calc, alk and kalk.. what to do
- Thread starter jezzeaepi
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Your pH shouldn't have dropped...kalk has a pretty high pH...and even if it wasn't fully settled and you were pumping kalk slurry into your tank, it should not have dropped your pH. If anything, the kalk slurry would have raised the pH beyond what you would normally see with fully settled kalk...there is something else going on here....
Part of the problem is I think in your assumption that kalk of a certain pH dosed in "x" amount was going to raise your pH by "x" amount. Yes, the kalk has a certian pH by itself, but once introduced into your tank, a whole bunch of varibles come into play, like the speed at which the kalk was introduced, CO2 levels in the tank, inital tank pH, intial tank alkalinity levels...ect....
The pH altering effects of kalk are temporary, much depends on your system as a whole...that's why we tend to drip it slowly during naturally low pH times in the tank (night, early morning)...it won't permanently alter the pH of your tank at all if dosed properly...is this what you are looking for?
I'd start looking at your water parameters again....look at your alkalinity levels, and also look at your nutrient levels...(high nutrient levels tend to lend to a lower pH situation)...look at your gas exchange, ect....
MikeS
Part of the problem is I think in your assumption that kalk of a certain pH dosed in "x" amount was going to raise your pH by "x" amount. Yes, the kalk has a certian pH by itself, but once introduced into your tank, a whole bunch of varibles come into play, like the speed at which the kalk was introduced, CO2 levels in the tank, inital tank pH, intial tank alkalinity levels...ect....
The pH altering effects of kalk are temporary, much depends on your system as a whole...that's why we tend to drip it slowly during naturally low pH times in the tank (night, early morning)...it won't permanently alter the pH of your tank at all if dosed properly...is this what you are looking for?
I'd start looking at your water parameters again....look at your alkalinity levels, and also look at your nutrient levels...(high nutrient levels tend to lend to a lower pH situation)...look at your gas exchange, ect....
MikeS
My purpose of using the kalk was to have less of a PH swing. My alk and calcium demands seem to be pretty high and as the alk gets used up my ph goes down. With the overnight drip I was hoping to artifically keep the PH up during the night so that when I wake up maybe the tank is at 8.2 insead of 7.9.
I think the reason my ph went down more then normal was because my kalkwasser was far too weak due to the lack of mixing on my part. All I did was add water with a tiny amount of kalk which would in turn dillute my tank water and lower the ph.
Its hard for me to say what my alk is. Alk is constantly being used up so right now it might be at 2.7 . Right after I added the buffer in the morning it was probably 3.0, and before I added it, it was probably at around 2.5. With the 2 part additives I find it almost impossible to get my alk much passed 3 without raising the ph to 8.5+. My calcium ranges from 380-420 and my magnesium is at around 1200.
Peace
I think the reason my ph went down more then normal was because my kalkwasser was far too weak due to the lack of mixing on my part. All I did was add water with a tiny amount of kalk which would in turn dillute my tank water and lower the ph.
Its hard for me to say what my alk is. Alk is constantly being used up so right now it might be at 2.7 . Right after I added the buffer in the morning it was probably 3.0, and before I added it, it was probably at around 2.5. With the 2 part additives I find it almost impossible to get my alk much passed 3 without raising the ph to 8.5+. My calcium ranges from 380-420 and my magnesium is at around 1200.
Peace
DonW
R.I.P.
I think your on the right track. If you dont mix it there will be no slurry to settle. Try mixing for a few minutes with a power head, you'll see the difference. Let it clear so it doesnt dump a bunch of solids in your tank, very hard on pumps and plumbing.
Don
I'd look at other things as well...you may have an elevated CO2 level in your tank...take a sample of your water, test the pH...take that same sample of water and let it sit outdoors in the fresh air for a few hours, than take a pH reading again....
MikeS
MikeS
Boomer
Well-known member
Don and Mike your guys are still on a roll 
I know CO2 plays a factor. When I get home from work I usually open the windows for a bit to let the place air out and I can watch the ph slowly climb by about .05.
What do others do during the winter months? Its hard to strike a balance between keeping the co2 down without paying a ton in heating.
What do others do during the winter months? Its hard to strike a balance between keeping the co2 down without paying a ton in heating.
