KH Guardian: Automatic Alkalinity Controller- My Experiences

[Rick.45cal]

Please tell us you're taking some video of the setup and testing as well?

I will once I get it all ironed out. There is actually a video already of it running a test...
courtesy of CoralVue

 

[samparker]

I will once I get it all ironed out. There is actually a video already of it running a test...
courtesy of CoralVue

interestingly, they have the ph probe installed a bit high in that video. Bottom of the blue cap is meant to be half way down that metal block, in the video it looks about a centimetre or two high

 

[NCreefguy]

I'm sure all video evidence of you leaving the acrylic plugs in the tubes has been burned.


Have I mentioned lately that I really like this controller?

Once you get your alkalinity where you want it,I'm anxious to see how stable this controller keeps it.

 

[Rick.45cal]

interestingly, they have the ph probe installed a bit high in that video. Bottom of the blue cap is meant to be half way down that metal block, in the video it looks about a centimetre or two high

Funny I noticed that too this time around

 

[Rick.45cal]

I'm sure all video evidence of you leaving the acrylic plugs in the tubes has been burned.

I was too busy having an anxiety attack to film that!

 

[Rick.45cal]

So I changed the setpoint to 7.0 dKH, this time it tested, it came up with 7.0 dKH (surprise surprise) it also didn't add any sodium bicarbonate solution, so far so good! It's doing what is expected of it. Now I probably should go to bed!

 

[justingraham]

So can u manually test the water I read a couple post back that u have to wait four hours is that true?

 

[Rick.45cal]

So can u manually test the water I read a couple post back that u have to wait four hours is that true?

Yeah I can make it test anytime I want. I've chosen to make it test every 240 minutes. (That's the maximum time). You can make it test more frequently than that, or you can click on a button your web browser and it will run a test.

 

[Rick.45cal]

I have to say it is pretty cool to wake up open your cabinet door and know what your alkalinity is. It was just finishing up a test when I checked on it. 7.2 dKH as the T5's kicked on. I'm interested to see the daily alkalinity trends. Very cool

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Rick I am sure I missed it but what size tank do you have?

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

Hey I was wondering if you could maybe test for one day at more frequent intervals (not 240min) and show us the curve? I have always wondered if ALK varies throughout the day with the variation in pH. I try to always test my alk at around the same time of day but am not sure if I'm being OCD or not. You might have to set desired ALK much lower (say 6.0) so that the device does not correct with bicarb and we see a "uninfluenced" curve.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Rick I am sure I missed it but what size tank do you have?

the system water volume, minus rock/sand/inhabitants is almost spot on 160 gallons (600L).

 

[Rick.45cal]

Hey I was wondering if you could maybe test for one day at more frequent intervals (not 240min) and show us the curve? I have always wondered if ALK varies throughout the day with the variation in pH. I try to always test my alk at around the same time of day but am not sure if I'm being OCD or not. You might have to set desired ALK much lower (say 6.0) so that the device does not correct with bicarb and we see a "uninfluenced" curve.

Pete, I'm not letting it run any corrections today. I also only test Alk once a day, at the same time (nearly religiously at 7:30pm, lights shut down at 9pm). So testing at 240 mins, will give me 6 data points instead of just one. I might increase the frequency down the road, right now I don't believe I am going to see much change as all of my SPS are still small. (Growing very nicely now, I might add). I'm going to give it a couple days so I can tweak my current dosing scheme and get it as stable as possible, then I will allow the KHG to make additions and bring my Alkalinity up to where I want it over a span of a week or so. Right now, I am interested in seeing a basic trend.

 

[itwired]

Fourth test 7.0 dKH

My hanna checker reads 8.2 dKH

Time to do a salifert titration to see

Me and many others have had the hannah be off 1 dkh once the reagent is 3 weeks old

 

[KingJason]

Me and many others have had the hannah be off 1 dkh once the reagent is 3 weeks old

Same here.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Ok I haven't really given anyone parameters of my tank
So here we go...
Salinity: 35ppt
Temp: 76.9-78.0F
NO3: 2.5ppm
PO4: .03 ppm
Ca: 440 ppm
Mg: 1530 ppm
160 gallons (600L) actual water volume

Nutrient management is a combination of protein skimming (Orphek helix 5000) and a zeovit zeolite reactor run with 1.6L of zeolites. This is agitated 2x daily. I dose NOPOx (6.4ml spread throughout the day via a DOS). Prodibio BioDigest is added (1 vial) every 15 days. Alk/Ca/trace elements are dosed via Tropic Marin Original Balling solutions in equal parts all via DOS dosers. (Balling solutions really do make a HUGE difference, this tank has taken off since I started dosing the balling solutions). I have a third DOS that does AWC on all day long every day. New saltwater is Instant Ocean with adjustments made in alk/Ca/and Mg to match the tank. Currently this is ALL that I dose. I haven't been adding additional elements or nutrients. I have in the past made NO3 and PO4 additions as required to maintain detectable nutrients. I will likely start adding iron occasionally again now that green algae is not present in the tank, (I use Randy's recipe of 1 Fergon tablet dissolved in 25 ml of DI water allow to dissolve overnight then decant the liquid above the precipitate, then dose 1 ml of the clear green liquid per 100 gallons per week).

(My tank is exceptionally high light). Center tank at the sandbed measures 375-385 PAR . Lighting is provided by a 60" ATI powermodule with 8x80Watt T5's and 4 75watt LED's. It's a beast and I love it. My corals have wonderful colors, and they all seem to be growing.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Me and many others have had the hannah be off 1 dkh once the reagent is 3 weeks old

Yeah I don't trust either one of them. I'm going by what the KHG tells me, it and the Salifert KH titration seem to agree with each other. The KHG is very consistent, the Hanna checkers aren't.

 

[Rick.45cal]

7.0 dKH

 

[reef_ranch]

Sounds like the unit is meeting initial expectations. That's great to hear.

 

[Rick.45cal]

So far so good!