Grrrrr.......pH

[Ereefic]

Hi Randy, me again. :)

Ok, I think my only real option to keep my pH in a more normal range is to drip kalk. Right now, i'm 8.0-8.1 during lights on and 7.8-7.9 during lights off. I also just started running a calcium reactor.

What I don't understand is since the calcium reactor is taking care of the Alk. and Cal., how am I going to drip kalk without affecting the Alk. and Cal. yet still raise my pH?

I'd like my pH to go no lower than 8.1 during night.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok, I think my only real option to keep my pH in a more normal range is to drip kalk.

For many folks with tight homes in the frozen northland, that is the case.

What I don't understand is since the calcium reactor is taking care of the Alk. and Cal., how am I going to drip kalk without affecting the Alk. and Cal. yet still raise my pH?

The rise in pH is usually more dramatic than any rise in calcium or alkalinity. Since it is a balanced additive, a balanced rise in both is not a big problem, and most folks don't see much rise in such a case anyway. If you did see levels too high, you can always back off a tad of the bubble addition rate to the CaCO3/CO2 reactor.

One reason that the rise may not be detected by many is that as the pH rises, abiotic precipitation of CaCO3 increases, partially offsetting the additions. Also, as pH and alkalinity rise, calcification by corals and coralline algae may also increase, also offsetting the limewater additions.

So don't worry about the extra. :)

[Ereefic]

Generally then, when using Kalk to raise pH, your wanting to use a saturated limewater vs. a lesser strength? I'm assuming this because many use kalk reactors which dose saturated lime water.

If i'm running 7.9 pH at night and want to try and keep it 8.1, is a kalk drip going to bring it that high and hold it? Is dripping faster for pH control more ideal or is a slower drip better? Guess that is probably based on the tank itself.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Generally then, when using Kalk to raise pH, your wanting to use a saturated limewater vs. a lesser strength?

Whatever strength does the trick for you. It depends on how bad the CO2 excess is. Many folks find that even saturated limewater is not as much boost as they'd like.

It is the total amount added that will control the average pH over the course of the day and night. You can drip faster when the pH is on the low side than you could if the pH were hovering at pH 8.4 - 8.5+.

[Ereefic]

So, when using limewater to control pH were are only limited on how strong a mix and how fast we drip it by what the pH does?

I'm dripping it in the return area of the sump, which has around 500 gph flowing through it. It raises that area up from 7.9 to 8.0 but doesn't seem to do much to the tank itself. Is it going to take awhile before the tank itself will see the effects of the kalk drip?

Or am I just better off dripping it directly in the tank rather than the sump?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So, when using limewater to control pH were are only limited on how strong a mix and how fast we drip it by what the pH does?

Yes. :)

I'm dripping it in the return area of the sump, which has around 500 gph flowing through it. It raises that area up from 7.9 to 8.0 but doesn't seem to do much to the tank itself. Is it going to take awhile before the tank itself will see the effects of the kalk drip?

If you don't see the effects in 1-2 days, then you'll never see any. :(

Or am I just better off dripping it directly in the tank rather than the sump?

That might help, but in the long run, probably doesn't matter too much.

[Ereefic]

Cool, thanks Randy. Very hard for me to get a grasp on this. Think i'm too worried about screwing something up.

Your going to throw a big party one day when/if I ever leave the hobby, aren't you? :lol: Some things just need to be beat into my head for me to understand them. Thanks for putting up with me. :)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Your going to throw a big party one day when/if I ever leave the hobby, aren't you?

No, it will just be a slow day here. :D

You're welcome and good luck!

PS, feel free to pop back any time :)