Eeek...low alk and pH

[~reefchik~]

High-ish CA @ 440, almost zero N03 and P04, pH was only about 7.5 and DKH about 7.

I'm guessing my new Vit C dosing regimen has something to do with lowered pH.  But based on previous testing 2 weeks ago I knew my buffering was on the low side.  Then I got busy and forgot to continue to dose the Superbuffer.  Just goes to show, keep testing!  And don't start a new regimen until water chemistry is right on all accounts. 

So, I'm using an older container of Kent Superbuffer.  This stuff doesn't go bad does it? 

[Wall_Tank]

Superbuffer is probably a waste of time.

If you trust your Alk and pH readings, then I would probably look at using Kalk to help keep pH up.   I would probably also back off on the Vit C, until you understand it better.

[~reefchik~]

Superbuffer is probably a waste of time.

If you trust your Alk and pH readings, then I would probably look at using Kalk to help keep pH up.   I would probably also back off on the Vit C, until you understand it better.

Really???  Geez, if you can't trust Kent, who can you trust?  LOL, now you know I'm old school!!  What do you recommend?  I know how to mix Mrs Wages into kalkwasser 

Would you trust Salifert test kits?

I ordered a pH meter tonight btw, so I don't get caught off guard again.  Testing water with kits isn't high on the priority list some days because I'm so daggone busy with my business and family.  I try to test twice a month though.  If I had lotsa $$$$ I'd get me a bunch of Pinpoint monitors!

[Wall_Tank]

Really???  Geez, if you can't trust Kent, who can you trust?  LOL, now you know I'm old school!!  What do you recommend?  I know how to mix Mrs Wages into kalkwasser 

Would you trust Salifert test kits?

I ordered a pH meter tonight btw, so I don't get caught off guard again.  Testing water with kits isn't high on the priority list some days because I'm so daggone busy with my business and family.  I try to test twice a month though.  If I had lotsa $$$$ I'd get me a bunch of Pinpoint monitors!

"Trust" is a hard thing with test kits.  They can expire, bad lot,  contamination, etc..   If things have been normal, and all of a sudden reading change, then I would have a trust issue.   But when your doing things like Vit C dosing, your going to have to be comfortable with your test kits.... at least until you understand your tank and it's reactions to chemical changes.

You didn't order a pinpoint, did you?    Those are kinda problematic, and poorly built.  (Ask Wes)

[~reefchik~]

Nope, I got the handheld portable pH meter - about $65 from Marine Depot.  It got really good reviews.

[ghurlag]

Steph, I have a big thing of kalk at my house.  I have plenty to spare to get you going (although since it came with my tank setup, I can't verify the source)

[~reefchik~]

I have a nice big bag of Mrs Wages, too!  I just mixed up a gallon jug of it tonight. 
But thanks, I appreciate the offer. 

I'm still floored that WT thinks Superbuffer is a waste of time.  I want to hear why! 

[cyberwollf]

another thought i just had.  You said you just did a big waterchange.  Did you aerate the water for 24hours proir to adding salt? RO water will have carbonic acid in it.  If you dont drive that stuff off with aeration it will eat the Alk that is in your salt and can drive down pH to.  Buffer your RO water to netural pH before adding salt

[~reefchik~]

another thought i just had.  You said you just did a big waterchange.  Did you aerate the water for 24hours proir to adding salt? RO water will have carbonic acid in it.  If you dont drive that stuff off with aeration it will eat the Alk that is in your salt and can drive down pH to.  Buffer your RO water to netural pH before adding salt

I didn't aerate it.  I let the RO drip into the can, and mix it with a big powerhead and warm it with a heater.  It was 24 hrs old.  I wondered about the RO water being neutralized or buffered though as I was browsing my marine chemistry book.  That makes sense to me.

So, pop an airstone in there?

[HUNGER]

ya it wouldnt hurt 

[jd]

Calfo suggesting aerating for 24hr before adding salt, so you don't waste alk getting your pH back to normal.

[HUNGER]

but whats the advantege of aerating  i ve done it but i didnt notise any difrance

[cyberwollf]

Airstone will be the same as a powerhead pointed at the surface.  You just need alot of surface agitation to allow for good gas exchange.  Adding an airstone doesnt actually add any measurable amount of oxygen to the water.  the bubbles move the water around and when they pop at the surface it agitates it like a powerhead would and allows for good gas exchange.

[~reefchik~]

Ok, well the powerhead is an Aquaclear 501 I think.  It's moving water around for sure.  The surface is pretty agitated, so I would hope that helps.  This has been very interesting!  I've read that RO water is corrosive, being such a pure form of water, but I never considered that it was below neutral (7) pH. 

Where does the carbonic acid in RO water come from?

[HUNGER]

same here i use a mag 9 so that should be good

[Wall_Tank]

I use my old Iwaki external pump (used to run my EV120 skimmer), that runs through a 3/4" Kent venturi.   30gal trash can,  Everything is mounted on a cart.

[cyberwollf]

Where does the carbonic acid in RO water come from?

Its just CO2 in the water that needs to be driven off.

[~reefchik~]

Ok.  I think I'm going to test my RO water and see what the pH really is!

[~reefchik~]

Ok, here's another related question.  How many of you use kalkwasser as your top off water rather than plain RO?

I have read in a couple places you can just use your kalk to top off your tank.  That would amount to about a quart to half gallon per day of replacement kalkwasser for me.  That's about how much I add each day. 

[Wall_Tank]

I run a Kalk Reactor, but I meter water using a dosing pump.  That way I control when and how much to add.

[~reefchik~]

I run a Kalk Reactor, but I meter water using a dosing pump.  That way I control when and how much to add.

  Clearly, you are far more technologically advanced than me   
I don't even have the space in my sump for a reactor, unfortunately.    I would love to have some sort of auto top off though, what a pain it is hauling RO from the basement twice a week and dumping water into the sump each day.

[cyberwollf]

The reactor doesnt have to go in the sump.  It just needs to be inline between the external ATO reservoir and the sump

[HUNGER]

The reactor doesnt have to go in the sump.  It just needs to be inline between the external ATO reservoir and the sump

just like waht i run

[~reefchik~]

It just needs to be inline between the external ATO reservoir and the sump

^^^ which I do not have, so it's mox-nix for me at this point.  If I never get an ATO system set up from the basement (doubtful, but I guess it could happen someday) then I'll be set.

That would be so sweet!

[HUNGER]

yes it would

[~reefchik~]

   I just re-read my last post.  It should say "if I EVER get an ATO system set up".