Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
While there are many good articles out there on reef chemistry topics, here's a list of my articles.
Some of them need updating, and we'll be posting revisions at R2R, but there are not many things which I think are incorrect.
Handy Calculators (I don't claim to have written these, but they are very useful)
Reef Chemistry Calculator
Calcium Reactor Setup Help
General Articles
Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium
What is Seawater? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Solving Common Problems
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solving Calcium And Alkalinity Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
pH And The Reef Aquarium
Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION
Calcium and Alkalinity
The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
How a Two Part Alkalinity and Calcium System Works, and Why it Matters
A DIY Alkalinity Test: By Randy Holmes-Farley - REEFEDITION
A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance? by Randy Holmes-Farley
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: A Homemade Two-Part Calcium And Alkalinity Additive System ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solving Calcium And Alkalinity Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: How To Select A Calcium And Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Electronic Calcium Monitoring by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Purity Of Calcium Chloride ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Calcium and Alkalinity - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Calcium Carbonate As A Supplement ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Relationship Between Alkalinity And pH ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: The Chemical and Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry and the Aquarium: Calcium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry and the Aquarium: What is Alkalinity? ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Salinity
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement
Reef Aquarium Salinity: DIY Calibration Standards
Temperature Corrections for Hydrometers by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry and the Aquarium: Specific Gravity: Oh How Complicated! ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Using Conductivity to Measure Salinity
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is TDS
What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Iron
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron: A Look At Organisms Other Than Macroalgae ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Iodine
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine In Reef Tanks 2: Effects On Macroalgae Growth ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Magnesium and Strontium
Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Strontium and the Reef Aquarium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium In Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Limewater (kalkwasser)
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
The Degradation of Limewater in Air - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: How To Select A Calcium And Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Metals in Aquaria
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Tap Water in Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron: A Look At Organisms Other Than Macroalgae ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Boron and Borate (and pH buffering)
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Boron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Salifert Boron Test Kit ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Ozone
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Others
My Triton Testing Results: By Randy Holmes-Farley - REEFEDITION
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php
Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Problem Dinoflagellates and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Photosynthesis and the Reef Aquarium, Part I: Carbon Sources by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is Skimming? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Hydrogen Sulfide and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
The Units of Measure of Reefkeeping by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2007
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2007 (Questions) by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2006
Reef Chemistry Quiz (Questions) by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Measuring pH with a Meter
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/2/chemistry
A Comparison of pH Calibration Buffers by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Tap Water in Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
ORP and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
Chloramine and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Feature Article: Silica In Reef Aquariums ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Sea Urchins: A Chemical Perspective by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Organic Compounds in the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solutions To pH Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Phosphorus: Algae's Best Friend ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Nitrate and the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/8/chemistry
Some more of mine. These are older and, unfortunately, just like a chemical, they apparently are degrading with time. Equations and symbols seem to be having problems, so some are becoming harder to read and understand:
The Complete Nitrogen Cycle
Aquarium Frontiers Library
Magnesium (older article with fonts screwed up)
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Phosphate (older article now reproduced in a poor fashion)
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Carbon Dioxide
Aquarium Frontiers Library
Understanding Seawater
Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
Protein Skimming: How It Works
Skimming by RHF
Some of them need updating, and we'll be posting revisions at R2R, but there are not many things which I think are incorrect.
Handy Calculators (I don't claim to have written these, but they are very useful)
Reef Chemistry Calculator
Calcium Reactor Setup Help
General Articles
Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium
What is Seawater? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Solving Common Problems
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solving Calcium And Alkalinity Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
pH And The Reef Aquarium
Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION
Calcium and Alkalinity
The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
How a Two Part Alkalinity and Calcium System Works, and Why it Matters
A DIY Alkalinity Test: By Randy Holmes-Farley - REEFEDITION
A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance? by Randy Holmes-Farley
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: A Homemade Two-Part Calcium And Alkalinity Additive System ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solving Calcium And Alkalinity Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: How To Select A Calcium And Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Electronic Calcium Monitoring by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Purity Of Calcium Chloride ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Calcium and Alkalinity - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Calcium Carbonate As A Supplement ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Relationship Between Alkalinity And pH ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: The Chemical and Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry and the Aquarium: Calcium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry and the Aquarium: What is Alkalinity? ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Salinity
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement
Reef Aquarium Salinity: DIY Calibration Standards
Temperature Corrections for Hydrometers by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry and the Aquarium: Specific Gravity: Oh How Complicated! ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Using Conductivity to Measure Salinity
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is TDS
What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Iron
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron: A Look At Organisms Other Than Macroalgae ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Iodine
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine In Reef Tanks 2: Effects On Macroalgae Growth ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Magnesium and Strontium
Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Strontium and the Reef Aquarium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium In Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Limewater (kalkwasser)
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
The Degradation of Limewater in Air - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: How To Select A Calcium And Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Metals in Aquaria
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Aquarium Chemistry: Tap Water in Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iron: A Look At Organisms Other Than Macroalgae ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Boron and Borate (and pH buffering)
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Boron In A Reef Tank ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Salifert Boron Test Kit ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Ozone
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Others
My Triton Testing Results: By Randy Holmes-Farley - REEFEDITION
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php
Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Problem Dinoflagellates and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Photosynthesis and the Reef Aquarium, Part I: Carbon Sources by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is Skimming? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Hydrogen Sulfide and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
The Units of Measure of Reefkeeping by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2007
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2007 (Questions) by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Reef Chemistry Quiz 2006
Reef Chemistry Quiz (Questions) by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Iron Oxide Hydroxide (GFO) Phosphate Binders by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Measuring pH with a Meter
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/2/chemistry
A Comparison of pH Calibration Buffers by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Aquarium Chemistry: Tap Water in Reef Aquaria ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
ORP and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
Chloramine and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Feature Article: Silica In Reef Aquariums ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Sea Urchins: A Chemical Perspective by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Organic Compounds in the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Solutions To pH Problems ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Chemistry And The Aquarium: Phosphorus: Algae's Best Friend ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Nitrate and the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/8/chemistry
Some more of mine. These are older and, unfortunately, just like a chemical, they apparently are degrading with time. Equations and symbols seem to be having problems, so some are becoming harder to read and understand:
The Complete Nitrogen Cycle
Aquarium Frontiers Library
Magnesium (older article with fonts screwed up)
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Phosphate (older article now reproduced in a poor fashion)
AquariumFish.com :: Aquarium Fish International :: The monthly magazine for both novice and expert aquarium hobbyists.
Carbon Dioxide
Aquarium Frontiers Library
Understanding Seawater
Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
Protein Skimming: How It Works
Skimming by RHF
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