GHL KH Director KH control settings...
- Thread starter Laith
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OP
OP
Laith
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Yes, that's what I was thinking. The KHD rounds to the nearest tenth so that will be 4.3ml.
Test at 12pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 7%.
Changed to base dose of 4.3ml after 12pm test.
Test at 12pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 7%.
Changed to base dose of 4.3ml after 12pm test.
OP
OP
Laith
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Measurements since the 4pm test yesterday:
4pm: 7.8KH, adjustment 8%
8pm: 7.8KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 10%
12am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
4am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
8am: 7.8KH, adjustment 10%
My corals having been looking great and growing like crazy over the past couple of weeks so I'm not surprised that the alkalinity consumption seems to be increasing (current base dose is still 4.3ml).
Today I'll try to change the dosing speeds on both my carbonate and calcium dosing heads to 0.
I'm thinking of leaving the settings as is and then waiting 24 hours after changing the dosing head speeds to see what impact that has...
4pm: 7.8KH, adjustment 8%
8pm: 7.8KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 10%
12am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
4am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
8am: 7.8KH, adjustment 10%
My corals having been looking great and growing like crazy over the past couple of weeks so I'm not surprised that the alkalinity consumption seems to be increasing (current base dose is still 4.3ml).
Today I'll try to change the dosing speeds on both my carbonate and calcium dosing heads to 0.
I'm thinking of leaving the settings as is and then waiting 24 hours after changing the dosing head speeds to see what impact that has...
Ditto
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I would agree with that plan, adjust the speed and we will see what the next 24 hours bring.
If it still drops to much we will go up to 4.5 and test.
If it still drops to much we will go up to 4.5 and test.
OP
OP
Laith
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Yesterday I changed the speed of the dosing pumps to 0 (and calibrated again) just after the 3:30pm alkalinity dose. Here are the test results since:
4pm: 8.0KH, adjustment 2%
8pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 6%
12am: 7.9KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 5%
4am: 7.9KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 5%
8am: 8.1KH, adjustment -3%
12pm: 8.1KH, adjustment -3%
4pm: 8.1KH, adjustment -5%
Interesting results, I assume due to the increased accuracy of the dosing speed...
4pm: 8.0KH, adjustment 2%
8pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 6%
12am: 7.9KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 5%
4am: 7.9KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 5%
8am: 8.1KH, adjustment -3%
12pm: 8.1KH, adjustment -3%
4pm: 8.1KH, adjustment -5%
Interesting results, I assume due to the increased accuracy of the dosing speed...
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Looks like you have tighter control of your KH levels now. Very good!
OP
OP
Laith
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8pm: 8.1KH, adjustment -4%
12am: 7.7KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 15%
4am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
8am: 7.6KH, adjustment 20%
At this point it's starting to look like sometimes the KHD cannot keep up with the consumption that usually accelerates between 8pm and 12am. So one solution is to increase the number of tests. Another solution that I decided on is to move the test times by two hours earlier so that there is a measurement at 10pm (in the middle of that period). I did this by changing the start time to 10am after the 8am test:
10am: 7.6KH, adjustment 18%
2pm: 7.6KH, adjustment 20%
6pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 7%
It is not easy to avoid the yoyo effect
... or it just takes quite a bit of dialing in!
One thing I may try if I can't smooth out the variations to consistently be less than 0.2 or 0.3 KH is to remove the control and see what the fluctuations are without the KHD adjusting the dosing.
12am: 7.7KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 15%
4am: 7.6KH, adjustment unknown but assuming 20%
8am: 7.6KH, adjustment 20%
At this point it's starting to look like sometimes the KHD cannot keep up with the consumption that usually accelerates between 8pm and 12am. So one solution is to increase the number of tests. Another solution that I decided on is to move the test times by two hours earlier so that there is a measurement at 10pm (in the middle of that period). I did this by changing the start time to 10am after the 8am test:
10am: 7.6KH, adjustment 18%
2pm: 7.6KH, adjustment 20%
6pm: 7.9KH, adjustment 7%
It is not easy to avoid the yoyo effect
... or it just takes quite a bit of dialing in!One thing I may try if I can't smooth out the variations to consistently be less than 0.2 or 0.3 KH is to remove the control and see what the fluctuations are without the KHD adjusting the dosing.
