Alk/Ca/PH

[SCETT316]

I have been doing some reading but need to make sure I totally understand this before doing anything else.
All of my previous test & PH readings that I was getting were all wrong. I guess the kits were exp. & my PH monitor was not properly calibrated. I got new kits & calibration solution and here are my present parameters:

PH 7.9@night 8.2 since I have cut my photoperiod due to my Dino situation.
CA 495 ppm
Alk 3.3 meq/l

I have been running my cal. reactor (which I was trying to tune in) I added some Baked Baking Soda in order to try to raise my alk & my ph, which it did for a day or so. But it is back down again.

What would be the best way for me to raise my alk & my ph & w/o raising my CA any further? Should I turn off my ca reactor?

Any help is highly appreciated as usual.
Thx

[Reefland]

I don't see a real problem with your ALK of pH. What is your pH running during the day?

[SCETT316]

I don't see a real problem with your ALK of pH. What is your pH running during the day?

8.2 during the day but only for the few hours that my MH are on. I had to cut down on the photo period due to the dinoflaguettes (sp?) algae I have. I read that keeping it at 8.4 - 8.5 helps in eradicating the dino's also.

Also prior to setting up the calcium reactor again my old test kit was giving me a low reading on the calcium, so I dosed calcium.

After dosing the Baked Baking Soda, my alk & ph went up, but now there back down again.

I just don't know if I should be adj. my CA Reactor, or turning it off, bring up my alk & ph, then turn it back on & monitor the levels and adj. as needed.

[zhenya]

Susan,

What is your Mg level is like? if it is low it will be hard to keep Alk and Ca balanced.

[Reefland]

You could also see what dripping limewater throughout the night will do for you. This would be an easy way to offset the pH drop at night and from the reactor. I drip limewater 24/7 to help with the offset.

[SCETT316]

Susan,

What is your Mg level is like? if it is low it will be hard to keep Alk and Ca balanced.

I discarded my old Mg kit and don't have one. I know my Ca is higher due to too much dosing based on false readings from my old test kit.
My Ca is not dropping. Can only the Alk levels be dropping if the Mg is low?
Thx

[SCETT316]

You could also see what dripping limewater throughout the night will do for you. This would be an easy way to offset the pH drop at night and from the reactor. I drip limewater 24/7 to help with the offset.

What brand of limewater do you use? I found a thread in which Ninong mentions Mrs. Wages pickling lime Can I buy this at the supermarket and what dept. can I find it in?
Thx

[Ninong]

I got new kits & calibration solution and here are my present parameters:

PH 7.9@night 8.2

A pH of 7.9 at night and 8.2 during the day is perfectly acceptable. Raising it to 8.0 or 8.1 at night and 8.3 or 8.4 during the day would be even better but your current range is OK.

CA 495 ppm
Alk 3.3 meq/l

Both of these numbers are fine.

What would be the best way for me to raise my alk & my ph & w/o raising my CA any further? Should I turn off my ca reactor?

I would turn off the calcium reactor at night for the time being until you get some Kalkwasser. Once you're ready to start dripping limewater you could return the calcium reactor to being on 24/7. Drip the limewater at night starting after all the lights have gone off.

[Ninong]

What brand of limewater do you use? I found a thread in which Ninong mentions Mrs. Wages pickling lime Can I buy this at the supermarket and what dept. can I find it in?
Thx

It's in the Canning Supplies department at Wal-Mart Supercenters. Sometimes! It has to be 100% pure food grade calcium hydroxide pickling lime (either Ball's or Mrs. Wages). They have some products that contains other ingredients, such as spices.

It's also available online but for some stupid reason they just jumped the price from $1.85/lb to $3.85/lb, which is outrageous. Sometimes the supermarkets will have it for anywhere from $1.29/lb to $1.69/lb.

