Ca Mg DKH

Can anyone explain in simple terms the relationship between calcium magnesium and alkalinity?

Why if your calcium goes above 550mg/l will it lower alkalinity?

Does limewater restore calcium and alkalinity together, or just calcium?

If you dont have a lot of sps, would water changes with a good salt mix be enough to not have to dose limewater?

Originally Posted by Variko

Can anyone explain in simple terms the relationship between calcium magnesium and alkalinity?

Cant think of an easier way to explain it then this article http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Why if your calcium goes above 550mg/l will it lower alkalinity?

Sometimes if there is an ionic imbalance you will get calcium carbonate precipitation. All that is is calcium carbonate and sodium carb/bicarbonate combining together into calcium carbonate. This can be caused by many things.

Does limewater restore calcium and alkalinity together, or just calcium?

Kalk or limewater adds both calcium and alkalinity.

If you dont have a lot of sps, would water changes with a good salt mix be enough to not have to dose limewater?

It could.

I tried to open that article before I posted this Chris. I couldnt open it. Still cant.

So if your calcium goes above 550, and precipitates out, it removes bicarbonate because the calcium precipitates out as calcium carbonate. So what you have left is calcium in the water, but less bicarbonate, because it left in the form of precipitated calcium carbonate?

Originally Posted by Variko

I tried to open that article before I posted this Chris. I couldnt open it. Still cant.

Try opening it again. I just clicked the link and it opened.

Originally Posted by Variko

So if your calcium goes above 550, and precipitates out, it removes bicarbonate because the calcium precipitates out as calcium carbonate. So what you have left is calcium in the water, but less bicarbonate, because it left in the form of precipitated calcium carbonate?

You could get precipitation at any level. 550ppm isnt some magic number.

When calcium carbonate is formed, whether by coral calcification or precipitation it takes one part calcium and one part Alk (carb/bi-carb) You also need a little Mg to make this happen so when you include Mg in this the ratio shows like this 16 parts Ca, 16 parts Alk and 1 part Mg. Different animals will calcify slightly differently but 16-16-1 is generally accepted.

It opened this time. Thanks Chris! Thank you for the 16 16 1 also, that I can understand perfectly.

did the article help you better understand variko?
............and thanks for posting this! I think it's extremely helpful to many of us here!

anyone else have questions about CA MG or DKH???

The article explained it perfectly.

cool beans!!!

if anyone has more questions on this just ask away here!