alk / ca balancing quesiton

[saltcreep1025]

I just tested my water and came up with 200 mg/l KH and 405 mg/l CA. what do i need in order for it to be balanced well? I know i need to get a magnesium test but my lfs is outta them right now.

thakns guys

ross

At 405 ppm Ca, your alkalinity is a little high actually. You can check >>here<< for the balanced numbers but I would suggest either raising the Ca or allowing the alk to fall off a bit on it's own.

Cheers
Steve

[reefrunner69]

To add a bit to Steve's post (the calculator doesn't use mg/l CACO3 as a variable), to get meq/L you need to divide by 50. So your ALK is 4.0 meq/L.

[loganj]

OK, I may be confused here but I thought the stated readings were 2.0 meg/l alk and 405 mg/l calcium? Wouldn't that make both readings a little low? My alk stays at 4.5-5.0 meq/l and calcium at about 500.

Originally Posted by loganj

OK, I may be confused here but I thought the stated readings were 2.0 meg/l alk and 405 mg/l calcium? Wouldn't that make both readings a little low? My alk stays at 4.5-5.0 meq/l and calcium at about 500.

I would actually not recommend allowing Ca to be toofar above 450 ppm on a regular basis. May not seem like much but if there is a chem imbalance it can/will precipitate fairly easily with such a high alkalinity depending on the additives used to maintain them. Maintaing a 450 ppm Ca balanced with a 4.25-4.5 mEq/l alk would be easier and less risk.

Originally Posted by rossv

I just tested my water and came up with 200 mg/l KH and 405 mg/l CA.

200 mg/l = 200 ppm = 11.2 DKH = 4 mEq/l

@4 mEq/l alk the balanced Ca would be 400 ppm
or
@405 ppm Ca a balanced alk would be 2.25 mEq/l

Cheers
Steve

[loganj]

You're right...where did I come up with 2.0 meq/l? Jeez!