[hymie069]

I Just Bought Some Mrs.wages Picklig Lime From A Local Grocery Store. Here Is There 800 Number For Their Customer Serv. 1-800-647-8170. Hope This Will Help. You Can Probably Ask Their Cust. Serv. For A Local Vendor Or Purchase Straight From Them. Good Luck.

[SCETT316]

You guys are great thx so much for all the info.
The only reason I have been trying to get my Alk & PH up was because of my dino situation, which is much better but not all gone yet.
I just called Mrs. Wages customer service & they said to try Walmart or Target, if not I will order it online.
How much should I drip at night? (tsp/gal) I only have one of the Kent 1000ml dosing container, I guess that might be too small.

[Ninong]

How much should I drip at night? (tsp/gal)

You need to mix it up several hours in advance. The maximum amount of calcium hydroxide powder that will dissolve in one gallon of freshwater is two teaspoons.

You could mix up a gallon or two at one time if you want. Allow it to rest, covered, for several hours until the liquid is perfectly clear. Carefully pour off this clear liquid into your dosing container. You can then mix up the remaining limewater in the mixing container and allow it to rest until the next night. If a film develops on the surface, just lift it off with a wooden spoon and discard it. I wouldn't mix up more than you can use in five or six days because it gets bad as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air; which is why you need to keep the container tightly covered.

I only have one of the Kent 1000ml dosing container, I guess that might be too small.

It would only be too small if you were trying to replace all of your daily evaporation with limewater but that's not the case. You are simply trying to supplement the output of your calcium reactor.

[SCETT316]

Ninong thx soooo much. I was thinking of getting the larger Kent dosing unit (2.5 or 5gal.) so that I can prepare it for more than just one evening.
I apoligize for being redundant but I am somewhat chemically challenged and I am trying to learn so that I don't mess things up.
My daily evaporation is 1-1.5 gal. day. Since this is only to supplement my Calcium Reactor @ night, how much should I drip at night? Also should I be mixing the max 2tsp per gallon?
So this will take care of raising my PH. Since my Ca is @495ppm will this send it off the charts?

[Ninong]

I would use two tsps. per gallon as a starting point. Drip the full 1-liter container. That's not much considering your total daily evaporation. In fact, since your tank is 168-gallons, you could pour in the entire liter of limewater all at once without causing problems provided you added it to your sump. That's not the way I would do it but it's a possibility. I wouldn't add more than that at one time. What I'm trying to say is that it's up to you how fast you drip it. You don't have to worry about dripping it too fast because you aren't adding all that much.

You really don't have a problem. Your numbers are all fine the way they are but I understand that you would prefer if your pH were a little higher. The pH range that you have right now is quite normal for a tank with a calcium reactor. Calcium reactors have a tendency to make the pH range lower than it would be in a tank without a calcium reactor.

If it were me, I think the first thing that I would try would be to run the calcium reactor only 14 hrs/day instead of 24 hrs/day. At the same time, I would probably drip (fast drip) the liter of limewater early in the morning (as opposed to the usual nighttime). Your early morning pH is the lowest, therefore dripping the limewater before your lights come on will help mitigate the falling pH. Or, if it's more convenient, just drip it late at night before you go to bed.

Try that for several days and see how things work out. Just keep in mind that 495 ppm Ca, 3.3 mEq/l Alk and a pH range of 7.9 to 8.2 is perfectly OK already. I'm running 475 ppm Ca, 3.7 mEq/l Alk and a pH range of 8.0 - 8.3 without a calcium reactor, just Kalkwasser and nothing else.

[SCETT316]

Ninong:
Got it. Thx so much for all your help. My local Walmart or Target did not have pickling lime, so I ordered it online.

[SCETT316]

Susan,

What is your Mg level is like? if it is low it will be hard to keep Alk and Ca balanced.

Hi Gene:
Got a new test Kit & sure enough it is somewhat low. Started dosing ESV Mg. A mfg. claims that the new salts have a lower concentration of Mg. Is this true? I use Reef Crystals. Just wondering if I would have to continue suppl. after I achieve the correct balance.
Thx