Simple chemistry advice to beginners #1

seanocode · Dec 11, 2014

What about ph?
My dkh has been right around 7-8.
I know it's low, I've read you can dose sodium carb in ATO to help raise dkh. I notice a big ph swing after trying this. Ph went up fast but slowly stabled back around 8.0-8.2
Is this the product I used ( baking soda, baked@350*) or just part of raising dkh?
System has been up and running since March 2014, needless to say this is my first setup.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 11, 2014

seanocode said:
What about ph?
My dkh has been right around 7-8.
I know it's low, I've read you can dose sodium carb in ATO to help raise dkh. I notice a big ph swing after trying this. Ph went up fast but slowly stabled back around 8.0-8.2
Is this the product I used ( baking soda, baked@350*) or just part of raising dkh?
System has been up and running since March 2014, needless to say this is my first setup.

There are a variety of ways to supplement calcium and alkalinity, and some of those raise pH, others lower it, and some have no effect.

If your ATO delivers water slowly enough, and if you need a pH boost, and if you need alkalinity, limewater (calcium hydroxide dissolved in fresh water) is what I'd put into the ATO as it has a bigger pH boost per unit of alkalinity and will not raise alkalinity disproportionately to the calcium in the water.

That all said, you can deliver an alkalinity supplement in an ATO if you want. Baked baking soda is a fine way to go to get an alkalinity and pH boost.

But don't dose more than you need to maintain the alkalinity, no matter what happens to the pH.

volivier · Dec 11, 2014

Test kits shelf life isn't very long is it and what are the more accurate tests out there now.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 12, 2014

Shelf life varies with the type of kit. Some are longer than others as the different chemicals used degrade at different rates.

The way the chemicals are packaged also impacts lifetime. The best kits often have the reagents for each test in individual foil packets.

I don't have specific brand kits that I recommend for everything because it depends on the type of kit.

seanocode · Jan 9, 2015

Hey Randy, quick question.
Started BRS 2 part today, system has been running since March.
(CA 420)
(dkh 9)
(Nitrate 0)
My question is since I've never dosed Magnesium, can I go ahead and start with the 20 oz. of solution? Or wait till CA and ALK solution is empty?

Dalmatia · Jan 9, 2015

seanocode said:
Hey Randy, quick question.
Started BRS 2 part today, system has been running since March.
(CA 420)
(dkh 9)
(Nitrate 0)
My question is since I've never dosed Magnesium, can I go ahead and start with the 20 oz. of solution? Or wait till CA and ALK solution is empty?

I'm not randy,, but I wouldn't dose anything if your tank is fine

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 10, 2015

seanocode said:
Hey Randy, quick question.
Started BRS 2 part today, system has been running since March.
(CA 420)
(dkh 9)
(Nitrate 0)
My question is since I've never dosed Magnesium, can I go ahead and start with the 20 oz. of solution? Or wait till CA and ALK solution is empty?

I would dose it during or after you finish the others. Don't give it a big boost now since it is likely not depleted. Dosing half the magnesium amount when the other two are half gone is a fine way to spread it out.