Ph probe idea

[scotty333]

Guys
Can someone confirm this for me please

Can I trust a ph probe to alert me of a kh swing ? I think they’re connected so why not?

Or save my pennies for a reef factory kh keeper since I already have the doser? https://milwaukeeinstruments.eu/ph-...F3yGi6-A6FVEZxxy5M_epUv9EaWXiaicaAuXCEALw_wcB

 

[theatrus]

Guys
Can someone confirm this for me please

Can I trust a ph probe to alert me of a kh swing ? I think they’re connected so why not?

Or save my pennies for a reef factory kh keeper since I already have the doser? https://milwaukeeinstruments.eu/ph-...F3yGi6-A6FVEZxxy5M_epUv9EaWXiaicaAuXCEALw_wcB

From something like dosing kalk? Yes. Otherwise, no.

They are related but absolutely not directly. You can maintain a 10dKH level and have a pH in the low-7 range. Or in the mid-8. It’s based on a lot of other factors more directly (eg CO2 concentration) than it’s related to kH

 

[BristleWormHater]

From something like dosing kalk? Yes. Otherwise, no.

They are related but absolutely not directly. You can maintain a 10dKH level and have a pH in the low-7 range. Or in the mid-8. It’s based on a lot of other factors more directly (eg CO2 concentration) than it’s related to kH

Very true my rank sits at 9dkh and has a ph of 8.1

 

[SliceGolfer]

One could use a pH probe to be alerted if an overdose of alkalinity solution is being added. For example, say your doser siphons buffer into the tank, or overdoses, one might see a spike in pH.

 

[scotty333]

One could use a pH probe to be alerted if an overdose of alkalinity solution is being added. For example, say your doser siphons buffer into the tank, or overdoses, one might see a spike in pH.

That’s kinda what I was thinking , but then it’s too late anyway I guess

 

[VintageReefer]

I installed this tonight

Kh Guardian PRO

400$ monitors and doses alk as needed

Optional - 50$ AIMS module
Adds monitoring of temp, orp, ph, salinity and includes probes

Screen shows you last all measurement + ph updates every 30 seconds. Cloud based logs and control accessible from any browser

Standby 66 means unit is in pause and will do the next test in 66 min

 

[scotty333]

Awesome bit of kit , you checked the kh + ph manually to compare ?

 

[VintageReefer]

Awesome bit of kit , you checked the kh + ph manually to compare ?

Yes. And this is reading 8.6 dkh
Hanna reading 7.9 and 8

Need to figure out which is right

settings page for the khguardian has a lot of options - one of them is a manual correction factor but Im working with the company to determine next steps.

Might buy a salifert kit just to see what’s right.

I’ve only had the unit installed a day. I’m not even sure i set everything correct. One possibility is it needs to know your tank volume…I estimated. I dont know how much water I have factoring for rock and sand and the sump. My estimate easily could be off and throwing off some calculation

Cool unit. I look forward to tweaking a bit more. I will say, I’ve tested 10x at least with it…it’s consistent in the results. Variance is only .01 dkh. Uses optical sensors to measure drops of reagent, petty cool to watch.

 

[scotty333]

Yes. And this is reading 8.6 dkh
Hanna reading 7.9 and 8

Need to figure out which is right

settings page for the khguardian has a lot of options - one of them is a manual correction factor but Im working with the company to determine next steps.

Might buy a salifert kit just to see what’s right.

I’ve only had the unit installed a day. I’m not even sure i set everything correct. One possibility is it needs to know your tank volume…I estimated. I dont know how much water I have factoring for rock and sand and the sump. My estimate easily could be off and throwing off some calculation

Cool unit. I look forward to tweaking a bit more. I will say, I’ve tested 10x at least with it…it’s consistent in the results. Variance is only .01 dkh. Uses optical sensors to measure drops of reagent, petty cool to watch.

Nice
Post your tank and sump sizes and how many boxes of lr ( usually 22-23kg)
Sand quantity or thickness and dimensions and I calculate the density for you

 

[VintageReefer]

Nice
Post your tank and sump sizes and how many boxes of lr ( usually 22-23kg)
Sand quantity or thickness and dimensions and I calculate the density for you

Ill do my best

Rock. Unknown amount. And weight of rocks doesn’t really matter as displacement is the key.

Maybe visually we can estimate approx how much is taken by rock and coral ?

Standard aqueon 75g tank
Trigger systems Ruby 30S sump

Found old pic of rocks

Left side is rock stack in front of overflow, two floating platforms with a rock below.

Center fairly open. Rock wall in ramp shape on right

Now

Left view

Center

Right view

Sump specs

Chamber 1 and 2 are 9.5”
Chamber 3 is 7.5”

Display sand is 2” on left and middle.
Right side somehow ramps up to 3”

Sump has 2” sand in middle section and live rock stacked to water line in 50% of the middle chamber

 

[scotty333]

Ill do my best

Rock. Unknown amount. And weight of rocks doesn’t really matter as displacement is the key.

