Potassium Chloride K or Kcl

[FinalPhaze987]

i said screw it and picked up the KCl...Rich, would you happen to know where to pick up any test kits for K?

 

[Thales]

If I remember correctly, Randy recommends KCl over K2s04, but I don't remember why.

Any of the test kits on the market are apparently very very difficult to read. Sad. You can get them online though, marinedepot.com has a few.

 

[Gomer]

Potassium is usually done by a turbidity test. As Thales said, they are a PITA and not too reliable. I believe the only "decent" one is Lamotte$$.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

[quote author=Thales link=topic=2679.msg35953#msg35953 date=1204559429]
If I remember correctly, Randy recommends KCl over K2s04, but I don't remember why.[/quote]

Maybe because KCl has greater proportion of K by weight compared to K2S04?

Also, it's less of an issue to dump chloride into your tank than sulfate.

KCl is 52.4% potassium.

K2SO4 is 44.9% potassium.

 

[Gomer]

Correct, but we also tend to dump a lot of Cl in our tank from CaCl2 and MgCl2 (well, many of us). Maybe it isn't a bad idea to offset some of this Cl2? I know nothing about ion balance in reefs.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2679.msg35955#msg35955 date=1204560260]
Potassium is usually done by a turbidity test. As Thales said, they are a PITA and not too reliable. I believe the only "decent" one is Lamotte$$.
[/quote]

That sucks. $6.01 for the KCl and 10 times that for the test..hahaha..I need more potassium in my diet anyway..

 

[Raddogz]

Where did you see one online to purchase?

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Im exagerating...its about $40 w/ shipping...heres a link to the one i was looking at:
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1118

 

[Gomer]

http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/Store.php

Potassium Sulfate
Potassium Sulfate 1 lb. K2SO4
Price: $3.00

I believe greg will ship priority mail.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2679.msg36022#msg36022 date=1204578708]
Correct, but we also tend to dump a lot of Cl in our tank from CaCl2 and MgCl2 (well, many of us). Maybe it isn't a bad idea to offset some of this Cl2? I know nothing about ion balance in reefs.
[/quote]

SO4 would increase at a faster rate than Cl percentage-wise when dosing their potassium salts.

From a Randy article:

Relative concentration of ions in seawater by number.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php

 

[tuberider]

Randy has said in reference to Epsom salts as well, something like "we don't know the effects of elevated sulfate levels in reef aquaria". I believe it to be more of a consumption/buildup issue in regards to what he's talking about, that's why he recommends chlorides over sulfides.

I'm not a chemist, so insert grain of salt here, but that's what I've interpreted from his articles .

 

[Mr. Ugly]

[quote author=tuberider link=topic=2679.msg36280#msg36280 date=1204690240]I'm not a chemist, so insert grain of salt here[...]
[/quote]

Jeremy, would that be a chloride salt or a sulfate one?

 

[Gomer]

Jeremy is full of Ca(NO3)2

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Ohhh.... chemical insults... and what are you implying?

 

[Gomer]

Implying nothing, Mr. (NH2)2CO

 

[GreshamH]

[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2679.msg36306#msg36306 date=1204700187]
Jeremy is full of Ca(NO3)2
[/quote]

Bah Jeremy's been pwned

 

[Mr. Ugly]

3-methylindole

 

[Gomer]

Makes a lovely perfume.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

It's funny that way

 

[tuberider]

[quote author=GreshamH link=topic=2679.msg36333#msg36333 date=1204737523]
[quote author=Gomer link=topic=2679.msg36306#msg36306 date=1204700187]
Jeremy is full of Ca(NO3)2
[/quote]

Bah Jeremy's been pwned
[/quote]I've been pwned my whole life, my pops a chemical/genetic engineer. I didn't want him helping with my homework, so I stayed away esp. the week I was in organic chem . I said screw this where are the girls?