Still confused about testing

[Blue Meg]

i only live a few blocks from my lfs and they test for free. But one day someone was talking about pH, calcium, and alkalinity.

I used to assume that pH and alkalinity were the same thing as they were often used interchangeably in chem lab in college. A solution with a pH of 12 was an alkaline solution for example. Now it seems to be calcium? And then they also did a calcium test? What gives?

 

[K. Steven]

Alkalinity, in terms of reef aquariums, means the total carbonate and bicarbonate concentration in the water. Carbonate (CO3^2-) combines with calcium (Ca^2+) to form the hard skeleton of stony corals. It is important to maintain these concentrations to provide these types of corals the elements they need to continuously build their skeletons.

 

[Mikedawg]

i only live a few blocks from my lfs and they test for free. But one day someone was talking about pH, calcium, and alkalinity.

I used to assume that pH and alkalinity were the same thing as they were often used interchangeably in chem lab in college. A solution with a pH of 12 was an alkaline solution for example. Now it seems to be calcium? And then they also did a calcium test? What gives?

Try this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/o...-reef-aquarium-by-randy-holmes-farley.173563/

 

[Blue Meg]

Try this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/o...-reef-aquarium-by-randy-holmes-farley.173563/