Kh dosing

[monizb]

Hey I have been testing my kh its been between 6-7 but my calcium always at 470 if my kh is low then  Calcium should be low as well but its not I don't want to keep dosing kh I am using salfert test kits
Samsung s3

 

[Poseidon]

What's your magnesium at?

 

[monizb]

1470

Samsung s3

 

[Poseidon]

I'm not 100% sure how ca and kh work together in relation to levels but my understand is get them to their appropriate levels and keep them there by dosing what ever it takes ..

 

[Darryl_V]

Hey I have been testing my kh its been between 6-7 but my calcium always at 470 if my kh is low then  Calcium should be low as well but its not I don't want to keep dosing kh I am using salfert test kits
Samsung s3

Just because your alkalinity is low doesnt mean your calcium will be......  I dont know why people have weird notions about the relationship between ca and alk.

 

[monizb]

I can't keep my kh at 8 I don't want to dose to.much to get it up

Samsung s3

 

[curiousphil]

[quote author=monizb link=topic=5463.msg51990#msg51990 date=1369909516]

Hey I have been testing my kh its been between 6-7 but my calcium always at 470 if my kh is low then  Calcium should be low as well but its not I don't want to keep dosing kh I am using salfert test kits
Samsung s3

Just because your alkalinity is low doesnt mean your calcium will be......  I dont know why people have weird notions about the relationship between ca and alk.
[/quote]

I can think of one reason.... came across this article when trying to learn everything I could about water chemistry:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1179702

 

[Darryl_V]

Ok...what about that article tells me that if my alk is low that calcium will be too?

You really should be ready the chemistry articles by Randy Holmes Farley...

 

[curiousphil]

I've read a bit of Randy's stuff, do you recommend any articles in particular?

This is the quote I was thinking of when I linked the above thread:

The role that alk and calcium have is that the two of them compete for space in the aquarium. having too much of one will limit what one can have of the other. Generally you can have low alk and high calcium, or high alk and low calcium, and in between the two is that sweet spot that most people try to hit.

 

[curiousphil]

Sorry, rereading what you said, you said low alk AND calcium.... yeah there's nothing in that thread to say that....

 

[Darryl_V]

I've read a bit of Randy's stuff, do you recommend any articles in particular?

This is the quote I was thinking of when I linked the above thread:

The role that alk and calcium have is that the two of them compete for space in the aquarium. having too much of one will limit what one can have of the other. Generally you can have low alk and high calcium, or high alk and low calcium, and in between the two is that sweet spot that most people try to hit.

Yes but be careful with this statement too.  Its only true on the far extremes.  It is possible to have low alk and low calcium.  My tank has been known to drop to 6dkh with calcium at 360.  It's also possible to have relatively high alk 11-14dkh and high calcium 480-520ppm.  The problems start when you have too much of one or both in solution.  You can only have so much of either (or combination) in solution at one time before precipitation starts happening.  If you are decent at all in keeping your water parameters in the ranges I mentioned than you will never have to worry about it at all.

 

[copperkills]

If Im not mistaken,  One of randys articles discusses the three different "zones" for Alk and Ca...1) High Alk & Low Ca, Low Alk & High Ca,  High Alk & High Ca.  He also discusses why u could be in any of those zones and how to bring them back into the norm.