PH and Dosing Alk

[WillH]

How do people go about allowing alkalinity to get dosed to their tank in a consistent manner? I am dosing via a 1.1ml doser for a few minutes every hour over night, but I have it preventing it from dosing based on PH over 8.25 - which leaves me with a spuratic dose overnight. Am I overly concerned about my PH level? Is there a way to naturally keep my PH more in check at night? I have a refugium light that I started pushing back when it comes on to help but you can see it does not reduce PH too much. I've notice my PH levels raise when I recently switched from (4) Kessil 360 lights to (3) G4 pros.

I am dosing with b-ionic.

 

[WillH]

How do people go about allowing alkalinity to get dosed to their tank in a consistent manner? I am dosing via a 1.1ml doser for a few minutes every hour over night, but I have it preventing it from dosing based on PH over 8.25 - which leaves me with a spuratic dose overnight. Am I overly concerned about my PH level? Is there a way to naturally keep my PH more in check at night? I have a refugium light that I started pushing back when it comes on to help but you can see it does not reduce PH too much. I've notice my PH levels raise when I recently switched from (4) Kessil 360 lights to (3) G4 pros.

I am dosing with b-ionic.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why did you set the limit at 8.25? That is way too low for a shut off control, IMO. I'd set it at no less than 8.55. May tank ran for years at 8.35 to 8.55 and I considered that just fine.

That said, if you really want a lower pH (and are sure it is elevated) then you can dose a bicarbonate based two part (no pH rise) and more aeration during the day will limit the peak if it gets too high.

 

[WillH]

Thank you very much for taking the time to explain that out to me. I guess there was no reason other than nearly everything I read states this window or 7.8 to 8.3, and as a newer reef, anything outside the norm or read is basically an unknown for me. And I was worried I was going to go too far above 8.3 and things would start dying and my Ph would skyrocket out of control causing a crash! After reading you explanation here and another post where you go into a bit more detail about Ph, it sounds like I just had a misunderstanding of what exactly Ph params were actually safe and the side effects of high Ph. Thank you!

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

If you'd like an alkalinity supplement that affects pH less, maybe try dosing a sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) DIY supplement. This supplement only lowers pH by roughly 0.04 for every 1.5 dKh of carbonate alkalinity added.