Elevated PH, Elevated consumption. How much?

[Shinister]

So wouldn't that equate to a 2 dkh drop daily? Still a lot, but not 4 dkh.

Possibly. But the half time I was dosing. Not at 320 but 250

 

[Shinister]

Have you done any alk or calc dosing since the water change?

Yes. Was dosing 250 ml of each until I stopped the dosing this morning.

 

[Brew12]

Yes. Was dosing 250 ml of each until I stopped the dosing this morning.

So no idea what your calc was when you stopped dosing?

 

[Shinister]

So no idea what your calc was when you stopped dosing?

Unfortuntaely no. Sorry. I didn’t think to test since I wasn’t having issues with calcium. I was trying follow the advice of testing alk more frequently than calcium since alk is more sensitive.

 

[Brew12]

Unfortuntaely no. Sorry. I didn’t think to test since I wasn’t having issues with calcium. I was trying follow the advice of testing alk more frequently than calcium since alk is more sensitive.

Not a problem. We can still go back and calculate the potential drop. What was your Alk after the water change again?

 

[Billldg]

@Brew12 , is their any way of starting the parameters over from the start again without messing up the tank?

The numbers don't add up.

 

[Shinister]

Not a problem. We can still go back and calculate the potential drop. What was your Alk after the water change again?

Yes. After the water change, params were 1500 mg, 460 Ca, and 8.8dkh. Dosed from then until this morning at 250ml.

 

[Billldg]

What was your ph before adding the scrubber?

Also, how r you monitoring ph, and if using a apex or something, what is the ph swing. Mine is between 8.1 and 8.2.

 

[Shinister]

What was your ph before adding the scrubber?

7.99 to 8.16. It would go up to 8.2 sometimes when nobody was home. Monitoring through an apex. Calibrated the probes about 2 weeks ago.

 

[Brew12]

Yes. After the water change, params were 1500 mg, 460 Ca, and 8.8dkh. Dosed from then until this morning at 250ml.

So Alkalinity went from 8.8dkh to 6.2dkh.
Calc went from 460ppm to 420ppm.
Dosing will cancel out.

2.6 change in dKH should cause around a 20ppm drop in calcium but its going to be within the accuracy of the test kit. Calcium tests aren't the best.

The issue is with some dosing done in there we don't know if it caused precipition.

@Brew12 , is their any way of starting the parameters over from the start again without messing up the tank?

The numbers don't add up.

I think it would be best. Dose it back up over a few days to prevent shocking the tank and run the test again but more controlled.

 

[Shinister]

So Alkalinity went from 8.8dkh to 6.2dkh.
Calc went from 460ppm to 420ppm.
Dosing will cancel out.

2.6 change in dKH should cause around a 20ppm drop in calcium but its going to be within the accuracy of the test kit. Calcium tests aren't the best.

The issue is with some dosing done in there we don't know if it caused precipition.


I think it would be best. Dose it back up over a few days to prevent shocking the tank and run the test again but more controlled.

So dose up to the preferred level manually and let it drop again over a day?

 

[Billldg]

So Alkalinity went from 8.8dkh to 6.2dkh.
Calc went from 460ppm to 420ppm.
Dosing will cancel out.

2.6 change in dKH should cause around a 20ppm drop in calcium but its going to be within the accuracy of the test kit. Calcium tests aren't the best.

The issue is with some dosing done in there we don't know if it caused precipition.


I think it would be best. Dose it back up over a few days to prevent shocking the tank and run the test again but more controlled.

So theoretically, Alk should be at 0 in 2 to 3 days. Is that even possible, or would it stop at 4.5 which is where the frags lower it to.

 

[Shinister]

So theoretically, Alk should be at 0 in 2 to 3 days. Is that even possible, or would it stop at 4.5 which is where the frags lower it to.

Wouldn’t demand halt at 6dkh? At least that’s what I’ve read

 

[Billldg]

Wouldn’t demand halt at 6dkh? At least that’s what I’ve read

I misspoke when I said drop alk to 4.5, frags actually use alk to drop ph to 4.5 to convert bicarbonate to carbonic acid.

 

[Billldg]

Like @Brew12 said, step back on your dosing to keep from shocking the tank and retest.

 

[Shinister]

Like @Brew12 said, step back on your dosing to keep from shocking the tank and retest.

Do you mean manually upping the params to desired levels and let it drop again?

 

[Brew12]

So dose up to the preferred level manually and let it drop again over a day?

Yes, but don't do it all at once. Do it over a few days to get ready for another test.

 

[Shinister]

A little update...

I manually dosed cal & alk up but I dosed alk a little higher to give me some cushion since I wasnt very comfortable with it going down to 6dkh. I dosed to 429Ca and 9.7dkh. Tests were done at 8pm. Some have reported RTN and burnt tips when upping the alk high in a short period of time but my corals didnt bat an eye. I tested this morning at 5:30 and alk went down to 8.9. So that's 0.8dkh drop in about 10 hours. I'll test again at 8pm tonight but i dont think it'll go down 4dkh...maybe 2.

 

[Shinister]

Another thought that crossed my mind...maybe its the sodium hydroxide. When its being dosed, its not a cloudy white. It looks like little bubbles and then it gets cut up by the powerhead and looks like snowflakes. This however never makes into the DT. This recipe is so pretty new so theres not alot of feedback on it. I've read some are having the same issue with soda ash. Should I try baking soda (bicarbonate)? It's what I use for manual alk adjustments and it doesnt get cloudy at all.

 

[Brew12]

Another thought that crossed my mind...maybe its the sodium hydroxide. When its being dosed, its not a cloudy white. It looks like little bubbles and then it gets cut up by the powerhead and looks like snowflakes. This however never makes into the DT. This recipe is so pretty new so theres not alot of feedback on it. I've read some are having the same issue with soda ash. Should I try baking soda (bicarbonate)? It's what I use for manual alk adjustments and it doesnt get cloudy at all.

The sodium hydroxide mix is supposed to cause some precipitate with magnesium. The precipitate should readily be absorbed back into the water. It's caused by the rapid pH increase.