Ditto
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You could lift the adaptive mode and switch to monitor and see what it does, I am going to assume the drop will be more, as it will be only dosing x amount with no variation but a good test.
If that the case then we do not have a good X number and need to calculate the new base number.
Stop your doser, manually dose to 8.0 and and wait 24 hours see how much your tank drops and determine that amount needed to raise your tank back to 8. Then manually dose your tank back to 8 again. (Understand that if it drops to much then you need to raise it slowly over a day or two)
The next day at the same time you tested your tank the day before you test again to see did the amount you dose bring it down to the drop amount as you had the day before.
If it does then we now know our new daily consumption, if it does not we need to repeat the process.
When I first did my initial calculation I did both of my tanks differently, partially because of the consumption to raise it back up so not to shock the coral
We could also do a different dosing schedule where you dose more during the day then at night.
On my Older Tank
I monitored my tank at 7.0 recorded the interval 24 hours later, and then 48 hours later. Then I dosed back up and watched did it repeat the 24 and 48 hours numbers. I took my numbers based on two days and calculated the daily usage. (I also turned my logging up to 24 tests to see what the entire days consumption were at)
On my New Tank
I monitored my tank at 7.0 recorded the interval 24 hours later, and then 48 hours later then 72 hours later. Then I dosed back up and watched did it repeat the 24 and 48 hours numbers 72 hour numbers. I took my numbers based on three days and calculated the daily usage.
(I also turned my logging up to 24 tests to see what the entire days consumption were at)
Once I had my daily dosage numbers, I dosed my back to 7.0 turned on my dosser to take over and monitored, it for 3 months to make sure my daily dosage was still keeping up (Reduced to 4 test times a day). Yes I had swings from .1 and .4 in both directions. But the overall average was still 7.0. Which is what I was shooting for was my average and the amount I needed to keep it there.
My Daily dosage on my old tank at the time I turned on adaptive was was at the time 84ml, and was 3.5 ml every hour. (monitored for 3 months)
My Daily Dosage at the time I turned on adaptive for my new tank was at the time 24ml and was 1.0 ml every hour. (monitored for 3 months)
It took me 3 more months to dial in my settings playing with both the amount to dose, and the %, both my tanks acted differently. (at this time one of my tanks is at 50% while the other is at 20%).
If that the case then we do not have a good X number and need to calculate the new base number.
Stop your doser, manually dose to 8.0 and and wait 24 hours see how much your tank drops and determine that amount needed to raise your tank back to 8. Then manually dose your tank back to 8 again. (Understand that if it drops to much then you need to raise it slowly over a day or two)
The next day at the same time you tested your tank the day before you test again to see did the amount you dose bring it down to the drop amount as you had the day before.
If it does then we now know our new daily consumption, if it does not we need to repeat the process.
When I first did my initial calculation I did both of my tanks differently, partially because of the consumption to raise it back up so not to shock the coral
We could also do a different dosing schedule where you dose more during the day then at night.
On my Older Tank
I monitored my tank at 7.0 recorded the interval 24 hours later, and then 48 hours later. Then I dosed back up and watched did it repeat the 24 and 48 hours numbers. I took my numbers based on two days and calculated the daily usage. (I also turned my logging up to 24 tests to see what the entire days consumption were at)
On my New Tank
I monitored my tank at 7.0 recorded the interval 24 hours later, and then 48 hours later then 72 hours later. Then I dosed back up and watched did it repeat the 24 and 48 hours numbers 72 hour numbers. I took my numbers based on three days and calculated the daily usage.
(I also turned my logging up to 24 tests to see what the entire days consumption were at)
Once I had my daily dosage numbers, I dosed my back to 7.0 turned on my dosser to take over and monitored, it for 3 months to make sure my daily dosage was still keeping up (Reduced to 4 test times a day). Yes I had swings from .1 and .4 in both directions. But the overall average was still 7.0. Which is what I was shooting for was my average and the amount I needed to keep it there.
