Alk test versus ph?
- Thread starter pkstylez
- Start date
tjm9331
New member
I'm not 100% sure but your calcium carbonate test and alkalinity test should be one in the same.
When testing your ph you are testing how acidic or alkaline your water is but honestly pretty much everyone here will tell you to not even bother with ph test cause it will fluctuate so much it will drive you nuts. Ph is affected by so much environmentally that its hard to keep it 100% stable so testing is a moot point.
When testing alkalinity or calcium carbonate you are testing the carbonate hardness of the water, the carbonate hardness is the 'buffering' ability of the water and this is usually measured in dkh or meg/l
hope that helps
When testing your ph you are testing how acidic or alkaline your water is but honestly pretty much everyone here will tell you to not even bother with ph test cause it will fluctuate so much it will drive you nuts. Ph is affected by so much environmentally that its hard to keep it 100% stable so testing is a moot point.
When testing alkalinity or calcium carbonate you are testing the carbonate hardness of the water, the carbonate hardness is the 'buffering' ability of the water and this is usually measured in dkh or meg/l
hope that helps
nereefpat
New member
Carbonate hardness (german KH), for our intents and purposes, is alkalinity. For example, the API kH kit is an alkalinity kit.
Testing pH is testing how alkaline or acidic a solution is. But, this is not the same as testing alkalinity or acidity. It's understandable to find that confusing.
In general, reefers test alkalinity and don't test for pH.
Testing pH is testing how alkaline or acidic a solution is. But, this is not the same as testing alkalinity or acidity. It's understandable to find that confusing.
In general, reefers test alkalinity and don't test for pH.
marzvt
Member
testing one doesn't cover testing the other. You should no both. PH among other things is an indirect test of how oxygenated your water is. low ph is low oxygen. I struggle with low ph because my sump is in the basement so I use a co2 scrubber to inject pure oxygen in my skimmer which keeps my ph up. Corals will consume or reduce alkalinity independent of ph so they should both be tested. I try to keep my ph above 8.1 ideally between 8.2 and 8.3. ALK I keep between 11 and 12 for faster coral growth.
nereefpat
New member
This isn't quite right. It's more of an indirect measure of CO2.
pH in our tanks is a function of alkalinity and CO2. Low pH typically means high CO2. But, high CO2 doesn't mean low dissolved oxygen, since dissolved gases don't affect the solubility of other gases.
You can have a pH in the mid-high 7s, but still have plenty of oxygen for the inhabitants.
nereefpat
New member
There are definitely benefits to having higher pH. Some folks, like you apparently, track pH and take steps to keep it in the 8s.
Some folks just let it be and not worry about it.
...more than one way to skin a cat, and whatnot.
marzvt
Member
Yes there is many ways to skin a cat. I was in the high 7s until I took steps. My corals never grew that well, especially the sps until I took steps to keep the ph above 8.1. now my montis,stylos,leptos,cephastrias,are growing like weeds. I believe keeping the ph and alkalinity where they are had paid a large part in that.
