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11-13-2007, 10:58 AM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,173
   |  Water Parameters
Well, here it goes another ALK/Carb question....I just did my weekly water change, about 10% and checked my parameters.
Nitrates 0
PH 8.4
SG 1.026
Calcium 420
Mg 1500
Alk 6
What's up with the Alkanity of 6 dkh?
Everything is flourishing in the tank, Corals look great, Fish look happy....
Not sure what to make of it... _________ 72 gallon bowed 150lbs LR 60 lbs LS
2 Percs
1 Chevron Tang
Hippo Tang
Six Line Wrasse
Coral Banded Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp
Starry Blenny
4 Lyretail Anthias
Long Polyp Toadstool
Montipora
Long Tentacle Anenome
Short tentacle plate
Pulsing Xenia
Green Star polyps
Frogspawn
29 gallon
2 Clown
1 Coral Beauty
1 Fairy Wrasse
24 FOWLR
Dwarf Lion
125 gallon African Cichlid Tank http://home.comcast.net/~pizzal/index.html 
"The more you learn, the more acutely aware you become of your ignorance" | 
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11-13-2007, 11:08 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Age: 24
Posts: 728
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Yea I'd be interested to hear what people have to say as well. I only recently started testing my dKH and it was low too. Around 7 or 8. I used baking soda to up it and now it's more like 12 or 13. From what I understand, algae doesn't have an easy time growing with higher dKH. That's why I raised mine. _________ 125 Gal Reef. Born March 2002 FISH: Ocellaris Clown, Yellow Tang, Fairy Wrasse, Sand Star, Fuzzy Dwarf Lion, Mandarin Dragonette, Hippo Tang CORALS: Green Striped/Red/Purple Mushrooms, Green Star Polyps, Yellow Toadstool Leather, Bubble, Frogspawn, 2 Hammers, Yellow Polyps, Open Brain, Ridge Leather, Various Zoas, Button Polyps, Kenya Tree, Colt, Elephant Ear Mushroom, Clove Polyps, Torch, Purple Clam, Rose BTA  | |
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11-13-2007, 11:18 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,173
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Hey man, yeah i want to see what some of the folks have to say...I have been doing a lot of reading but as always, information overload on the Internet...LOL  | |
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11-13-2007, 11:26 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Feather Star
Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Age: 25
Posts: 756
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Chaps!
If I could add my 0.02$:
dKH - carbonate hardness (what we all know) characterizes buffer capacity of your tank. How ?! If there is any source of free H+ (protons that lower the pH) H+ reacts with CO32- (the carbonate anion of which concentration is specified as dKH) yielding HCO3- (so called hydrocarbonate anion). In this particular way your free protons (that cause the drop of pH) are in bound state and they can't cause the drop of pH! Therefore carbonate CO32- buffers your water. The higher the concentration of CO32- the bigger buffering capacity/power of your water and the bigger value of dKH. It is important to have considerably high dKH because together with high value of it the general/effective stability of your water ecosystem is elevated.
I hope this explains the importance and the concept of dKH ! | |
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11-13-2007, 11:30 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,173
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Thanks, man...Now what should I do? | |
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11-13-2007, 11:39 AM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Age: 24
Posts: 728
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11-13-2007, 11:49 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Feather Star
Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Age: 25
Posts: 756
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon1023  | Primary school chemistry course + elements of some scondary school chemistry classes: click here
Enjoy  Quote: |
Thanks, man...Now what should I do?
| I would go for dKH increasing buffer solution. The trick is You would like to introduce carbonates maintaining Ca2+ concentration on constant level! | |
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11-13-2007, 12:01 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | 3reef Sponsor
Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Va/Ct
Posts: 4,287
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Simple chemistry aside alk and Carbonates demands of a system do not ever remain at a constant level unless the tank is dead. as corals and coralline grow they require more of them both as well as the emulsifier magnesium.. That keeps them both in solution and playing well with one another's Double or triple the amount you does what worked last month may not be enough this month..
We at home used to be able to maintain the levels via just pouring buffers and ca into the tank then a Cal reactor was needed then I had to add a Lime water reactor for all my make up water along with the Ca reactor now I have to does again by hand every few weeks as a boost to get the levels back to where I run mine at.. Also may want to look at your strontium levels ??? _________ Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible (Doug Larson) | |
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11-13-2007, 01:05 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami, FL Age: 39
Posts: 4,550
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Camilsky Chaps!
If I could add my 0.02$:
dKH - carbonate hardness (what we all know) characterizes buffer capacity of your tank. How ?! If there is any source of free H+ (protons that lower the pH) H+ reacts with CO32- (the carbonate anion of which concentration is specified as dKH) yielding HCO3- (so called hydrocarbonate anion). In this particular way your free protons (that cause the drop of pH) are in bound state and they can't cause the drop of pH! Therefore carbonate CO32- buffers your water. The higher the concentration of CO32- the bigger buffering capacity/power of your water and the bigger value of dKH. It is important to have considerably high dKH because together with high value of it the general/effective stability of your water ecosystem is elevated.
I hope this explains the importance and the concept of dKH ! | Is this english?  Can it be translated for a six yr old can understand? _________ 9YR OLD 90G/55g custom sump/refug Mag18 Aquac 180skimmer 692w MH AC jr,yel&kole tang,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Acropora(2) Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, xenias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew..  | 
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11-13-2007, 01:09 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,173
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Hi Tangster, was hoping you were going to chime in here. I just picked up a Salifert Strontium test kit about a week ago. I will test for that. I have been using B-ionic 2 component system. I added the recommended dosage of the Alkalinity buffer and was able to raise it 1 dkh. Since it says to add no more then on ml/gallon a day. I will add another dose tomorrow. Is this how I should approach it? hey, btw tell me about your store.....
Thanks | |
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