Strontium uptake correlates to calcium uptake?

[whyoming.white]

I was ready a thread on a forum the other day and someone said that you can dose strontium based on your calcium usage. Is there any truth to this at all?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Strontium uptake is tied to calcium uptake, yes. That applies to use by coals or abiotic precipitation. It seems that strontium just slips into the crystal in place of calcium.

I also do not consider Sr important, but I know that isn’t what you asked. [emoji23]

 

[whyoming.white]

Do you know if a chart or formula that can be used to figure out how much strontium to dose based on “x” amount of calcium uptake?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It will depend on the Sr to Ca ratio in the water, and to a small extent the temperature.

At NSW ratios, it is about 103 calcium ions per strontium ion. That’s about 47.1 grams of calcium per gram of strontium.

I discuss that and more here:

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/11/chemistry