Annoying Alk & pH issue

[Maxx]

11-02-2011
Okay things seem to have been squared away....finally.

Current parameters

Dkh - 9.6
Ca - 395
Mg 1575
pH at 8.25

I broke down and bought an Avast Marine Kalk reactor. I chwas thrifty and went with the build it yourself version which saved about $60. I'm currently dripping 2 liters of kalk per day via litermeter 3.

The magnesium is elevated because I neglected to check the tds of my RODi topoff water...it had jumped up to almost 30 and had caused a bryopsis outbreak.

Currently the highest pH levels are at night, with the pH dropping down to 8.11-8.15 at the lowest during the day.

All changes to the system in an effort to deal with the pH issue:

Purchased a HOB refugium and stuffed it full of cheatomorpha.
Purchased a newer skimmer that pulls more than 5x the amount of air that my previous one did.
Purchased a CO2 scrubber from the Filter Guys to feed the new skimmer.
Ran an additional line to the skimmer feeding it with outside air.
Purchased/built the Kalk reactor and hooked it up.

The fuge is pretty much useless other than giving my pods a place to cavort and play unmolested. Not really worth the money spent IMO...
The skimmer was needed and IMO is a major improvement to the system overall, but actually does little to improve the pH levels in the tank.
CO2 scrubber was helpful and I actually noticed a bump in the pH after hooking it up. It was worth the money spent IMO.
Outside air feeding the skimmer helped less than I thought. Noticed a 0.01 bump up in pH that might be attributable to that.
Have to say it, but the Kalk reactor was the biggest help in maintaining the pH for my system. Its only putting a little kalk into my system daily, My system is evaporating about 13 liters per day, kalk dripping accounts for 2 liters of that, (Almost 3.5 gallons a day in evaporation, Kalk makes up about half a gallon of it).

The biggest issue I had with the Kalk reactor was fear of pushing my Dkh/Alk through the roof. I'm still running the Calcium reactor in addition to the Kalk reactor and DkH has stayed steady at 9.6 since 10-26-2011 which is when I bumped the kalk dose from 1 liter per day to 2 LPD.

I know my Calcium levels would be higher if I wasnt pushing my Mag up that high. Overall, have to say that I should have done the Kalk thing earlier.

Regardless,

thanks to everyone who helped out with advice, information, and personal experiances and knowledge. I really appreciate it.

Nick

 

[mojoreef]

Glad to see its finally put to bed Nick, water chemistry is so simple yet it can be a real bear sometimes.

Mojo

 

[Maxx]

Its been incredibly frustrating.....But seems I have it together now.

Thanks again Mike.

Nick

 

[Boomer]

Looks good but Mg 1575 Why that high ?

Avast Marine = Boomer leaving RC forever

 

[Maxx]

Boomer,

I boosted the mag that high because I got stupid and forgot to keep tabs on my RODi TDS. It had climbed to 30 something and was being used for tank top off. This caused an algae bloom. I bumped the Mg that high to kill off some bryopsis and will let it work itself down via water changes etc.

I was pleasantly surprised with Avast Marine's service and quality of product. I was reccomended the Kalk reactor from them by another local reefer who has a Deltec Kalk reactor and wanted another Kalk reactor but couldnt afford to pay new Deltec prices, (He bought his Deltec Kalk reactor, small sized one, used). He bought a new Avast Kalk reactor (Small sized as well) and said it was just as good and he'd been using it for more than a year. Thought I'd give it a shot.

Dont know if its Deltec quality or not having never seen/held a Deltec Kalk reactor before, but Its good enough for my needs.

If you have some issues with Avast, I'd love to know about it in PM if you're willing to share.

BTW, I have 2 GEO 612 Calcium reactors and LOVE his stuff. I just wanted a rotating kalk stirrer bar as opposed to a maxi-jet powered one. Otherwise, I'd have had a GEO Kalk Reactor too...

Nick

 

[Boomer]

I have no problem with Avast Marine. Dan and I were taking on RC about Ozone reactors and they deleted our posts, with no notification and I'm was a staff member there, which pissed me off big time. So, I left RC for good. I have had it with the Nazi attitude of the Adim's and some Mod's their.

 

[Maxx]

Makes sense to me...would have annoyed the hell out of me too...

Interestingly enough, I just cleaned and calibrated both of my pH probes. pH is now showing 8.49 in the system.

Cleaning involved soaking both probes in vineager, then a light brushing with a toothbrush, (not mine....wife was looking the other way), then rinsed in RODi water.
Calibrating was with pH 7 and pH 4 solutions as per manufacturer's directions.

I've since cut the Kalk drip from 2 LPD down to 1LPD, so we'll see where that goes.

Its been nice weather here until today, (low of 45F high of 70+) so no need to run AC or heat for the most part. Today is rainy and cold, (sorta like what I remember of Washington state), so we might turn on the heat tonight.

I'll keep an eye on the pH from here on out.

Glad I decided to clean and calibrate the probes....

Nick

 

[Boomer]

OK Nick