NEW Vodka and Vinegar Dosing Charts

[rishma]

Keep alkalinity from 7-11dKH, but I’d prefer it around 9-11 if higher pH is the goal. Higher alk leads to higher pH the CO2 equilibrium changes.

I’m always curious in alkalinity targets. 9-11 is higher than I target but your higher pH comment caught my attention. Would you expect average pH to be notably higher and 9 dKH vs 8?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m always curious in alkalinity targets. 9-11 is higher than I target but your higher pH comment caught my attention. Would you expect average pH to be notably higher and 9 dKH vs 8?

All other things equal, pH at 9 dKH will be 0.05 pH units higher.

Additionally, it can take more alk to keep higher alk due to increased demand, and if you use hydroxide to maintain alk, thst will serve to make the difference greater.

 

[Miami Reef]

pH And The Reef Aquarium

For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This...

www.reef2reef.com

All other things equal, pH at 9 dKH will be 0.05 pH units higher.

How did you calculate the pH difference between 8 and 9?

 

[rishma]

All other things equal, pH at 9 dKH will be 0.05 pH units higher.

Additionally, it can take more alk to keep higher alk due to increased demand, and if you use hydroxide to maintain alk, thst will serve to make the difference greater.

pH And The Reef Aquarium

For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This...

www.reef2reef.com

How did you calculate the pH difference between 8 and 9?

My favorite things I’ve learned this week. Thanks you both!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

pH And The Reef Aquarium

For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This...

www.reef2reef.com

How did you calculate the pH difference between 8 and 9?

in this article below I show the detailed calculation using equations 2 and 3. In the above example I just used the first term of equation 2 as a quick estimate. That term has H+ and alk linearly related and will be a pretty good estimate, I think. pH being the negative log of H+, the pH change is the difference in the logs of the H+, and mathematically that also happens to be the log of the ratio of the two alkalinities.

Thus, I just took the log of 9/8 to see the change in pH. If that doesn’t make sense, I’m happy to explain more.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Relationship Between Alkalinity And pH

Randy answers many questions in this complex relationship.

reefs.com

 

[pwfess]

There are a few things I’d do:

Saturate the vinegar with kalkwasser. Add enough kalk powder to the vinegar until there is some precipitation on the bottom. Dose only the clear portion. The precipitation will redissolve as you add more vinegar, so it’s not wasted. This will add some alk to the tank.

Keep alkalinity from 7-11dKH, but I’d prefer it around 9-11 if higher pH is the goal. Higher alk leads to higher pH the CO2 equilibrium changes.

Use sodium hydroxide or kalkwasser as part of your alkalinity additive.

Increase fresh air into the house.

There are some other things you can do, but those are my favorite ways.

Thank you. Also I’m doing vinegar bc of a little cyano on the sandbed (not really much at all.) per the chart, I’m dosing 18ml. My dosing pump is being used for soda ash and calcium dosing already. Is it still effective to do 2 shots in a day? 9ml morning and 9ml at late afternoon? Im on day 4 of doing this so far and my nutrients haven’t changed. NO3 around 20 and PO4 is .2. Or should I just try vodka?

 

[Miami Reef]

Is it still effective to do 2 shots in a day? 9ml morning and 9ml at late afternoon?

Spreading the dose not reduce effectiveness.

Vinegar and vodka work the same way when using the charts. They equal similar concentrations of carbon molecules.

If it doesn’t reduce nutrients after 1-2 weeks, I’d increase the dose.

 

[rishma]

in this article below I show the detailed calculation using equations 2 and 3. In the above example I just used the first term of equation 2 as a quick estimate. That term has H+ and alk linearly related and will be a pretty good estimate, I think. pH being the negative log of H+, the pH change is the difference in the logs of the H+, and mathematically that also happens to be the log of the ratio of the two alkalinities.

Thus, I just took the log of 9/8 to see the change in pH. If that doesn’t make sense, I’m happy to explain more.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: The Relationship Between Alkalinity And pH

Randy answers many questions in this complex relationship.

reefs.com

I read the article though I’d be lying if I said I could reproduce your pH to alkalinity correlation. I’ll go through it again. You must of written that before you gave up on convincing us hobbyists to use meq/L instead of dKH

 

[adikgemok]

Ok… 1 last confirmation.
The Heinz Vinegar is legit to be used right?
Not sure if it’s filtered or not…

Thanks in advance…

 

[Miami Reef]

Ok… 1 last confirmation.
The Heinz Vinegar is legit to be used right?
Not sure if it’s filtered or not…

Thanks in advance…

That’s perfect.

Any food white vinegar is good to use.

 

[adikgemok]

That’s perfect.

Any food white vinegar is good to use.

Thanks dude…

 

[M4sonic]

This might be a stupid question but all i can steal from my wife's kitchen is 7% white vinegar, does that mean i should drop the number on the dosing chart by 2%?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This might be a stupid question but all i can steal from my wife's kitchen is 7% white vinegar, does that mean i should drop the number on the dosing chart by 2%?

No. 7% is 7/5 more potent = 1.4 so 7% is 40% more potent.

Multiply the doses in the article by 5/7 = 0.71.

 

[M4sonic]

No. 7% is 7/5 more potent = 1.4 so 7% is 40% more potent.

Multiply the doses in the article by 5/7 = 0.71.

And that's why i failed chemistry ( and math) in school

Thanks Randy

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And that's why i failed chemistry ( and math) in school

Thanks Randy

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing!