Back to the drawing board...ALK and Cal

[GoVols]

Yes it is stable at the moment.

;Woot !
...;Woot !

......;Singing ;Singing ;Singing

...................................Regard, GoVols

 

[Bob Bennett]

I am using BRS Two Part and it has been dosing correctly.

The tank is about 425g total water.

I don't know if I am just dumb or what but I can't get this figured out! Ha!

Also dosing BRS 2part , got approx. 140 total system and dose 78ml alk and 68 ml calc, seem to keep stable with a little tweak now and then, tends to always more alk than cal., do get some build up in dosing line, had to clean out once in 3.5 yrs. I shoot for 9dkh and 430 cal , system not stuffed full of corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I understand it as follows, The loss of the scrubber media effectiveness allows the PH to rapidly drop. Which then allows lets suppose possible balanced 11.2 dkh /440 CA level formerly stabilized due to the consistent removal of C02 from the Water column and PH of over 8.3 to suddenly destabilize from a rapid influx of c02, which leads to ALK instability because the low ph will begin to effect that level of ALK and CA in the water column and precipitation happens. ?

CO2 has no direct effect on alkalinity or its stability, and adding more CO2 reduces pH and carbonate, and hence reduces precipitation. So I see no reason alk will drop because CO2 is rising.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I understand it as follows, The loss of the scrubber media effectiveness allows the PH to rapidly drop.

I don't know if it's just me, but I notice a very slow decline in my pH as the media begins to lose it's effectiveness. I am still new to the CO2 scrubber scene so maybe I've just been lucky, but so far I've had several days 'notice' that I will need to change the media soon. Is this non standard?

 

[Brew12]

I don't know if it's just me, but I notice a very slow decline in my pH as the media begins to lose it's effectiveness. I am still new to the CO2 scrubber scene so maybe I've just been lucky, but so far I've had several days 'notice' that I will need to change the media soon. Is this non standard?

It will depend on how much media is in your system and how much CO2 you pull through your system. You probably have a lot of media compared to the CO2 volume you are pulling. I'll burn my CO2 media out in under 2 weeks and when it goes, it goes quickly.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

It will depend on how much media is in your system and how much CO2 you pull through your system. You probably have a lot of media compared to the CO2 volume you are pulling. I'll burn my CO2 media out in under 2 weeks and when it goes, it goes quickly.

Great. One more thing to worry about ha ha!

 

[GoVols]

Now that @revhtree is stable with his 2 part and DOS pumps.
He would like to bring up his PH.

Would it be better from him to...
1) Put in some kind of air ex-changer to get the trapped in C02 out of his basement
2) Start dosing kalk / limewater and cut back on his 2 part dose

If kalk is the best answer, what is the best way of delivery, for Rev...
1) Kalk in top off water
2) Stirrer / Reactor

 

[Brew12]

Now that @revhtree is stable with his 2 part and DOS pumps.
He would like to bring up his PH.

Would it be better from him to...
1) Put in some kind of air ex-changer to get the trapped in C02 out of his basement
2) Start dosing kalk / limewater and cut back on his 2 part dose

If kalk is the best answer, what is the best way of delivery, for Rev...
1) Kalk in top off water
2) Stirrer / Reactor

You forgot the other option. Drink a Yahoo and stop worrying about his pH.

 

[GoVols]

You forgot the other option. Drink a Yahoo and stop worrying about his pH.

... Duly Noted ;Writing

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Well gues what?

I have coralline spots on my overflow.

 

[Brew12]

Well gues what?

I have coralline spots on my overflow.

Is that the same overflow that you recently posted pictures of on your build thread?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Well gues what?

I have coralline spots on my overflow.

My tank had been up for like a year and a half before I started seeing coralline. It didn't pop up until after I got my pH stabilized so I think you're making progress!!!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Got a CO2 running and have seen PH on the rise. Will update later.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Do y'all think my 1600 Magnesium is giving me the ALK issues? My Calcium seems to be solid now. ALK drops significantly from day to day. About 1.5-2.0 DKH even though I'm dosing 200ml.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Do y'all think my 1600 Magnesium is giving me the ALK issues? My Calcium seems to be solid now. ALK drops significantly from day to day. About 1.5-2.0 DKH even though I'm dosing 200ml.

Was this alk drop after hooking up the scrubber or is this still a part of the problems you were having before?

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Was this alk drop after hooking up the scrubber or is this still a part of the problems you were having before?

No it's been dropping in big swings! I had it up to 8.7 last night before bed and just now it was down to 8.0 and that was with 200ml of dosing alk overnight. Calcium is dropping as well but not as fast.

This is driving me nuts!!!!!

 

[HolisticBear]

No it's been dropping in big swings! I had it up to 8.7 last night before bed and just now it was down to 8.0 and that was with 200ml of dosing alk overnight. Calcium is dropping as well but not as fast.

I searched this thread and didn't find mention of GFO. I have a small tank, a fraction of your tank, and the impact of replacing the GFO is semi-dramatic. Given your tank volume, unlikely, but did you also refresh your chemical media? On my 50L tank, replacing the GFO can have the impact you describe (8.7 to 8) overnight.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No it's been dropping in big swings! I had it up to 8.7 last night before bed and just now it was down to 8.0 and that was with 200ml of dosing alk overnight. Calcium is dropping as well but not as fast.

This is driving me nuts!!!!!

That''s expected. A swing of 0.7 dKH should only be accompanied by a 5 ppm calcium swing, which is hard to detect.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

That''s expected. A swing of 0.7 dKH should only be accompanied by a 5 ppm calcium swing, which is hard to detect.

My calcium was down by at least 30ppm.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I searched this thread and didn't find mention of GFO. I have a small tank, a fraction of your tank, and the impact of replacing the GFO is semi-dramatic. Given your tank volume, unlikely, but did you also refresh your chemical media? On my 50L tank, replacing the GFO can have the impact you describe (8.7 to 8) overnight.

I am running no GFO or chemical media.