unit of measure for this is called dKH. But I'm not sure that's what she is seeing. 18 dkH is totally off the chart of my Salifert test kit.
The unit of measure for alkalinity is meq/L and is what ppl are using when they say 2.5 or whatever. They end up being the same thing, but the numbers will be different because of the different units of measure.
This is why it is a great idea to include the units of measure you are talking about whenever you give your water parameters.
What brand of test kit are you using? Maybe someone with experience with that particular kit can chime in.
The unit of measure for alkalinity is meq/L and is what ppl are using when they say 2.5 or whatever. They end up being the same thing, but the numbers will be different because of the different units of measure.
This is why it is a great idea to include the units of measure you are talking about whenever you give your water parameters.
What brand of test kit are you using? Maybe someone with experience with that particular kit can chime in.
reefnut
Active Member
It goes like this...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
So you are around 10dkh (3.75meq/L) which is good, if your calcium is around 435ppm or so!!
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
So you are around 10dkh (3.75meq/L) which is good, if your calcium is around 435ppm or so!!
doodle1800
Active Member
how'd u get 10dkh out of 2.5?
rickd
Member
Originally Posted by ReefNut
It goes like this...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
So you are around 10dkh (3.75meq/L) which is good, if your calcium is around 435ppm or so!!
Thanks Reefnut I've been looking for this.
It goes like this...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
So you are around 10dkh (3.75meq/L) which is good, if your calcium is around 435ppm or so!!
Thanks Reefnut I've been looking for this.
reefnut
Active Member
how'd u get 10dkh out of 2.5?
I didn't...
My test kit reads it in ppm with 180 ppm being good.
180ppm = about 10dkh. I did miss read the post though... I thought he meant his level was 180ppm... not just the kit said 180ppm was "good"
Thanks Reefnut I've been looking for this.
Your welcome
here's the complete chart if you're interested...
Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
[hr]
360
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
[hr]
370
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
[hr]
380
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
[hr]
390
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
[hr]
400
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
[hr]
410
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
[hr]
420
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
[hr]
430
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
[hr]
440
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
[hr]
450
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
[hr]
460
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
[hr]
470
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
[hr]
480
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
[hr]
490
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
[hr]
500
I didn't...
My test kit reads it in ppm with 180 ppm being good.
180ppm = about 10dkh. I did miss read the post though... I thought he meant his level was 180ppm... not just the kit said 180ppm was "good"
Thanks Reefnut I've been looking for this.
Your welcome
here's the complete chart if you're interested...Alkalinity__Alkalinity____Alkalinity_____Calcium
(meq/L)____(dKH)___(ppm CaCO3)__(ppm Ca++)
--0.0
[hr]
0.0
[hr]
0
[hr]
360
--0.5
[hr]
1.4
[hr]
25
[hr]
370
--1.0
[hr]
2.8
[hr]
50
[hr]
380
--1.5
[hr]
4.2
[hr]
75
[hr]
390
--2.0
[hr]
5.6
[hr]
100
[hr]
400
--2.5
[hr]
7.0
[hr]
125
[hr]
410
--3.0
[hr]
8.4
[hr]
150
[hr]
420
--3.5
[hr]
9.8
[hr]
175
[hr]
430
--4.0
[hr]
11.2
[hr]
200
[hr]
440
--4.5
[hr]
12.6
[hr]
225
[hr]
450
--5.0
[hr]
14.0
[hr]
250
[hr]
460
--5.5
[hr]
15.4
[hr]
275
[hr]
470
--6.0
[hr]
16.8
[hr]
300
[hr]
480
--6.5
[hr]
18.2
[hr]
325
[hr]
490
--7.0
[hr]
19.6
[hr]
350
[hr]
500
goulding.c
Member
I have same probelms my calcium is around 500 but my alk is 2.5 using sea chem kit and it states that it is measured in meq/l. It also states that sea water is usually 2-3 and our tanks should be kept at 4-6 meq/l. This is also total alkalinity. Why should the tanks be differant? I have read the long thread about chemistry and understood about 50% of it. If I understood them correct they said to use baking soda to keep alk up. I have been adding one teaspoon to ever 55 gallons of ro water I make for changes which last 2 weeks for my 125. Any help would be great. :help: :help:
CG
CG