What is Alkalinty... in Layman's Terms???

[MabuyaQ]

KH is a bungeecord, it is made up of different elastic strands that determines the elasticity of the bungeecord. To little elasticity and it will break and you hit the ground breaking bones, to much elasticity and it will stretch untill you hit the ground breaking bones.
Processes in your aquarium will always increase or decrease (and mainly decrease) the number of strands in the bungeecord, so you need to keep track of this elasticity and (mainly) increase the number of strands.

 

[sfin52]

I read this article that I posted a link to awhile back. They have an “in layman’s terms” part in it.

https://www.tidalgardens.com/blog/alkalinity/

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy,

Is dkh, a measurement of those two's buffering capacity?

That determines your alk?

It is twice the carbonate plus bicarbonate plus some more minor things like borate.

 

[MnFish1]

It is the capability of an aqueous solution (water based) to neutralize an acid. Thus it can be multiple 'things' in dissolved solution - that when you add an acid - the pH will not change. Until the 'buffering capacity' of the alkalinity - is reduced.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Alkalinity is the measure of the ability of the 'water' to overcome acidification caused by urea, detritus, etc., to maintain pH in an acceptable range. That is about as 'layman' as I can get it ;-)

I would not suggest that this is a useful or accurate way to help reefers understand what alkalinity is or why we care about it. The urea thing in particular just seems wrong. It has no impact on alkalinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Folks should not get too caught up in buffering as a definition. The buffering of seawater (or any water) is a different measurement.

 

[Paul B]

Can someone please explain alkalinity regarding reef parameters in simple layman terms?

It's baking soda. Hows that for laymans terms. I used baking soda for decades and it's baking soda. You can call it anything you like and charge anything you want for it. But think "Arm and Hammer".
Just like Calcium as we use it is "driveway ice melter" which you can also pay any amount you want for it, but it's driveway ice melter.

It may also contain all sorts of "Ions", borate, nitrate bungee cords, pieces of Columbus underwear or Jimma Hoffa's socks, but it is what it is.

 

[MnFish1]

Folks should not get too caught up in buffering as a definition. The buffering of seawater (or any water) is a different measurement.

Can you explain - not to debate - I am just curious what you meant - He didnt' ask what alkalinity in seawater was - but what was alkalinity? Of course - we wouldn't care about 'buffering capacity' in our tanks (except that people use borate buffers all the time to 'boost ph/alkalinity' - and isn't the endpoint (and I'm curious - I dont know) the endpoint of alkalinity tests when the 'buffering capacity' is gone?. Thanks

 

[GoVols]

I would not suggest that this is a useful or accurate way to help reefers understand what alkalinity is or why we care about it. The urea thing in particular just seems wrong. It has no impact on alkalinity.

lol..

@ScottR
Thanks so much for the Tidal Gardens video!!

 

[GoVols]

Can you explain - not to debate - I am just curious what you meant - He didnt' ask what alkalinity in seawater was - but what was alkalinity? Of course - we wouldn't care about 'buffering capacity' in our tanks (except that people use borate buffers all the time to 'boost ph/alkalinity' - and isn't the endpoint (and I'm curious - I dont know) the endpoint of alkalinity tests when the 'buffering capacity' is gone?. Thanks

MnFish,
I hate borate. It throws off my test kits...
Can't find the endpoint.. ;Wacky

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Can you explain - not to debate - I am just curious what you meant - He didnt' ask what alkalinity in seawater was - but what was alkalinity? Of course - we wouldn't care about 'buffering capacity' in our tanks (except that people use borate buffers all the time to 'boost ph/alkalinity' - and isn't the endpoint (and I'm curious - I dont know) the endpoint of alkalinity tests when the 'buffering capacity' is gone?. Thanks

I’m not sure which comment of mine you want explained more.

Was it the buffering comment?

One can have pH buffering without any alkalinity (say, at any pH below the alkalinity endpoint of about pH 4.2). The pH buffering also varies strongly with pH at constant alkalinity. Reefers also do not maintain alk for purposes of buffering pH. Thus, I did not think it optimal to explain or think of alkalinity in terms of pH buffering. Of course, they are certainly strongly related to one another, at least in seawater at normal pH.

 

[GoVols]

Reefers also do not maintain alk for purposes of buffering pH.

Agree

 

[MnFish1]

I’m not sure which comment of mine you want explained more.

Was it the buffering comment?

One can have pH buffering without any alkalinity (say, at any pH below the alkalinity endpoint of about pH 4.2). The pH buffering also varies strongly with pH at constant alkalinity. Reefers also do not maintain alk for purposes of buffering pH. Thus, I did not think it optimal to explain or think of alkalinity in terms of pH buffering. Of course, they are certainly strongly related to one another, at least in seawater at normal pH.

Yes - thanks that explains what I meant.