Active Carbon affecting KH

[alex77619]

On 8/17 I feel like renewing my active carbon, I gave it a good rinse and put it in.

Immediately my next kh test results come back over 9! System closed the Ca reactor for that day and now slowly back to normal.

I double checked with Hanna and those kh was correct !

Does anyone observe active carbon affecting kh?

All sps are doing great and actually got more PE

My own thought is that while bacteria consuming organic wastes, they produce acid which will lower both ur kh and ph. After new active carbon is added it remove those organic waste that’s why my ph kh raises?

 

[little_sardines]

Hmm - it kinda looks like your kH drops at night, which is normal since SPS usually does most of its calcification at night. Do you only run your carbon at night as well? You might just be seeing a correlation - not causation.
How often are you dosing alk? That could play a role in that swing too.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Normal GAC has very little impact on alkalinity, unless it wasn't adequately rinsed during or after manufacturing.

What type?

 

[alex77619]

Normal GAC has very little impact on alkalinity, unless it wasn't adequately rinsed during or after manufacturing.

What type?

Polyplab pellets AC, I rinse through 5 gal of RODI before use.

 

[alex77619]

Hmm - it kinda looks like your kH drops at night, which is normal since SPS usually does most of its calcification at night. Do you only run your carbon at night as well? You might just be seeing a correlation - not causation.
How often are you dosing alk? That could play a role in that swing too.

I use Ca reactor and it’s controlled by my kh

 

[little_sardines]

I use Ca reactor and it’s controlled by my kh

The Kh of your tank or inside the reactor chamber?

 

[alex77619]

The Kh of your tank or inside the reactor chamber?

My tank I got KHG.

 

[homer1475]

I use carbon 24/7/365 in my tank in a reactor. I have never seen this happen, and don't think carbon would have any impact on your alkalinity.

Perhaps it could absorb some, but I don't think it would have rasied it. Least I have never seen this happen.

 

[alex77619]

I use carbon 24/7/365 in my tank in a reactor. I have never seen this happen, and don't think carbon would have any impact on your alkalinity.

Perhaps it could absorb some, but I don't think it would have rasied it. Least I have never seen this happen.

Had you ever test KH like before and after Active Carbon change?

 

[homer1475]

Had you ever test KH like before and after Active Carbon change?

Most certainly.

I test before a WC, and shortly after to see the result of my WC. I also clean my ATS, and change out carbon when doing bi-weekly WC's.

 

[alex77619]

Most certainly.

I test before a WC, and shortly after to see the result of my WC. I also clean my ATS, and change out carbon when doing bi-weekly WC's.

I see, I’ll wait a while and do a change again. I don’t do water change so I was thinking might be it removing my organic waste.