LakeEd
Achilles
If possible, run your airline tubing for your skimmer to an outside air source. This can greatly help in the winter months, or for houses with very air tight conditions in summer, if you use air conditioners also.
Well Ill give you an update. Things still arent working well. I feel like its not doing anything for my alk and calcium. I still dose with my 2 part every day and my alk and calc are still falling.
Ive upped the amount of water being topped off with the lime to about .8 gallons. I have tried running a fan over the tank 24/7 to increase evaporation so I can add more lime. I leave the windows open all the time now.
My PH still drops from 8.35 to 7.9. It drops rather quickly once the lights are turned off. in 3 hours it drops from 8.35 to 8.05. over the next 10 hours it drops from 8.05 to 7.9.
*sigh*
So what do i try next?
Ive upped the amount of water being topped off with the lime to about .8 gallons. I have tried running a fan over the tank 24/7 to increase evaporation so I can add more lime. I leave the windows open all the time now.
My PH still drops from 8.35 to 7.9. It drops rather quickly once the lights are turned off. in 3 hours it drops from 8.35 to 8.05. over the next 10 hours it drops from 8.05 to 7.9.
*sigh*
So what do i try next?
DonW
R.I.P.
You probably have a organics issue. Try taking your entire evaporation and start dripping as soon as the lights off. So if your evap is 2 gallons the drip about 750ml per hour for ten hours. Using your ato, your going to loose alot to precip.
Don
Boomer
Well-known member
So Don, when I leave for a month in Jan or Feb are you ready to take over
DonW
R.I.P.
So Don, when I leave for a month in Jan or Feb are you ready to take over
If your going some place warm I'm going with you.
Don
How do organics effect my PH?
What is it about having the lights on that keeps my ph up?
Im still trying to get this working. Last night I took out the manual for the ac jr and figured out how to code it better so now it pumps about 1.7 oz over 1 min every 11 minutes during the night.
The PH seemed to fall more evenly, but it was still pretty low when I woke up.
What is it about having the lights on that keeps my ph up?
Im still trying to get this working. Last night I took out the manual for the ac jr and figured out how to code it better so now it pumps about 1.7 oz over 1 min every 11 minutes during the night.
The PH seemed to fall more evenly, but it was still pretty low when I woke up.
DonW
R.I.P.
This will do a better job at explaining than I can.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php
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Well, high organics and decay of orgainics in the tank both cause an acidic condition and produce CO2, both of which can effectively lower your pH...
as for the lights...part of it has to do with the respritory cycle of algaes in the tank...CO2 intake and O2 release by said algaes....I'll see if I can find a good link....
MikeS
So things have been going well with my kalk additions. I am running in to a new problem. Kalk does not meet my alk/calc needs anymore so I have gone back to adding my 2 part every day. The problem is my PH is whats limiting my ability to add more 2 part. For the passed few weeks I have been struggling to get my alk and calc higher. Here is what my tests have revealed.
Morning after dosing:
Alk:2.4
Calc:375~
PH:8.0
Right before lights go off before dosing resumes:
Alk:2.2
Calc:350~
PH:8.5
If I add any more 2 part, it will drive my PH well beyond 8.5.
My magnesium is at 1200~
My water change water usually tests at:
Alk:2.9
Calc:425~
Mag:1300
What can I do to raise my calc and alk levels safely without shooting my PH up? This is an ongoing problem of mine. Even if I get my lvls back up to where I want them, they dip back down to where I dont want them within a week or so.
Peace,
Jesse
Morning after dosing:
Alk:2.4
Calc:375~
PH:8.0
Right before lights go off before dosing resumes:
Alk:2.2
Calc:350~
PH:8.5
If I add any more 2 part, it will drive my PH well beyond 8.5.
My magnesium is at 1200~
My water change water usually tests at:
Alk:2.9
Calc:425~
Mag:1300
What can I do to raise my calc and alk levels safely without shooting my PH up? This is an ongoing problem of mine. Even if I get my lvls back up to where I want them, they dip back down to where I dont want them within a week or so.
Peace,
Jesse
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DonW
R.I.P.
The ca portion of two part has no effect on PH. The alk will have a very temporary boost but is usually localized. Just dose it slowly and you'll be fine.
Don
reeftank1
Do you digiscope?
Mg seems like it should be higher???
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