KNO3 vs CaNO3: Planted EI dosed Invert Tank

coach_z

coach_z

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Jan 12, 2009
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Chris
YO!

Background:
I suck at chemistry

Foreground:
I was looking up some info for an NO3 source while i should have been looking for kno3. I saw a lot of references to CaNO3.

Inverts need calcium in their diet or water column to promote proper shell growth.

So, can I dose CaNO3, K2SO4, and KH2PO4 using the standard EI table to benefit invertz?
 
Yo right backatcha!
Background: I am a chemist.
:-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility_table#C
Calcium nitrate is very soluble in water.
Calcium carbonite...not so much, nor calcium phosphate. I don't know what you phosphate levels are, but it would be likely the calcium you dose will yank that stuff out of the water. Also, depends on your pH, CaOH2 is not very soluble. I would think if your pH is low enough you could get the same effect by having aragonite or similar CaCO3 in tank. Reefers use a calcium reactor.
 
the molar mass of ca is 40.078.
the molar mass of k is 39.0983.

beings the rest of the formula is identical (no3) the difference should be +/- ~2% in relation to n dosing... and should provide for just a hair more ca (by weight) than you'd be dosing k in kno3.

now... i don't pretend to know what this means during reactions... but volume shouldn't change much.

see for yourself... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21033 and... http://www.webelements.com/ (or more specifically http://www.webelements.com/potassium/ VS http://www.webelements.com/calcium/)
 
hmmm... activity aside (purely math)... ca(no3)2 is a lot different than cano3...

djdrz... what can you clear up about that?
 
DJDrZ said:
Yo right backatcha!
Background: I am a chemist.
:-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility_table#C
Calcium nitrate is very soluble in water.
Calcium carbonite...not so much, nor calcium phosphate. I don't know what you phosphate levels are, but it would be likely the calcium you dose will yank that stuff out of the water. Also, depends on your pH, CaOH2 is not very soluble. I would think if your pH is low enough you could get the same effect by having aragonite or similar CaCO3 in tank. Reefers use a calcium reactor.
Click to expand...
you lost me a bit when you started talking about things other than cano3. I should stick to calcium nitrate for this purpose and avoid other calciums that you mentioned? I am hoping to find a product that the vast majority of planted tanks can use
dundadundun said:
the molar mass of ca is 40.078.
the molar mass of k is 39.0983.

beings the rest of the formula is identical (no3) the difference should be +/- ~2% in relation to n dosing... and should provide for just a hair more ca (by weight) than you'd be dosing k in kno3.

now... i don't pretend to know what this means during reactions... but volume shouldn't change much.

see for yourself... http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21033 and... http://www.webelements.com/ (or more specifically http://www.webelements.com/potassium/ VS http://www.webelements.com/calcium/)
Click to expand...

I have that first link open in another window waiting to get a few seconds to read through it. Thanks for the info and the links. It appears as though, yes, i can substitute the cano3 for kno3 but i will need to supplement the k from a different source(which i still need to read more about in that other thread).

remaining question:
Will the cano3 aid inverts?
 
coach_z said:
you lost me a bit when you started talking about things other than cano3. I should stick to calcium nitrate for this purpose and avoid other calciums that you mentioned? I am hoping to find a product that the vast majority of planted tanks can use

remaining question:
Will the cano3 aid inverts?
Click to expand...
Sorry, coach if I was unclear. All those other things are going to be going on in your water...you have OH (if the pH is >7), Phosphate, because plants need it, etc. My advice is this: stick with the "normal" fertz. If you think your invertz need more calcium (do they have soft shells like Gary?), you can drop a TUMS in there (pure calcium carbonate). Or, if you really want to go nutso, buy a good test kit, test the water for Ca, and dose kalkwasser or something the marine doodz use.
 
so calcium nitrate is essentially ca + no3 + no3 since the charge states dictate that 2 positives need 2 negatives to bond... correct? if so, then my math is wrong, correct?
 
dundadundun said:
so calcium nitrate is essentially ca + no3 + no3 since the charge states dictate that 2 positives need 2 negatives to bond... correct? if so, then my math is wrong, correct?
Click to expand...

Yeah that is correct.

I agree don't use ca(no3)2 go the tums route if you're worried about calcium.
 
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