Alkalinity

So you must have a lot of alkalinity, or does it become 8.4 when you add the soda ash?

So it was 8.4 walking up to it, and that, this is my first example.

So the pH was 8.4. Alkalinity was 139.

Oh, there you go.

Okay.

So when you said 8.4, Jarred, it makes sense now you have 139 alkalinity.

So how-- First of all, how did the alkalinity get that high? Was this a DIY customer that called in for help?

Alkalinity levels in the tap water, Eric, were roughly 90 parts per million.

Yes.

For the person staring at a test strip right now, what does alkalinity have to do with poisoning a shrimp?

Alkalinity measures the carbonates and bicarbonates in your water, basically, your water's buffering capacity against acid.

When you put copper into water with high alkalinity, the copper ions bind with the carbonates, forming copper carbonate complexes, which precipitate out or are simply less bioavailable and less toxic.

So it neutralizes it a bit.