DKH/ Alkalinity Confusion

[flipnap]

okay so i finally managed to get an alkalinity test kit (my LFS stopped selling them so i had to go town hopping) . i already own a Carbonate hardness kit and was surprised to see in the alkalinity kit, conversions for DKH from my results, along with other conversions.. so im a little confused.. I know they both test the same thing, with alkalinity covering more bases.. but are they duplicate testers? i havent gotten my Magnesium tester yet.. but heres my readings.. my Ph is down to around 8.0 so im assuming its because my alk is off a bit

Alkalinity reading.. 3.25
Carbonate Hardness Reading 11DKH (196.9 ppm)

so ive read that good ranges are around 7-9 DKH, and 2.5 alkalinity

so im wondering to get these levels back to range, should i dose with calcium first, or do Kents Buffer first.. last time i did both i had a calcium precip.. man, everytime i think i have this stuff figured out, BAM!!

as always thanks for the help...

[Tangster]

They are both one in the same just different methods to get there.. At 11 DH you are good to go and check the ca and the magnesium also all 3 go hand i hand with the Dkh or alk at that level it may have suppressed your Ca.. you want the Ca to get to around 400 to 450 and that really depends on the magnesium you want that to be at 1300 to 1500 .. With these numbers you will find algae to be less of a problem and the coralline will love it..

Long story short is Carbonates and Calcium are oppositely charged ions ones a + the other is a - and the Magnesium is the referee .. Like the oil and water won't mix wives tale.. But they will with the proper emulsifier added and thats what the magnesium does.