Ph Issues... Performed Randy's Aeration Test....

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have also going through same problem even with kalkwasser reactor. Ph goes to 8.1 no higher then drops never had problem before

It will drop if you stop adding limewater, because you likely have excess CO2 in your home air.

People dosing limewater use it every day, 365 days a year.

 

[Mark costa]

Sorry everyone some of my question maybe novice. When useing kalk Dorset how do u keep level stable in sump so skimmer level will stay the same. Have shut off float. In 9 hrs I have extra 3 gal in sump. Have to remove extra water every morn. What am I doing wrong. Lfs is useless for help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It sounds like you are dosing way too much limewater.

How are you controlling the amount added?

 

[CNDReef]

Your shut off float isn't closing all the way, assuming your gravity feeding. If you're using a pump to feed the kalk you will need a ato ( automatic top off system)

 

[Mark costa]

It sounds like you are dosing way too much limewater.

How are you controlling the amount added?

Probe when it hits 8.0 monitor puts pump on then shuts off at 8.1

 

[Mark costa]

Your shut off float isn't closing all the way, assuming your gravity feeding. If you're using a pump to feed the kalk you will need a ato ( automatic top off system)

During pump. Have a top off

 

[Mark costa]

Have top off useing pump

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Probe when it hits 8.0 monitor puts pump on then shuts off at 8.1

NEVER control pH using limewater without limiting the volume delivered to evaporation and to not allowing alkalinity to rise over a certain point.

You are delivering more than the daily evaporation rate.

 

[Mark costa]

NEVER control pH using limewater without limiting the volume delivered to evaporation and to not allowing alkalinity to rise over a certain point.

You are delivering more than the daily evaporation rate.

Ty

 

[Mark costa]

Ty

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Good luck and happy reefing.

 

[Andy G]

I have the same issue, it'll be useful to useful that you take a look at a recent thread that i started on this topic a few weeks ago. Low ph high alk.

I've been running a CO2 scrubber Andre it helped but the media consumed very fast. Also started a refugium with an H80 and did not raise ph significantly. I'm still below 8.

Just yesterday i switched to an H380 to get more growth, let's see how it goes.

And last but not least a few hours ago i just finished the direct line that brings outside air directly to the sump space.

 

[Andy G]

Ok,
So here is full story..... I noticed ph change yesterday. Was about.07 lower than usual. I decided to dose nopox unrelated to ph issues to reduce nitrates and phosphates last night 4ml. I then changed out filter socks last night with new ones and my skimmer went nuts...... Yikes.... Calmed down after couple hours...

This moring I notice 7.98 lowest it's been since scrubber installed.
An hour ago I changed out the co2 absorbant media. There's no change. FYI last time it shot up within minutes... So the media must have been ok. What the heck is going on???

1: There was a drop before I made any changes.
.07

2: Does No3Po4 lower oxygen and pH?

Yes NoPox lowers Ph, i asked red sea check answer below:

"You will always notice a slight drop in pH values after adding the NO3P04-X especially if your pH probe is in the sump or close to where you add the NO3P04-X however after a short time the pH will return to normal. When first using NO3P04-X and until the system reaches its equilibrium the pH may be slightly lower than it was before. This is not a cause for concern."

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The Red Sea statement is only partly correct.

All methods of organic carbon dosing reduce pH (unless specifically formulated to boost pH as well) because the final product of the metabolism of the organics is carbon dioxide. Addition of CO2 lowers pH.

Vinegar (acetic acid) is one of the ingredients in NOPOX. It reduces pH immediately due to the acetic acid, and then more later as the organics in it are metabolized to CO2. Vinegar does not have a bigger overall reduction in pH than, say, vodka, it just has more of it immediately when added and less later. Presumably Red Sea is referring to the immediate drop and is ignoring the subsequent effects when they gave that statement above.

One way to avoid the pH drop is to add calcium hydroxide into the organic that you dose. This can be especially useful for those doing manual dosing of vinegar, where it can be formulated this way to provide no pH drop. I did that until I began to dose vinegar with a dosing pump.

 

[DarthSimon]

Hey guys, been running good for few months now using air from outside and co2 scrubber. We got a new dog that’s twice the size and it seems as my ph numbers are down again. I’ve changed out the media not the Issue. I was getting around 8.1 to 8.13 as a high and lows were 8.05 at night. The new dog that replaced the one that unfortunately passed away is huge in comparison, 110 pound dog compared to 55. We will have the other dog, 2 dogs total. Could this dog be pumping in more co2 then the other one?

I thought that maybe I got some moisture in the co2 canister, wasn’t the case. I do put a half teaspoon and bottom as per Bulk Reef Supply.

My skimmer seems ok though it’s not skimming much last day or so.....

Any thoughts???

 

[Andy G]

8.14 now..... Can't wait to see at full light intensity this afternoon.

Skimmer is kicking butt. Actually skimming gunk less than day. Must be pulling much more air, as well as scrubber pulling Co2 out.

Very rewarding feeling getting down to bottom of this. You guys are super helpful. Randy's aeration test nailed it...

Hi DarthSimon,

Is this a RedSea 350?

I have a RedSea and want to upgrade the sump, hence was wondering if I could take out the divider w/o affecting the stability of the stand.

You did it right?

Thanks in advance!

Update: nevermind, I just read is a 250 hence it doesn't come with a divider.

 

[DarthSimon]

I actually converted my ato to a refugium a few weeks back. So far so good....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

..

Any thoughts???

Good reason to prefer smaller dogs

 

[DarthSimon]

With new guy being double the weight of the dog he replaced I suppose it's like have 3, 55 pound dogs lol. Reef Chemistry at its finest.....

 

[DarthSimon]

So I suspected airflow pull issue with my skimmer all along. I pulled apart my skimmer today and gave it a thorough clean.
It had large partials of carbon inside pump. Skimmer fired back up and is now back at better pH levels with co2 scrubber.
7.74 to 8.07.... 8-9 hours later....