Kalk Vs Rowa

[Stormhaven]

Hi .
Trying to help a friend who can't keep up .
Ph that is
Ok so he's been struggling with low ph 7.7-7.8 for ever.
The systems 300g with a basement sump.
Plenty of water flow .
He's checked his co2 levels and they aren't High .
Ph probes have been calibrated .
Using TLF c- balance Alk/calMag levels are pretty standard .
Kalks being dripped via a dosing pump via a Icecap stirrer .
The kalk drips fairly close to a phosban reactor which causes the rowa to turn rock hard in about a month.
Then flows over filter flows which also get very firm .

Sump doesn't have the best design :/

Would moving the drip line from the kalk make any difference.
Is the kalk not being effective as it seems to be reacting with the media and rowa ?.
He's tried adding more kalk bit the kh Spikes 11+
Thanks

 

[bakbay]

Why not do recirculating CO2 scrubbing to raise pH? This won’t affect Alk at all.

 

[Stormhaven]

Tired as well as running a line outside.
Little effect.
He's has a large open house .

Other than the basement sump area which is quite large .
But not much air flow.
Other than fans keeping he's electronics cool.
Co2 measuring device was used minimal levels .
Nothing of any note.
Very strange

 

[Stormhaven]

Tired as well as running a line outside.
Little effect.
He's has a large open house .

Other than the basement sump area which is quite large .
But not much air flow.
Other than fans keeping he's electronics cool.
Co2 measuring device was used minimal levels .
Nothing of any note.
Very strange

 

[bakbay]

sorry — he’s done co2 scrubbers and still have pH issues?

 

[Stormhaven]

Yes .
It's been quite frustrating.
We've replaced the ph probe which was basically new .
Calibrated it twice same results.

 

[bakbay]

Yes .
It's been quite frustrating.
We've replaced the ph probe which was basically new .
Calibrated it twice same results.

Interesting — what reactor and media did he use?

 

[Stormhaven]

Interesting — what reactor and media did he use?

Both Icecap .
The media was purchased through coralvue .
The kalk was from a local Canadian store .

 

[bakbay]

Mine before & after replacing media — I’m due to swap it again. This was in late June/July.

 

[bakbay]

I don’t run Kalk anymore (too messy). I have a GEO CaRx so been battling low pH for years. I’ve switched to recirculating CO2 and never going to do anything else going forward. It’s clean, simple, and low maintenance.

 

[bakbay]

I got the 5g media from JorVet

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

 

[bakbay]

I honestly think that the media (or probe) was bad — it’s unlikely that pH won’t budge with CO2 scrubbing.

 

[Cjeippert]

Rowaphos will significantly lower alk and ph in my experience. Especially if it quickly hardens.

What is home air co2 reading by the tank? My home likes to sit at 800 ppm, i open windows and run exhaust fan in morning to get it 380 tp 450 ppm. This helps my tank significantly.

Do you NoPox? carbon dosing even a little lowers ph.

High ph was exciting for a new grow out tank. But, High PH does get old quick if you are lazy like me. You have to constantly go in and trim sps. All the powerheads, return pump, everything just freezes up with high ph and kalk.

Many amazing thriving sps tanks on calcium reactors are in this range.

 

[Cjeippert]

I got the 5g media from JorVet

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

Great stuff

 

[Stormhaven]

Rowaphos will significantly lower alk and ph in my experience. Especially if it quickly hardens.

What is home air co2 reading by the tank? My home likes to sit at 800 ppm, i open windows and run exhaust fan in morning to get it 380 tp 450 ppm. This helps my tank significantly.

Do you NoPox? carbon dosing even a little lowers ph.

High ph was exciting for a new grow out tank. But, High PH does get old quick if you are lazy like me. You have to constantly go in and trim sps. All the powerheads, return pump, everything just freezes up with high ph and kalk.

Many amazing thriving sps tanks on calcium reactors are in this range.

Have noticed when replacing Rowa the ph drops for about 24 hour then climbs back up .
He's carbon dosing using nitraguard .
The corals generally do ok .
Other than sps which cling to life for a while .
No3 and po4 are within range and par has been measured and is suitable.

Ph was what I thought might be the issue .

Co2 levels were around 400

 

[Stormhaven]

I honestly think that the media (or probe) was bad — it’s unlikely that pH won’t budge with CO2 scrubbing.

Tried two same results

 

[Stormhaven]

I got the 5g media from JorVet

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

A little dangerous he's not into trying it .
But thanks I've read it's great at upping ph levels.

 

[bakbay]

A pH of 7.8 does not kill SPS IME. I suspect you’re trying to solve a wrong problem? What are the water parameters, flow, and lighting?

Wait — what do you mean dangerous? That’s soda lime, CO2 scrubbing media in bulk.

 

[bakbay]

A little dangerous he's not into trying it .
But thanks I've read it's great at upping ph levels.

You are trying to increase pH no? Sorry, now I’m confused!$$@

 

[bakbay]

…and just to triple check: he did try CO2 scrubbing and didn’t notice any difference in elevated pH?