Will evaporation lower salintity?

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

I use baking soda to raise Alk

Unitylover · Mar 25, 2022

gfox said:
I use baking soda to raise Alk

so its not working?

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

Unitylover said:
so its not working?

It does then my tank uses it up and the Kalk does not keep up.

Unitylover · Mar 25, 2022

gfox said:
It does then my tank uses it up and the Kalk does not keep up.

ah

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 26, 2022

gfox said:
Yea i am probably on the verge of the Kalk stirrer not keeping up with the demands of the tank.2 part will be the next step.

that sounds good.

did all of your questions get answered?

gfox · Mar 26, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
that sounds good.

did all of your questions get answered?

Yes just deciding now if my next step will be 2 part to keep up with the demands of the tank.I have been using a Avast kalk stirrer for 7 years and now its not keeping up.I try for Alk around 8.5 and after a week when i test the Alk is down to below 8.Then i use baked baking soda to raise it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 26, 2022

gfox said:
Yes just deciding now if my next step will be 2 part to keep up with the demands of the tank.I have been using a Avast kalk stirrer for 7 years and now its not keeping up.I try for Alk around 8.5 and after a week when i test the Alk is down to below 8.Then i use baked baking soda to raise it.

You might check the effluent for saturation.

Many people find that kalk stirrers are delivering less than saturated limewater/kalkwasser.

gfox · Mar 26, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You might check the effluent for saturation.

Many people find that kalk stirrers are delivering less than saturated limewater/kalkwasser.

Meaning check the PH in the stirrer?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 26, 2022

gfox said:
Meaning check the PH in the stirrer?

pH is not very precise in this use. Even half saturated limewater has a pH above 12.

But it can be used crudely. Make a truly saturated solution with 2 tablespoons in a cup of RO/DI, and compare the pH of that to the effluent. A difference of 0.3 pH units is a factor of 2 in potency.

Conductivity is a more precise way. Saturation is about 10.3 mS/cm at 25 deg C.

Tcook · Mar 26, 2022

That's quite a drop in salinity. What size tank, how often are water changes, and how often do you dump the skimmer cup? Any leaking plumbing with salt creep? That adds up over time.