Alkalinity 20+ due to spilled PH buffer. Help

[2clowns1tank]

No. As I said, you should not add it directly to the tank as there is too much lowering of the pH.

Not adding it "directly" using premixed salt with the acid mixture in it to my ATO which drips. Takes 3 days to use 2.8g so its a very slow over the time usage.

 

[rock_lobster]

It will only lower alkalinity as it produces large amounts of nitrate. Then you have to deal with the nitrate.

Organic acids will not permanently reduce the alkalinity.

Hmm if I'm not mistaken alkalinity is directly consumed in the nitrification process at a rate of about 7 times the amount of nitrate produced which would permanently lower the alkalinity. I could be wrong but the reaction seems to produce plain H+ which consumes the alkalinity into CO2 to be aerated out of the tank?

 

[brownsalt92]

One potentially easier solution that doing lots of big water changes can be to reduce the alk in the water change mix to a lower level (like 3 dKH) using muriatic acid (but I wouldn't add it directly to the tank).

+1 to acid. Will drop ph tho. Works super good brought my old man's tank from a 31 to a 8.5 in 1 week lots of testing tho. You gotta know what your doing.

 

[rock_lobster]

Hmm if I'm not mistaken alkalinity is directly consumed in the nitrification process at a rate of about 7 times the amount of nitrate produced which would permanently lower the alkalinity. I could be wrong but the reaction seems to produce plain H+ which consumes the alkalinity into CO2 to be aerated out of the tank?

I guess that is what you said originally lol it will lower with nitrification(permanently). Just depends on if you dont mind having nitrates. I've personally never minded, just makes the refugium healthier but that is a matter of opinion. My corals thrive with a "dirtier" tank. As for the acid route that is surely much quicker though does have drawbacks having to buy it, caustic chemical, greater chance for rapid pH or Alk swing....

 

[Drs2140]

I might be misunderstanding you but just to make sure, you do NOT top of your aquarium with saltwater. You have to top off with freshwater, salt does not evaporate with water so by toping off with saltwater your salinity will continuously to increase.

 

[2clowns1tank]

I might be misunderstanding you but just to make sure, you do NOT top of your aquarium with saltwater. You have to top off with freshwater, salt does not evaporate with water so by toping off with saltwater your salinity will continuously to increase.

In normal cases yes I just ATO RO water but if I am going to do this for 1 time to drop my alk levels with acid and need to mix it with saltwater unless I misunderstood and can just add it to my straight ATO RO water. Either way it can go in my RO water. My salinity has dropped .01 from topping off between my last water change I noticed, assuming due to spray in my sump but thats another story.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not adding it "directly" using premixed salt with the acid mixture in it to my ATO which drips. Takes 3 days to use 2.8g so its a very slow over the time usage.

My concern is the pH lowering, even added slowly. It drops WAY down. Lowering by 1.4 dKH will drop pH of most salt mixes into the 6's.

By mixing it with water change water, the pH will shoot down, but can be brought up again by aerating the new salt water before it gets to the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hmm if I'm not mistaken alkalinity is directly consumed in the nitrification process at a rate of about 7 times the amount of nitrate produced which would permanently lower the alkalinity. I could be wrong but the reaction seems to produce plain H+ which consumes the alkalinity into CO2 to be aerated out of the tank?

It is only permanent if the nitrate is not consumed by something. If it is (such as by macroalgae or bacterial denitrification), the alkalinity all comes back. That is just the reverse process of what you did to lower it in the first place.

 

[2clowns1tank]

It is only permanent if the nitrate is not consumed by something. If it is (such as by macroalgae or bacterial denitrification), the alkalinity all comes back. That is just the reverse process of what you did to lower it in the first place.

So I added about 25~mL of acid to a 30~g water change. To be on the safe side I under dosed the acid. After about 24h of aeration (2 airstones, 1000gph pump on full circulation, window open and a fab blowing on it my PH is still 7.4~ (or under because salifert kit has nothing lower). I have probably lost 1-2g to evap already, am I looking at another 24h of aeration before my PH returns to ~8?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I added about 25~mL of acid to a 30~g water change. To be on the safe side I under dosed the acid. After about 24h of aeration (2 airstones, 1000gph pump on full circulation, window open and a fab blowing on it my PH is still 7.4~ (or under because salifert kit has nothing lower). I have probably lost 1-2g to evap already, am I looking at another 24h of aeration before my PH returns to ~8?

It won't return to 8. I'd say it is good to go now.

 

[2clowns1tank]

Added about 5~g and my dkh dropped from 17~ to 11.8~ and my PH stayed at about 8 so we are good to go. Adding a diamond goby and clowns soon now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Added about 5~g and my dkh dropped from 17~ to 11.8~ and my PH stayed at about 8 so we are good to go. Adding a diamond goby and clowns soon now.

That's great!

Happy Reefing.