Dosing Pump
- Thread starter reeferdon
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
What would you dose to stabilize pH? Unless you are an advanced reefer, trying to stabilize pH by dosing alk supplements is perhaps more complicated than it is worth. Excessive alk is a big concern.
OP
OP
reeferdon
Active Member
I really don't want to dose Kalkwasser, but my PH is really unstable to me. getting outside air is difficult in my house here in Las Vegas at 100 degrees +. I am running a CO2 scrubber also.
Attachments
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Your pH is not unusually unstable, its just low. I think I'd dose all needed alk as hydroxide in some form (jkalkwasser or sodium hydroxide). I do not think a pH controller is necessary or useful since it is very unlikely for pH to get too high before you hit your daily alk demand limit.
OP
OP
reeferdon
Active Member
I understand your point and this is what I'm thinking of dosing and controlling the dosages with my Apex PH monitor and ALK testing. I do plan on getting a trident. right now I'm using Hannah ALK tester.
Attachments
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
In my opinion, that’s a very poor choice of product for pH raising.
There are three main alk additives.
1. Hydroxide has the biggest pH boost per unit of alk added.
2. Carbonate has half the pH boost of hydroxide per unit of alk added.
3. Bicarbonate has a slight pH lowering effect.
Seachem reef buffer is a mix of bicarbonate and carbonate, with slightly more bicarbonate if you accept their claims at face value (not sure I do, but it’s likely close anyway).
If you need a pH boost, start with sodium carbonate. No one starting at your pH will see pH rise too much. Most likely, it is not enough.
There are three main alk additives.
1. Hydroxide has the biggest pH boost per unit of alk added.
2. Carbonate has half the pH boost of hydroxide per unit of alk added.
3. Bicarbonate has a slight pH lowering effect.
Seachem reef buffer is a mix of bicarbonate and carbonate, with slightly more bicarbonate if you accept their claims at face value (not sure I do, but it’s likely close anyway).
If you need a pH boost, start with sodium carbonate. No one starting at your pH will see pH rise too much. Most likely, it is not enough.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Option 1 is fine, but it carries more overdose risk and the chemical is more irritating to you if you spill it or splash it on yourself due to the high pH. That said, food grade sodium hydroxide from Amazon is my recommendation. There are some big threads on DIY two part alk and calcium supplements using it.
Sodium carbonate (BRS call this soda ash) is available from many hobby companies.
OP
OP
reeferdon
Active Member
Randy, thanks for all your help and advice. this is what I ordered (ME Coral Kalk Powder). I'll dose it slowly and monitor the ALK.
Hopefully, I can get the Apex trident soon.
