Re: Alkalinity and Phosphates

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

James Purchase said, in part:

> Cavan asked a question the other day about the possible
> effect Phosphates
> have on Alkalinity readings. In one form or another, this
> question has been
> battered around online since at least 1994. I've NEVER
> seen anyone step up
> to the bat to volunteer an answer. Lots of stuff which
> says that things like
> Borates, Phosphates and Sulphates CAN add to Alkalinity
> readings, but
> nothing which says by how much, or to what degree.
> 
> Is there ANY way to separate out the possible
> interference from Phosphates,
> Borates and/or Sulphates to an Alkalinity reading? 


Great point.  Some scales or tables showing impacts of
these things in a quantified form would be great.  Short of
that, the APD archives, and the April-June Issue of _The
Aquatic Gardener_ give the definite conclusion that you
need a lot of phosphate buffer to make much of a difference
on the KH.  Those sources include Roger Miller's table
showing phosphate's impact on KH along with insturctions on
how to apply use the table.

If you don't already get _The Aquatic Gardener_ you can by
joining the Aquatic Gardener's Association.  It has lots of
good stuff and comes out now every couple of months, and in
full color, too.

Scott H.

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