Getting my terms straght?

[SkiFletch]

Hey guys, I'm having a little confusion here getting my chemistry terms straight. Everyone around here seems to call their calcium "calc" which makes some sense to me. What confuses me is what everyone refers to as "alk" alkalinity for short, got that far. Alkalinity is the measure of carbonate ions or in solution yes? And one way to measure it is using a KH test?

I'm pretty sure all of that is correct, but where I'm really loosing my mind is, are there different scales for expressing alk. I seem to see some people using dKH, meq/L, ppmand maybe others I'm ust not remembering that I saw. Anyways, if these are all different units of measure for alk, is there some way to convert them? A table, constant, or converter, etc?

Thanks for your help and input

Fletch

 

[puter]

The answer to all your questions:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2002/chemistry.htm

HTH,

- Mark

 

[Sk8r]

Yes. Personally I use Salifert tests: both scales are side by side on its alk (KH) test, including the one most people use and refer to on this forum. I keep corals, and use cal, alk, and mg tests. There are two ways of expressing alk. The other tests I believe use just one scale.
You want an alk of 8.3 to 11
a cal of 400-450
a mg 3x the cal reading
salinity of 1.025
if you're keeping corals. I never have looked at my ph, but nothing has died. Seriously, if your readings are there, your ph isn't usually too off.

 

[dalbrecht]

Your PH can't be too far off. The Alk buffers the ph. A low ph isn't possible if your Alk is normal. Similarly, a high Caclium reading isn't possible if your ph is too high as it will precipitate out of solution.

There are also multiple ways of expressing other things in a reef tank. Especially salinity.

 

[SkiFletch]

Thanks for clearing my head guys, appreciate it .

So I guess that means I'm right in the ballpark. Last night's tests were alk-10 and calc 430 with an sg of 1.026. Don't have a magnesium kit yet. I also haven't been measuring my pH, but last I checked it was 8.2.

Now if only I could professionally measure silicates and phosphates...

 

[Sk8r]

YOu don't need a mg kit yet---not until the alk and cal refuse to hold. Of course then it may be a weekend---it always is.

I believe there is a phosphate test from Salifert. Dunno about silicates. On the side of one of their boxes they do tell what other tests they have.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, I have the salifert phosphate kit... I dont trust it so well on the low end of the spectrum though. My experience with cyano and phosphate remover leads me to believe that its not great.

 

[ReeferMac]

One of the best investments I made in my tank, was a pH meter. W/o the details, it will tell you a lot about your system by a quick glance, once you get used to things. The particulars will cost you a cold one, I type too much at work.

- Mac