Doeseing kalk

[bear27]

Hi Randy

Im new to kalkwasser and am fairly uncertin on how to do it properly. I have read most of the information out there on it but when i try to aply it i flop. i can never seem to get my ca and alk levels up there always low 360 ppm 6 dkh. My guess is ive never put in enouf kalk to get them up in fear of my ph swing. So ive tried something new that im not sure if its going to work i mixed up a batch of kalk and then adjusted the ph to 8.3 useing small amounts of viniger until i got it write, This way i dont have to worry about the ph swing. I still am dripping ig slowly so i dont change the chemistry of my tank to fast but this alows me to drip day and night

What do you think

[bear27]

P.S

I am useing a pinpoint monitor to test ph so im fairly cirten of accuracy

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That can work, but is not optimal, IMO.

When you were dripping normal limewater, how much did you use and for how many days?

[bear27]

I was dripping the kalk at night,I was useing about 600-650ml per night for 2 nights

My ph swings from 8.0 in the morning to 8.8 at night

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the alkallinty is low and the aeration is low, that will make the pH rise from limewater higher. How long did the dripping last during the night? Was the pH 8.0 when dripping the night before?

[bear27]

ok this morning at 7:00 i started my drip and the ph was 8.0 and when i got home today at 6 pm it was only half done its drip and ph of 8.6

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd drip starting at night before you go to sleep, and have it run out about the time the lights come on, if possible. That will put the pH rise from the limewater exactly opposite the pH rise due to photosynthesis. In that case, the pH maximum may be lower than ph 8.6.

[bear27]

Ill try that

Shouldnt the ph stay stable at 8.3 though

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No. In every aquarium there is a pH swing from day to night due to photosynthesis using up CO2 during the day. The more aeration you have, and the higher the alkalinity, the smaller the swing will be. Other timed events can either increase the swing, or minimize it, like a lit refugium on a reverse light cycle, or timed additions of limewater.

The typical swing is from about 0.1 pH units to 0.4 pH units, although it is sometimes larger.

This aticle discusses the pH swing in the context of borate in the water:

Boron in a Reef Tank (and its effect on pH buffering)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

This one discusses pH in general:

Solutions to pH Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

[bear27]

Thanks, How dou you build a better drip vessel the pop bottle on i have can never keep the drip rate constant

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use a slow pump (3 gallons per day) along with a float switch.

Here's an article on a DIY doser that may help:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.htm