View Single Post
  #15  
Old 06-08-2009, 07:00 AM
whatcaneyedo's Avatar
whatcaneyedo whatcaneyedo is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Prince George, BC
Posts: 2,198
whatcaneyedo is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to whatcaneyedo
Default

I'm not a big fan of Hagen... A different test kit with units in ppm, dkh, or meq/L would make this a little easier. Also, make sure that your test kit isnt past its expiration date. Are you sure the test kit didnt mean ppm? If its 80ppm then your alkalinity would be 4.48dkh which is really low. You can boost it with baking soda using this online calculator http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html


"Alkalinity is a measure of the amount of acid necessary to reduce water's pH to the point where all carbonate and bicarbonate have been converted into carbonic acid (about pH 4.2 in seawater). In seawater, bicarbonate and carbonate provide nearly all of the alkalinity. Consequently, reef aquarists can use it as a surrogate measure for bicarbonate and carbonate which are taken up by calcifying organisms (Figure 1). The units of alkalinity can be meq/L (milliequivalents per liter), dKH (degrees of carbonate hardness), or ppm (meaning ppm of calcium carbonate equivalents). One meq/L = 2.8 dKH = 50 ppm CaCO3 equivalents. Seawater has an alkalinity of about 2.5 meq/L = 7 dKH = 125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents."

From: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/rhf/index.php
__________________
"We shall dive down through black abysses... and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory forever." - H.P. Lovecraft

Old 120gal Tank Journal
New 225gal Tank Journal
May 2010 TOTM
The 10th Annual Prince George Reef Tank Tour
Reply With Quote