Alk at 19 dkh

Calfo gives one of the best explinations i have ever read about the relationship between ALK, CA and PH.


Fact: it is only possible to dissolve so many solids into a given volume of water (calcium, carbonates, and everything else). At the risk of oversimplifying the dynamic, imagine a bowl that holds one hundred marbles representing the total dissolved solids in seawater in a given system. If red marbles represented calcium, and blue marbles represented carbonates (alkalinity), the bowl can still only hold one hundred marbles no matter what mix of color they are. Now, if seventy marbles were the equivalent of 400-ppm calcium and the remaining marbles were blue, the only way to increase calcium would be to displace alkalinity (to remove blue marbles). In troubled systems, the misapplication of calcium supplements (dosing suddenly or to excess) is known to cause a sudden precipitation of carbonates (the alkalinity falls/crashes) that is commonly referred to as a “snowstorm”. It is instigated by the influx of a large or rapid amount of calcium entering the system that spikes the pH immediately surrounding carbonate molecules and causes a crystalline precipitation (fallout). In keeping with our analogy, a “snowstorm” would be like taking another bowl of one hundred red marbles (calcium) and trying to pour it into the original bowl of mixed, colored marbles (balanced calcium and alkalinity). The result is the displacement of all blue marbles (carbonates/alkalinity) and the overflow of excess red marbles beyond the one hundred marble limit. The ramifications of this in an aquarium is a crash in water chemistry and water quality that cannot be corrected while the chemical reaction occurs. Dosing more supplements to try to correct the imbalance (or even doing a concurrent water change with hopes of dilution) will only serve to feed the chain reaction. Tragically, the “snowstorm” must be allowed to finish and an aquarium system is traumatized in the process.
Rest of the article can be found here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
 
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According to the online reef chemistry calculator the balanced calcium for an alkalinity of 19 is 496. So if I understand it correctly, precipitation of the calcium would only happen once the level is pushed higher than 496. Correct?
 
That might be the balance but you cant saturate the solution that high, it cant hold that amount of CA and Alk together.
 
Latest readings

Calc 400 down from last reading

phosphates 1ppm stable

nitrates stable at 0

salinity 1.0255 stable

ph 8.2 down from last reading

magnesium 1350 down from last reading

alkilinity on sunday morning 20.5
and on sunday night 19.65
and now tonight 19.2
that equates to a 1.3 drop per day i will hit 11kh in 6 to 7 days time have noticed a huge improvement in polyp extension on soft corals and no adverse effects on livestock
 
any responses to my parameters will be appreciated
i have confirmed all readings above
Mogamatseraajregal, If you find that your test kits are accurate, raise your Ca level slowly using Calcium Chloride, so that it will begin dropping your Alk level, thus stopping this imbalance.
Do so until you reach a Ca level of 380 - 420 and Alk level 6.5 - 8.5 DKH (NSW levels)
 
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MSRegal, Im very happy that you are experiencing snow storm after snow storm...why? so that you can see for yourself the effect the buffers has and why their are recomended parameters.
Also specifically note the effect that KALK has on the parameters. I did ask you to hold the KALK dosing for a while until your calcium and Alk levels drop....LOL
These are recomended:
Alk = 8-12
Ca = 400-420
Mg = 1200-1400
Please toss the drum of saturated limewater and fill with RO for evaporation topups:thumbup:
Continuosly adding kalk water is gonna increase your Ca to 'snow storm' levels :( so its better that you quit that until your Ca reading is between 400-420.
It will also increase Alk by some minor margin and in your case you already have a high Alk reading.
I really hope this helps.
 
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