grrr! I hate chemisty... someone please help me understand...

[madmax7774]

I feel so darned stupid. I don't understand the relationship between alkalinity, PH, DKH, and calcium levels. I though that alkalinity and PH were the same thing? i.e.- if something has a low PH value that meant it was increasing in acidity, and if it had a high PH number then it increasing in alkalinity. so why if my PH is at 8.2 do I have such a low dkh value (around 6dkh) what the heck is dkh anyway? And why no matter how much calcium i add, my numbers never seem to want to go above 400ppm. I now understand why I almost flunked chemistry in 11th grade.

Is there someone out there who can break it down for me to a "PH for dummies" level?

I have read a lot of the articles on various aquarium pages already, and I still don't really get it.

Edited April 25, 2006 by madmax7774

[londonloco]

I feel so darned stupid. I don't understand the relationship between alkalinity, PH, DKH, and calcium levels. I though that alkalinity and PH were the same thing? i.e.- if something has a low PH value that meant it was increasing in acidity, and if it had a high PH number then it increasing in alkalinity. so why if my PH is at 8.2 do I have such a low dkh value (around 6dkh) what the heck is dkh anyway? And why no matter how much calcium i add, my numbers never seem to want to go above 400ppm. I now understand why I almost flunked chemistry in 11th grade.

Is there someone out there who can break it down for me to a "PH for dummies" level?

I have read a lot of the articles on various aquarium pages already, and I still don't really get it.

 

First of all I don't proclaim to understand it fully either. I do know that alkalinity is your buffering capacity for your Ph. In other words, the correct level alkalinity makes your Ph stable and not fluctuate. There is a relationship between alkalinity, Ph and calcium levels. To understand this fully, and I've been meaning to do this, but it so bores me...go to Reef Central and read threads by Randy Holmes. He's the chemist....

[EricBrian]

I feel so darned stupid. I don't understand the relationship between alkalinity, PH, DKH, and calcium levels. I though that alkalinity and PH were the same thing? i.e.- if something has a low PH value that meant it was increasing in acidity, and if it had a high PH number then it increasing in alkalinity. so why if my PH is at 8.2 do I have such a low dkh value (around 6dkh) what the heck is dkh anyway? And why no matter how much calcium i add, my numbers never seem to want to go above 400ppm. I now understand why I almost flunked chemistry in 11th grade.

Is there someone out there who can break it down for me to a "PH for dummies" level?

I have read a lot of the articles on various aquarium pages already, and I still don't really get it.

 

 

If you can't raise your Ca, check your Mg. I wasn't able to raise mine either until I got Mg levels up.

 

Check out this page on water chemistry. Then, have a look at the Magnesium section.

 

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

[Guest Ominojacu]

First of all I don't proclaim to understand it fully either. I do know that alkalinity is your buffering capacity for your Ph. In other words, the correct level alkalinity makes your Ph stable and not fluctuate. There is a relationship between alkalinity, Ph and calcium levels. To understand this fully, and I've been meaning to do this, but it so bores me...go to Reef Central and read threads by Randy Holmes. He's the chemist....

 

That's a pretty good understanding, Buffering capacity being the key phrase, A high PH is resisting acidity so in relation to a low PH it is said to be alkaline. Alkalinity is not just a high ph, but the amount of buffers in the water that maintain that PH. for instance if I have two glasses of water, both with the same PH, one low in alkalinity, and I put a tea spoon of acidic water in each one, the low alkalinity cup will have a much more significant PH drop, bicarbonate (HCO3-), and carbonate (CO32-), hydroxide (OH-), borates, silicates, phosphates, ammonium, sulfides, and organic ligands, are all buffers that can raise your alkalinity. A calcium reactor is probably the best way to maintain alkalinity, although they can lower the PH a little. Raising the alkalinity more then makes up for a slightly lower PH. Most organisms can adjust to a lower PH, the problem is fluctuation, so its more important to maintain a constant PH, which a high alkalinity helps you do, then to maintain a high PH.