Maybe visually we can estimate approx how much is taken by rock and coral ?

Standard aqueon 75g tank
Trigger systems Ruby 30S sump

Found old pic of rocks

Left side is rock stack in front of overflow, two floating platforms with a rock below.

Center fairly open. Rock wall in ramp shape on right

Now

Left view

Center

Right view

Sump specs

Chamber 1 and 2 are 9.5”
Chamber 3 is 7.5”

Display sand is 2” on left and middle.
Right side somehow ramps up to 3”

Sump has 2” sand in middle section and live rock stacked to water line in 50% of the middle chamber

Not sure about the weight of rock comment but 10kg of live rock is the same as 10kg of ocean rock, sure they have different densities but weight = displacement
1kg of rock = 1 l of water

I’ll have a tot up if I can but it doesn’t look much and the rule of thumb used to be 1kg per 10l but what with a million other filtration methods out there you could have a bare tank devoid of rock

 

[VintageReefer]

Yes but density is what matters

5 pounds of porous rock displacement is not the same as 5 pound solid concrete rock

I agree I do not have a lot of rock in the display but I put approx 15 lbs in the sump to supplement

 

[fishyjoes]

Can I trust a ph probe to alert me of a kh swing ? I think they’re connected so why not?

No
One example is the case of CO2 depressing PH, but it has no effect on alkalinity.

See my previous question thread about it

Does excess CO2 depress alkalinity?

Just trying to understand how things influence each other. I know that having excess dissolved CO2 in the aquarium will lower your PH. Does CO2 lower alkalinity as well? Somewhere I saw a test explained where you take a sample of water, measure the PH, then go aerate it outside to gas off any...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[theatrus]

Yes. And this is reading 8.6 dkh
Hanna reading 7.9 and 8

Need to figure out which is right

settings page for the khguardian has a lot of options - one of them is a manual correction factor but Im working with the company to determine next steps.

Might buy a salifert kit just to see what’s right.

I’ve only had the unit installed a day. I’m not even sure i set everything correct. One possibility is it needs to know your tank volume…I estimated. I dont know how much water I have factoring for rock and sand and the sump. My estimate easily could be off and throwing off some calculation

Cool unit. I look forward to tweaking a bit more. I will say, I’ve tested 10x at least with it…it’s consistent in the results. Variance is only .01 dkh. Uses optical sensors to measure drops of reagent, petty cool to watch.

None of those is right, and really in range for most of the test kits in the hobby.

Most of the colorimetric tests I've had run a bit "low" with a hand-done titration test (e.g. a Salifert).

What matters more is its:

- In range
and
- Consistent

Change and drift is much more important than actual numbers.

 

[VintageReefer]

None of those is right, and really in range for most of the test kits in the hobby.

Most of the colorimetric tests I've had run a bit "low" with a hand-done titration test (e.g. a Salifert).

What matters more is its:

- In range
and
- Consistent

Change and drift is much more important than actual numbers.

Agree

The hi772 has an “acceptable accuracy” of + - .3. That’s a .6dkh range!

The kh guardian measures each droplet of reagent one at a time and counts with a optical sensor, and stirs the chamber, and waits approx 5 sec before adding another drop. They have a claimed accuracy range of + - .1 dkh

My only concern is when setting up new device that I will be trusting I need to ensure it’s setup correct.

Historically when on Hanna and my alk drifted below 7.5 I get upset corals.

I would like to run approx 8.5 dkh. Exact number doesn’t matter, as long as it’s near that, and the more stable the better.

My automation is measuring every 4 hours, and seems to be getting more accurate as it runs more.

My last auto test read 8.27. I manually tested with Hanna afterwards, and got a 8.0

It then auto dosed some sodium bicarbonate solution as the device is set to keep my tank at what it believes is 8.5

 

[scotty333]

Agree

The hi772 has an “acceptable accuracy” of + - .3. That’s a .6dkh range!

The kh guardian measures each droplet of reagent one at a time and counts with a optical sensor, and stirs the chamber, and waits approx 5 sec before adding another drop. They have a claimed accuracy range of + - .1 dkh

My only concern is when setting up new device that I will be trusting I need to ensure it’s setup correct.

Historically when on Hanna and my alk drifted below 7.5 I get upset corals.

I would like to run approx 8.5 dkh. Exact number doesn’t matter, as long as it’s near that, and the more stable the better.

My automation is measuring every 4 hours, and seems to be getting more accurate as it runs more.

My last auto test read 8.27. I manually tested with Hanna afterwards, and got a 8.0

It then auto dosed some sodium bicarbonate solution as the device is set to keep my tank at what it believes is 8.5

My target too, I figured I have 3 days before my kh plummets to 5.5 if the doser stopped but I generally hear it at night and would notice if I didn’t
Vacations for 2 weeks will be edgy but by January I’ll have a kh keeper so should be safe