My Daily dosage on my old tank at the time I turned on adaptive was was at the time 84ml, and was 3.5 ml every hour. (monitored for 3 months)
My Daily Dosage at the time I turned on adaptive for my new tank was at the time 24ml and was 1.0 ml every hour. (monitored for 3 months)
It took me 3 more months to dial in my settings playing with both the amount to dose, and the %, both my tanks acted differently. (at this time one of my tanks is at 50% while the other is at 20%).
OP
OP
Laith
Well-Known Member
That's what I thought: takes time to get the control function of the KHD (and I imagine any alkalinity controller) dialed in. And your method is a good way to go about it.
As I'll be installing my new build in July, I'll not be going through that process on my current tank. I'll keep adjusting as I'm doing now and see what comes of it. But with the new tank I'll do something similar to what you did.
Looking at dosing adjustments made over the past weeks, it's obvious that there is much more correction to increase the KH than there is to decrease. So I've increased the base dose from 4.3ml to 4.5ml. We'll see how that as well as the change in testing schedule does.
In any case, I'm not too worried about the fluctuations as long as they don't get larger. Corals are doing great so...
As I'll be installing my new build in July, I'll not be going through that process on my current tank. I'll keep adjusting as I'm doing now and see what comes of it. But with the new tank I'll do something similar to what you did.
Looking at dosing adjustments made over the past weeks, it's obvious that there is much more correction to increase the KH than there is to decrease. So I've increased the base dose from 4.3ml to 4.5ml. We'll see how that as well as the change in testing schedule does.
In any case, I'm not too worried about the fluctuations as long as they don't get larger. Corals are doing great so...
Keenan
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@Ditto @WWIII @Vinny@GHLUSA
I have been using the KHD for three weeks now and seem to have it dialed in as far as precision goes, but not accuracy. It consistently seems to measure 1dKH higher than my Hanna Phosphate checker that I also have a standard for, in which the standard tested spot on at 5.0. I just received my KHD reference solution and ran 3 tests without performing any flush beforehand (couldn't find instructions on if this was needed or not). Below are the results of the three tests. Keep in mind the reference solution is 7.5 with a +/- 0.2
Test 1: 8.1 (possibly still some tank water in it?)
Test 2: 8.4
Test 3: 8.3
My tank has been a consistent 9.1 +/- 0.2 the past couple weeks according to my KHD, which is consistently 1dKH higher than my Hanna checker (8.1 +/- 0.2) and KHD reference solution (should be 7.5 but was ~8.5).
My question is, what do I do? Do I just leave it knowing it's off by 1dKH but still high precision? Do I recalibrate pumps? Wondering what your guys' thoughts were?
Thanks in advance!
I have been using the KHD for three weeks now and seem to have it dialed in as far as precision goes, but not accuracy. It consistently seems to measure 1dKH higher than my Hanna Phosphate checker that I also have a standard for, in which the standard tested spot on at 5.0. I just received my KHD reference solution and ran 3 tests without performing any flush beforehand (couldn't find instructions on if this was needed or not). Below are the results of the three tests. Keep in mind the reference solution is 7.5 with a +/- 0.2
Test 1: 8.1 (possibly still some tank water in it?)
Test 2: 8.4
Test 3: 8.3
My tank has been a consistent 9.1 +/- 0.2 the past couple weeks according to my KHD, which is consistently 1dKH higher than my Hanna checker (8.1 +/- 0.2) and KHD reference solution (should be 7.5 but was ~8.5).
My question is, what do I do?
Do I just leave it knowing it's off by 1dKH but still high precision? Do I recalibrate pumps? Wondering what your guys' thoughts were?Thanks in advance!
Ditto
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Recalibrate the dosing pumps
Recalibrate the PH probe
Make sure there are no air bubbles, but based on your reading being consistent thinking more calibration and not bubbles.
Double check the tube length and make sure the inputs are corrects for the water sample.
When I did my reference solution I flushed with rodi water 3 times and even did one test with rodi water then did the reference solution.
Recalibrate the PH probe
Make sure there are no air bubbles, but based on your reading being consistent thinking more calibration and not bubbles.
Double check the tube length and make sure the inputs are corrects for the water sample.
When I did my reference solution I flushed with rodi water 3 times and even did one test with rodi water then did the reference solution.
