Uncured artificial rock in a new tank....

MarsRover · Jul 7, 2017

Hello all,

I recently completed the rock work in my new tank. I used almost all Marco Dry rock, and Dry sand, and some largo crushed coral. Lastly, used a lot of Marco Mortar, and when i ran out of that i used a about a total of 5 cups of white cement, mixed with a lot of aragonite sand/crushed coral to complete my project. Because this was built in my tank, i wasn't able to cure it outside the tank. I already have filled the tank with RO/DI H20, and added enough salt for about 100 gallons.

I don't know if this will cause a problem with pH/Alk, but i put ALL the salt in to make the 270gallons up to ocean levels, what are your recommendations moving forward?

I figure, i can monitor pH and alk and see?

thanks folks

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

There's no fish or coral in the tank?

It's fine let it run.

MarsRover · Jul 7, 2017

no fish, no coral.

So let it run? Will eventually these things level themselves out? I'm going to be waiting weeks or whatever it takes for this thing to cycle.....will coraline just grow and consume the alk as long as i keep up all the other nutrients?

I also was toying with the idea of precipitating out all the alk if need be....

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

MarsRover said:
no fish, no coral.

So let it run? Will eventually these things level themselves out? I'm going to be waiting weeks or whatever it takes for this thing to cycle.....will coraline just grow and consume the alk as long as i keep up all the other nutrients?

I also was toying with the idea of precipitating out all the alk if need be....

Curing in the tank like you are is the process letting it come out.
Cement "leaches" some lime. Basically kalk.
This is what can cause a spike in ph. And alk.
In a tank with fish and coral it would be a danger. What your doing is exactly right.

For fun you could test a bucket of water for alk and ph and compare it to the tank. And then watch the numbers drop over time (nerd fun that is).
If in a month the alk and ph is still quite high you may need to wait a bit longer before adding live stock and do some water changes to bring it down.

Don't worry yet about nutrints.

MarsRover · Jul 7, 2017

thanks!

yeah i was planning on "nerd fun" and keeping track of the various measured things as we go through the cycle.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

MarsRover said:
thanks!

yeah i was planning on "nerd fun" and keeping track of the various measured things as we go through the cycle.

Your welcome!

Love to see a build thread! We all like pics of new tanks.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 7, 2017

It almost certainly will run high in pH and alk.

As that happens, you can add muriatic acid during the curing.

MarsRover · Jul 8, 2017

Thank you both!!!

@saltyfilmfolks, build thread is in my signature!

MarsRover · Jul 8, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It almost certainly will run high in pH and alk.

As that happens, you can add muriatic acid during the curing.

Does that help with alk, pH or both?I'm an engineer only with some basic university chemistry under my belt. Curious on the interaction with muriatic acid!

Looking around I find that muriatic acid binds to hydroxide ions to form water and ionic chlorine (which I assume evaps)? So knocking out hyroxides reduces pH....and then the alkalinity, I'm guessing, is then forced to precipitate due to the pH drop?

Thanks again

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 8, 2017

Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) lowers the pH ad the alkalinity.

It doesn't form chlorine. There is chloride in it, which just adds a tiny amount to the 19,000 ppm of chloride already in seawater.

The reaction of H+ in the acid and OH- in the tank to form water lowers both the pH and the alkalinity.

MarsRover · Jul 8, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) lowers the pH ad the alkalinity.

It doesn't form chlorine. There is chloride in it, which just adds a tiny amount to the 19,000 ppm of chloride already in seawater.

The reaction of H+ in the acid and OH- in the tank to form water lowers both the pH and the alkalinity.

Oh right!!! I remember something about a lab of mixing acids and bases to form H2O.

Thanks Randy!

So now the question is, when do I start chasing the pH/alk? I'm assuming first I need to add all my salt to bring me up to 1.026 specific g. Then test pH and alk and see where I'm at?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 8, 2017

You might check the pH and alk now, before adding salt.

MarsRover · Jul 8, 2017

Wilco.

I've already added some salt. woke up this morning and it's almost fully dissolved (in sump).

will test today thanks again

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 8, 2017

The ph and alk will likely only become a real concern once you start adding coral and livestock to the tank. IMO.

MarsRover · Jul 9, 2017

Okay, heres some numbers!

sg: 1.010 (refractometer)
pH: 8.0~8.1 (salifert pro)
Alk: 5.6 (redsea pro)

so..... sounds like i'm okay for now?

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 9, 2017

For now Yes. I'd get the salinity up.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 9, 2017

MarsRover said:
Thank you both!!!

@saltyfilmfolks, build thread is in my signature!

I love this pic with the work lights for the tank. Thats going to be an impressive reef in the room.

@GoVols , look Freddie , the new kessils are out.

GoVols · Jul 9, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
look Freddie , the new kessils are out.

ROFL

Salty,
U Da Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's priceless!!!!!!

Freddie

GoVols · Jul 9, 2017

(lol)
Just realized that we're on @MarsRover thread.

Pea and Nut have already pulled a patent on "Gel-Reef" & "Gel-Capsules" reef salt mix, so everyone else can just... Back Off!!!

Regards, Mr Pea